To get read of utility room/ area off kitchen and make it into a larder?

[08557lemon555]

Have been craving a larder for years. We never use our utility sink. Would it impact house price if we ripped it out?

We had thought about putting a utility sink in but DH seems quite happy washing muddy stuff outside using the bucket and hose and I think if we had a sink inside I might end up doing it so probably not a good move.

We've just done the opposite and turned a walk-in pantry into a utility/boot room. We don't want the washing machine and dryer in the kitchen and we need somewhere for wet coats, wellies, cat litter trays, etc.

Under stairs cupboard in hallway by kitchen door. Utility currently houses dog things and kibble sack on draining board😳, candles, vases , indoor plant pots, cleaning, ironing basket I don’t use with a heap of 10 year old items of clothing we’ve all forgotten about, shed loads of recipe books( will be getting book case fitted for those in kitchen maybe), washing machine and a sink. Ie a shed load of crap I could distribute elsewhere or get rid of.

We couldn't be without our utility. The sink is used all the time, it houses our washer dryer/2 fridges and loads of cupboard space.
But if its not working for you, change it. I can't see it reducing the value as it is the same space, just a different purpose

Do what you need now.

Oh dear. I think you have been seduced by the 'idea' of a larder rather than actually needing one. It's a big thing with interiors people at the moment but that will change to something else soon - probably to a trend for utility room sinks just as soon as you've ripped yours out.

Hankering after something because it's currently cool and your granny had one is not a good reason to spend a lot of money on it. Your granny would have stored a lot more food than we do in this age of just in time/ instant supply and weekly grocery shops plus daily convenience shopping. How many of those spices do you actually use? Are you just keeping them all to fill your fantasy larder for the Insta photo you want to post to garner likes?

Sorry to be cynical but the trend for seeking happiness through interiors is a big part of the reason we have a mental health crisis. Think carefully about your motivations here!

Our utility has a lot of deep drawers used as a larder for tinned, dried, bottled food. Very useful, but still have the full utility with appliances, sink, tall cupboards for mop and hoover etc.

Go for it. We use our utility room all the time. It’s such a useful space.

I would probably have a really ruthless declutter and then reevaluate, a bookshelf or bookcase for the recipe books is a good idea and some sort of spice rack as these seem to be your problem areas.

I cannot believe you think this. Utility rooms are crucial in any house imo. I’d hate to have my washing machine etc somewhere else. Where else would you put the microwave and rinse muddy trainers and cat bowls etc?! We have loads of cupboards and a wine fridge in ours too. So I guess it could also be a pantry if you wanted.

Where do you empty the dirty water from mopping your kitchen floor if not the utility room sink?
I put it in the downstairs loo

Um definitely not after a larder because it’s cool and not seeking for happiness through interiors. Have been in our house for a very long time and everything is falling apart. We have done nothing as not had the money. Kitchen is the same one it had when built and it’s not a new house. We have to do the kitchen because soon it will be unusable. The house is also not working due to not being touched for so long .Starting with the kitchen is crucial.

I have always wanted a larder because of the ease re having all your food in one place ease of access . I cook a lot with everything from scratch and several different types of cuisine. I absolutely do use all my spices.

Our microwave is in our kitchen! 🤷‍♀️
We rinse cat bowls in the kitchen as well.
I do like having the utility room for laundry and washing dirty trainers though.

On a separate note has anyone got an old fashioned ceiling mounted clothes airer? We've just bought one and hoping it's going to work for us!

I hate anything on the kitchen surfaces so in the past no utility means no microwave!

edited to say my brother has one of the ceiling mounted ones and it works a treat!

Haven’t got a microwave but would like one. God only knows where we’d put it. We have the most rubbish room for a kitchen as it has a walkway through it. And put an island on it and there are limited places for work surfaces and cupboards. Going to put bookshelves up and around big fridge freezer on one walkway walk to utilise space and find a place for my cookery book collection.

Most people, including me, have a microwave that is fitted into a kitchen cupboard, rather than on one of the surfaces.

Our utility room is quite small but I wouldn't be without it.It has a sink with worktop space either side.We have a freezer under one side of the worktop and the washing machine on the other side.I have a lightweight ceiling mounted clothes airer which has been a godsend and room behind the door for the ironing board and mops.The door to the side of the house is off here too.

@08557lemon555 Is it a galley kitchen you've got? It all sounds a little short on space. We've got a ceiling height pantry cupboard in our kitchen and I love it, all our food is in there except for baking things like sugar which is in the cupboard next to it. I think if you're planning a new kitchen then a pantry cupboard is a must to include.

Personally I'm desperate for a utility room as I want to get the washing machine out of the kitchen, our tumble dryer and drinks fridge are in the dining room, the vacuum and steam mop have nowhere to go and the iron is on the windowsill of the conservatory... 😩

No not a galley, good size but you walk through it to utility and toilet. Hard to explain. Just a crap room but can’t afford to change construction of walls or add on. Worst kitchen to sort for a novice.

It's your home. Do what you want so you can enjoy and utilise it

Could you stack the washer and dryer on top of each other, and fit a larder cupboard in the space made by doing that? I’d say, you put the dryer on top, you could have a spotless cupboard built to house them, and incorporate a slide out drawer under the dryer to put the wash basket on

When we had our kitchen planned our DD was a baby. The woman who mocked up a design suggested an under counter microwave so baby could get their own milk when they were a toddler!! 😳
... we ended up with a microwave on the work surface!

Like this? Optional doors and good out drying rack at the top (now I want one!)