Making the Most of Your Space: Decorating a Utility Room

Usually located just off the kitchen, utility rooms bridge the space between the outdoors and the indoors. Here family members can take off their muddy or snowy boots, store wet umbrellas and raincoats, and store bulky items that would otherwise clutter other spaces. A well-designed utility room will do all that and more. It can even house small appliances or seldom-used items like special occasion dishes, glassware and silverware.

A "bootility" room is both a utility and boot room. A bootility room is outfitted with storage cabinets; hooks for hanging coats, umbrellas and dog leashes; and a bench to use when pulling  on and off boots or shoes. The bench can also have shelves underneath to stow away shoes.

Depending on the available space, the room can also hold a sink, a washer and a dryer. To save even more space, consider a vertically stackable washer/dryer combination. Some of these can be installed with a space between the appliances to store a pullout shelf for folding clothes. A wall- or ceiling-mounted dryer rack is a great space-saving alternative to a standing dryer rack.

Hard use

This room is probably the most heavily trafficked room in your home. Make sure that the flooring you choose is durable enough to stand up to the wear and tear. While natural stone floors are a traditional choice, easy-to-clean engineered wood or high-quality vinyl tile are both affordable and practical options.

It’s a given that the utility room will be full of cleaning products and bulky items. Organize your items in baskets to conceal the clutter and add a decorative touch to the room. Bring some natural elements and texture into the room by storing firewood here. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets are a practical storage solution, especially for rooms with high ceilings. Tall cabinets, easily accessible with a ladder, are perfect for storing seldom-used and seasonal items until needed.

Your utility room deserves the same stylish treatment as the other parts of your home. However, this is not a room to overdecorate. Everything should be selected with practicality in mind. As an alternative to white or gray, paint the walls in cheery tones of yellow or blue or soothing creamy neutrals. Colorful patterned floors and rugs can delineate the room from the rest of the house, especially if the utility closet is close to the kitchen. Even cabinets can receive a pop of color. The utility room can be a place where you make surprising color choices – even ones you would hesitate to try in other parts of your home. All these touches can transform an ordinary room into something stylish and unexpected.

Your utility room may be the hardest-working room in the house, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be as stylish and functional as the rest of the house. Contact us for more ideas on how your utility room can get the job done while being "awash" in style and personality.

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