Ideas for designing a small utility room
Being a busy family with four kids that love being outdoors, one of my priorities when renovating our house was to have a utility room/laundry room with a tonne of drying space. Living in the UK, we have our fair share of rainy days, so an indoor drying space was a must.
Our utility room is one of the hardest working rooms in the house and when I speak to clients about their own home renovations, I always encourage them to make space for a utility room if they can.
Even a small utility room is better than none at all - having a dedicated space to dry clothes helps to keep the rest of your house clutter free, not to mention mould free by keeping moisture to a minimum. It’s also handy to have somewhere to store items like the vacuum cleaner, a mop, and the ironing board.
Here I’m sharing some of my ideas for designing a small utility room.
Stack your washing machine and dryer
If you have a small utility space, the easiest way to make the most of the space is to think vertically. Utilise wall space by stacking your washing machine and dryer. For around £50, a universal stacking kit allows you to safely stack your washer and dryer, freeing up floor space.
Image via Premier Kitchens
Hang your washing from the ceiling
A hanging clothes airer (or pulley airer / laundry rack) is the perfect solution for drying clothes in small narrow spaces. Not only do they take up zero floor space, they also dry clothes quicker thanks to the warm air that rises to the ceiling. We have one installed above double towel rails, so the heat from them rises and helps to dry the clothes.
Image via Pinterest
Dry clothes on a rail
Another space-saving option for drying clothes in a small utility room is to install a rail above the empty space between the worktop and ceiling. Hang clothes from wooden hangers - you can then transfer clothes directly back to wardrobes (and if you’re anything like me, skip on ironing too!).
Images via Pinterest and Humphrey Munson
Create a utility cupboard
Turn even the smallest of cupboards into a small utility space with the addition of cupboard doors or bi-fold doors. Having a utility cupboard enables you to store a washer and dryer, as well as hide items such as cleaning products. 1894home on Instagram has a brilliant example of a utility cupboard hidden behind doors, neatly hiding the washing machine and dryer. Painting it a bright yellow really makes the area a fun place to do the laundry too.
Image by @1984home
Hide the clutter
If you’re short on cupboard space, pretty baskets are essential for a small utility room. Keeping clutter to a minimum will ensure your utility room always looks neat and tidy. Storage baskets also help you to maintain an organised utility space. I particularly love the Arbroath jute baskets from Neptune. Or these baskets from B&M are a great alternative if you’re on a budget.
Images via Pinterest and Neptune
Add a peg rail
Not only do peg rails look pretty, they are super practical too. You can use a peg rail to hang a dustpan and brush, dusters, clothes peg basket and even an ironing board. The ideal height for hanging your peg rail is approx 150cm off the floor.
Images via Pinterest
Use colour wisely
Keeping a small utility room light and bright will help the light to bounce around, ensuring the space feels clean and uplifting. However, darker colours in a small utility room can also visually enlarge a space, as dark colours add depth, creating the illusion of more space. The latter is particularly useful if your utility room has no windows.
Images via Pinterest
How do I design a small utility room?
If you are looking to renovate your utility room and need some ideas on design for a small utility space, I am happy to help plan a design for you, taking into account how you will use your utility room and how best to organise the space. Do get in touch to find out more.
