Fresh Laundry Goals

Yes, we can all be dazzled by a gorgeous en-suite bathroom and a beautiful dressing area, but the one room that really can make others gasp in pure envy is an all-singing, all-dancing utility room.

Any growing household can almost guarantee an expanding laundry pile to match an accumulation of some of the dirtiest and most disliked household chores.

A utility room may often be compact, but it can also be the perfect place for jobs that are far too dirty for your kitchen sink, hence making them one of the most desirable rooms in your house and adding considerable market value.

Well-functioning utility rooms are all about making life easier, tidier, and more efficient. A perfectly equipped zone to move dull chores away from the family kitchen and free up some precious living space.

When designing new dwellings or extending existing homes our Architects are often asked to include a utility room. Our team are experts at this type of home extension that often falls within the realms of Permitted Development allowing you to create your dream utility room without the need for planning permission.

What we consider when designing your utility room:

Laundry Chute – Deposit your dirty linen directly to the washing machine. You will never see an odd sock on the stairs that got dropped along the way to the washing machine again.

Pulley Maid – Make the most of the ceiling space with a pulley maid drying rack as a sustainable alternative to the tumble dryer.

Larger Integrated Appliances – A designated utility room can make way for large integrated appliances such as a tumble dryer and a washing machine, making laundry a far less laborious task.

Water Softener – The inclusion of a good quality water softener tackles the problem of limescale by eliminating harmful minerals from the water before it has a chance to reach your appliances making them sustain the test of time for much longer.

Shelving – A practical shelving solution will give you the perfect system to keep things tidy and a great place to store detergents and other harmful liquids away from young children and pets.

Hanging Racks – Foldaway racks are a space-saving alternative to the tumble dryer, drying your clothes in an environmentally friendly way and reducing the need for ‘Popeye’ arms when ironing.

Counter Space – A reasonable amount of counter space enables the fuss-free folding of clothes. Try to include a pull-out version to make the most of smaller spaces.

Large Sink – An oversized sink is indeed a core luxury item, the best place to wash the dog, clean muddy football boots or soak the team rugby kit!

A well-designed utility room really can deliver the wow factor! Any good Architect will design this space making sure you have more than enough storage for coats, bags and shoes, above and beyond the number of power points for all those appliances you have planned, whilst considering the use of under-floor heating for practical use to help dry your washing faster.

Author: Jessica Parkes. Read more articles for MP Architects LLP https://www.mpcharteredarchitects.co.uk/news/