Is your utility room a little bit of a black hole?

The kind of place where you dump things that don’t have a home and hide those ever-present ‘when I get a minute’ hoards. And then you can never find them again?

Or perhaps you don’t have a utility room yet, but you’ve come to realise that you simply can’t do without one any longer?

Here are some practical tips and style ideas to nail the hardest working room in the home.

We can certainly help you with both of these dilemmas!

Your utility room should be a highly functional room that's an extension of your kitchen — perfect for hiding away your washing machine, ironing board, or other noisy appliances. It can also be the ideal space for storing all those things that you don’t want taking up room in other areas, like cleaning supplies, endless coats and stuff for those furry friends.

So how do you make the most of this space? Here are some practical tips and style ideas to nail the hardest working room in the home.

A utility room with customised black cabinetry housing groceries, bottles and laundry items

First things first: declutter your utility room!

Give everything a good once over and decide what needs to stay and what needs to go. If there are items you're unsure about yet, put them on one side of a drawer or cabinet so they don't get lost in the shuffle but aren't forgotten. Clear out the junk drawer, you’ll feel better for it – we promise!

Consider placement of kitchen appliances

A well-considered laundry would probably see the washing machine placed in a slightly raised position. This means that you don’t have to stoop to add or remove clothes, and also gives you the option of including a laundry basket beneath the machine.

Incorporate space in your utility room for groceries, like a large pantry

Utility rooms are perfect for creating an area for food like a large pantry or shelving, where you can store food items and overflow dry goods. Make sure that everything you need every day is within easy reach, and place items that you use less frequently in low or high cabinets. This helps keep the room neat and makes it easier to find what you need when cooking.

Got a pet? Add a doggy shower

Something popular now is adding a small sink shower for those winter walks. Muddy pets can be showered down before entering the house or making a mess of your family bathroom. Not only will this help keep things neat and organised, but it'll also make it easier for you when it’s time to clean up after them.

A modern laundry room in mineral green with integrated washing machine, sink and wooden shelving

Make a list of what you will store in there

The bottom line is, the utility room needs to function perfectly before it looks beautiful. There’s no point in having a sleek looking space, if you can’t fit all your stuff in there. We’ve spoken to many a customer who have a utility but nowhere to put their mop, bucket and vacuum, or insufficient space for coats.

Make a list of everything you want to store in there, and ensure your finished design accounts for each and every item. Potentially include; hats, scarves, shoes (particularly football boots), pet food and accessories, mop, hoover, laundry basket, coats, food (including the fridge!)