IDEAS FOR A PLEASANT UTILITY ROOM
The utility room is one of the most used spaces within the house. At times it tends to be ignored because for many it acts majorly as a laundry room. However, with a good design and some planning it can offer more storage space. It may also allow you to be efficient with other aspects of your house for example heated floors. Since these move heat across the whole house, you do not want your room to be where the heat is lost because of poor designs. With some creative designs and fixes, you can enjoy the floor heating as well as an appealing look for your utility room. It will no longer look like a dirty laundry room many have turned it into. Here are some ideas to adopt depending on the size, function and furnishing of your utility room.
1. MATCH STYLE WITH FUNCTION
Given the activity in the utility room you are going to need durable, easy to clean materials that are still stylish. You can go for a hardwood countertop with undermount sinks. The wood adds up to the lighting and classic look of the place while the sink is deep enough for hand washing. The ceramic tiles are easy to clean and water proof. They also work well with floor heating systems. In a place lacking windows go for a higher spacious ceiling. You can also use the ceiling to provide additional storage material. Use it by having a pull down rack to keep the room in use even when not washing.
2. MIX UP STORAGE ACCESSORIES
For appliances and all your bulky and not so attractive cleaning products use concealed storage. You should restrict yourself to this kind of storage only. Consider working with open shelves which allow you to display your beautiful items likes baskets, ceramics and vases. Such an arrangement prevents the room from becoming a dull affair. An open fronted cabinet works well where there is sufficient space and offers great elegance and efficiency.
3. MAKE USE OF RACKS AND RAILS
Not all homes can make use of ceiling mounted racks and open-fronted cabinets. Where the space is smaller and with regular height ceiling, use racks and rails mounted on the wall. This provides a convenient place for drying clothes as well and modern versions give you heated options for quicker drying.
4. BE PRACTICAL WITH STORAGE OPTIONS
If this is a remodeling project or you are building the space from scratch, get cabinets that match your style and needs. This means having space for taller and bulky items which include equipment like cleaners and ironing boards to linens like towels, sheets etc. Have a shelf placed for a couple of baskets both for the clean clothes ready for ironing and the dirty clothes needing washing.
5. IMPROVISE
To keep your utility room clean attractive with clear warm floors, you will have to improvise especially where you cannot design from scratch. Make use of hooks or peg rails in several open spaces as they add extra space. They can be used to hold clothes that have been ironed, aprons, bags and other items. Be creative with the setting of shelves while looking for extra storage space underneath the counters.
