Your utility room is one of the most practical spaces in your home, so it’s easy to be lazy with its décor. Design it well, however, and it will reward you with easier laundry days and brighter work hours. Turn it into a multi-tasking space, and it will make your home more efficient and user-friendly. Today’s sculleries are hardworking and chic.

Step One: Form Follows Function

Get the practicalities of the design out of the way first. Your aesthetic will be far easier to work out if you have a solid floor plan. Your appliances and gadgets will drive your design, but when arranging them, think outside the box. Your washer and dryer needn’t be placed side by side. Mount them above the floor or arrange them vertically to save on space. Similarly, your ironing and drying areas needn’t take up floor room. Pull-out and draw-down railing can fold into the wall. Finally, consider the other hats you’d like your room to wear. A pet washing and sleeping area will help your room to outperform itself. When planning your home renovation, consider placing your utility room as a separate entrance and mudroom.

Step Two: Wall and Floor Treatments

Your home renovation budget should prioritise permanent décor elements like windows and floors. Wood and brass are popular for utility rooms this year, and they carry the side benefit of timelessness. Bright or light wall treatments will open the room up and chase out the dark dankness of the space. If you’re going to choose a gorgeous oak floor treatment, however, mount your appliances for easy mopping and drying.

Alair Homes Winnipeg Utility room

Step Three: Cabinetry

Home renovation trends are leaning heavily towards inbuilt cabinetry that closes appliance faces away more sleekly. For easy access to tools and detergents, pull-out wicker baskets can be used as drawers in an open cabinet. If you intend on using this space as a larder, rustic floor-to-ceiling shelving will give you plenty of extra storage. Opaque glass cabinet fronts are an alternative that removes clutter without hiding closet contents entirely. Fitted boot-room storage and a butler sink will make the space far more useful. Dresser-style cabinets are an alternative that provides worktops for folding and treating. Freestanding units are flexible, and a modular design will allow you to rearrange your room in under a day.

Step Four: Beautify

Washhouse chic is trending for obvious reasons. Victorian fittings and vintage airers add charm and utility. Choose the right accessories, and your buckets and baskets will form part of the room’s beauty. Your home renovation provides the perfect opportunity to replace those small items that destroy the beauty of your space. Country-style utility rooms are equally popular and can be created using painted wood, brass faucets, butler sinks, and metal hanging space. Metal tee hinges will complete the look.

Flowers and paintings needn’t be relegated to the rest of your home. Your utility room deserves as much attention as your kitchen, so make the most of your shelving and wall space. Buy attractive decanters for detergents and softeners, and treat your windows elegantly. Utility rooms might be hardworking, but they can, and should, add to your home’s charm. With the help of Alair Homes, this is the perfect opportunity to get creative. Your hard work will be its own reward.