Large utility vs utility and study.

[WC66]

We are currently designing the garage conversion for our family home.
We have a 3.3m by 2.5m space left which has a window looking to the front of the property and is directly behind the kitchen.

I would love opinions on these options please.

Would you:
A. Have a large utility for additional storage cupboards, boots, coats washing machine, hoover, mops etc...
Or
B. Have a small utility 1. 6m by 2.5m which could only fit a sink, washer and cuoboard, but then also have a 1.7m by 2.5m study which would fit a desk and maybe a small bookcase.

Thank you in advance!

If your kitchen is a decent size, and if you work from home, I’d try to squeeze in both a utility and study.

if not, I’d prefer a larger utility for clothes drying and ironing

If you WFH most of the time, definitely the study as well.

I wouldn't bother with a sink though. I never use my utility sink. I'd use the space to fit a dryer as well as a washer.

Thanks for your replies! I don't work from home and my husband only ever works from home maybe once a year.

Oooo difficult one. I'd love the larger utility for the washer and dryer but would love a study..... how much would you realistically use the study?

I don't think we would use the study much. I don't work from home minus an odd email here and there and my partner only does maybe once a year.

Tiny rooms can quickly become dumping grounds.

Based on your office use I would have the large utility.

Depends on how long you want to live there.

Forever home and not ever likely to need a study then go with the large utility.

But if you are likey to move in the next 5 years I’d put in a study. Given how many people WFH even a few days a week, it will add more value than a big utility.

As an aside my reasonable size utility has become a dumping ground as a pp noted. Drives me insane as things don’t get put away as there is “dumping space”. My previous smaller utility ended up being more usable as it was tidier and everything had its place.

Have actually set some time aside this weekend to have a big clear out.

The large utility seems best. You could make sure there is a worktop with something moveable underneath it (drawers on wheels?) and it could be used as a desk if needed.

You don’t need a sink in the utility. Trust me! I have a tiny utility… with my second F/F, a sink, then washing machine & tumble dryer stacked on top of each other.

I would lose the sink if I could do it again, and have a full height cupboard for extra storage.

a study would add value longer term.

Oops I miss quoted the pp. IMHO larger rooms become dumping grounds…not smaller ones.

Though thinking about it could you not have 2 rooms and designate the “study” for coats/boots/storage etc

Can you not stack a washer and dryer in the smaller utility and have a folding separator?

A

Large utility would be my choice. It's lovely to have space to store things and shut the door on it. We knocked a poky utility room wall down through into our main kitchen and honestly, I've always regretted it because I hate seeing the washing machine/dryer and having baskets around.

So my previous smaller utility had a stacked washer and dryer with a folding shelf (see picture below).

A longline cupboard for ironing board/hoover, then a waist height cupboard with counter space and another above it. No sink. Worked brilliantly.

I’ve now got too much space (if that’s possible) with a sink and much more cupboard and counter space and it just gets filled with family crap.

I have less space to do the laundry than before.

Having the two rooms makes much more sense imho especially as the “study” doesn’t need to be a study (but could become one in the future/marketed as that). For now it could just be a storage room/boot room.

I have a study also and it’s fab. Yes I WFH but it’s also a great place in the evening/weekends to get life admin done.

I absolutely would not prioritise a bigger utility over a separate (potentially multifunctional) space if I had the choice.

Based on that then I would go with a utility. Although if it was my house it would be- out of sight out of mind! Lol

Why are you considering a study then? What would it be for?

Writing the Christmas cards?