Home Improvement Blog

You will probably find your home will be run more efficiently and is easier to keep tidy and free from clutter if you are able to set aside a single room or even screen off a corner for the various chores and family activities which would otherwise encroach on valuable living space.

Jobs such as washing, drying, ironing and mending clothes must be done with unfortunate regularity, but they will seem less tedious if they do not involve moving around furniture or equipment or any special preparation of materials. In addition family members who pursue such messy hobbies as model making or carpentry would appreciate somewhere to work where they could leave their equipment out overnight or at least for a few hours without interfering with meals or other family activities. Children whose play consists of setting up battles between toy soldiers or running model trains all over the floor would also be pleased with this facility.

Location
The first thing you will have to sort out is a location for your utility room. There could be a small larder near the kitchen which might cater for at least some of the functions we have mentioned, alternatively you may find sacrificing a downstairs WC and wash room might be worthwhile in terms of the convenience and efficiency gained. This location would also have an advantage in that the water and waste facilities necessary for a laundry would already be laid on. In either of these areas you can gain a great deal of space by rehanging the door so it opens outwards or by fitting a sliding or folding version.

An extra large kitchen can either have one end or corner screened off or be permanently partitioned to form a new room. Here again, plumbing facilities should not present any difficulties.

If there are no problems with access, a clean, dry basement would also make a useful place to set up such a general purpose room. As long as you can make adequate arrangements for plumbing, drainage and ventilation, this situation is ideal since it would prevent the noise and disruption of a wash day from disturbing the rest of the household. Likewise it would be far enough away from the bustle of family life, so work which needed a great deal of concentration could be carried on in relative peace. Again, subject to facilities, the loft might be a suitable location for a utility room or you may be able to make use of a spare bedroom.

Function
It is obviously important to decide in advance what the main function of your utility room is going to be, since this will almost certainly dictate the type and size of area needed and the way it is fitted out and decorated.

Laundry area
A utility room is probably used most often to accommodate laundry equipment, perhaps because it tends otherwise to be housed in the kitchen where it may get in the way of the activities normally associated with that room. A separate area for this chore has many advantages, the greatest of which is you can keep all your equipment together for maximum convenience.

As well as a washing machine and perhaps a spin or tumble dryer (some models stack to save space), you will need a large, sturdy ironing board which will adjust to several different heights to prevent back strain, you could make one yourself to hang on the wall. Look for two large baskets as well, one for dirty things and other for clean ones waiting to be ironed. A large cupboard for soap powders and other supplies will also be necessary, but remember to fix a strong lock on it if there are children about.

If you have enough room, this area would be a suitable place to store all your household cleaning equipment, such as the vacuum cleaner, mop, brush and carpet sweeper.

You will want a clear surface somewhere nearby on which to sort out your laundry for washing and fold it away afterwards. A few hooks would also come in handy for hanging up newly ironed garments. If there is no sink in the room, a large bucket will have to be used for pre-wash soaking. Make sure you have enough light available so clothes you thought had been ironed carefully do not look as if they had been slept in when you put them on and see them in natural light.

Choose from the walls and flooring a washable vinyl paint or wipe-clean paper which will stand up not only to water but also to possible splashes from stronger liquids such as bleach, brick, stone or quarry or ceramic tiles would be ideal. If you are laying a new floor, try to fit in a special drain to cope with accidental floods. Don’t be afraid to splash out and use bright colours and fun design ideas in  this room, you will need all the inspiration you can get.

Sewing area
If you are lucky enough to have space to accommodate more than laundry equipment, this would be a good place for a sewing and mending area, small repair jobs could be attended to immediately, before they are turn into major ones through washing and drying. In addition, it will be a blessing to the home dressmaker to work in a place where there is constant access to an ironing board. A large table for cutting out patterns is also necessary here; this could, of course, double up with  the surface provided for folding laundry.

If you are able to set up an arrangement such as this, make sure any electrical outlets for the iron and the sewing machine are well away from the area where water may be splashed. You will also need plenty of drawer and cupboard space for fabric, cotton, patterns, tapes, scissors and general needlework paraphernalia.

General activities area
Even if you do not need extra laundry space, a general purpose room would be ideal for many family activities other than needlework. As long as there is plenty of work space, the only other facility you need is a collection of storage areas, one for each occupation for which you are catering. If you could find, therefore, a large table with a washable, scratch- resistance top to go in the centre of the room for storage; for example, one corner could be for books, files and writing materials, one for stamp albums and equipment, one for model making and so on.

In a small room fit a wide table-height shelf, with shelves and cupboards above, on two or three walls so each person using the room would have his or her own storage and work space. You could also make good use of office furniture here; this is available at quite low cost second hand and a quick clean-up and a fresh coat of paint will make it almost like new.

With this type of arrangement the colours and design of the room should be kept natural and simple; the different activities and materials in the room will provide plenty of interest on their own.

Lighting should be of primary importance here; try a separate single or double spotlight for each area of activity, both for efficient illumination and to define visually the different parts of the room.

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