Home Improvement Blog

Posts Tagged ‘utility rooms’

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. Read the rest of this entry »