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Original poster

Utility room vs utility cupboard?

53 replies

WorrisomeHeart · 07/03/2019 06:03

We are in the initial planning stages for a 4m kitchen extension and have always planned for a separate utility room as part of that. However we’ve now had the schematics through from the architect and have realised how much room that will eat up from the main kitchen/dining/second living space we want. The other alternative is a utility ‘cupboard’- it will be approx 2.5m wide and about 1m deep and have folding doors in front. It will have some sort of vent to the outside for extraction. I can see the benefit of the extra space in the main room but am worried that I’ll regret not going for the self contained room. Any thoughts? Pics attached - ignore the yellow stickies, those are the comments to the architect. Also the pic with the cupboard shows the extension at 3m but it will be 4m.

OP posts:

Original poster

WorrisomeHeart · 07/03/2019 06:06

I should say as well, both options will have some form of hanging space above the base cupboards.

OP posts:

wufti · 07/03/2019 06:16

We have just remodelled our kitchen and lost the utility room and have a cupboard- no regrets. tried really hard to fit one in but all the plans looked poky with a utility room. Now have better and more spacious kitchen, less doors between rooms. Lost second sink but now have outdoor hot and cold mixer tap for really dirty jobs - wellies, dog, etc - and second sink was just a dumping ground for stuff to be sorted later

user1474894224 · 07/03/2019 06:18

I'm trying to work out where the windows are in the walls....to see if you lose a window with the first option. I actually always wanted a utility room....sign of status possibly? We now have one just this year.....we also have a bigger house overall....what has it changed? Not a lot, I guess I can put a wash on when we are having dinner together but that's about it.... although we have a door in ours and a sink for washing dirty football kit, paintbrushes, etc....it would be my preference. And I like the breakfast bar across the kitchen so that if you are working at it you can look out o. The rest of the room easily. You don't lose cupboard space with the utility room being there either.

As a third option....and this depends on windows.....could you have the utility room where the utility cupboard was to be, move the door into the kitchen to open the other way.... horizontally not vertically if that make sense. So the kitchen would be longer and thinner, but you'd get a longer run of units on the left.

Original poster

WorrisomeHeart · 07/03/2019 06:23

We could but with the third option we lose the sight line from the front door down to the bifolds at the back, which I really like. The other thing I should say is that we have to have the boiler where the cupboard is anyway because of venting, so there would be some form of cupboard there even if we went with the standalone room. I worry that the island is too close to the dining and sitting area when it’s facing the back doors - would it all look a bit cluttered?

OP posts:

TheChineseChicken · 07/03/2019 06:29

I love my utility room and wouldn't be without it. It's a place to hang wet washing, to pile up dirty washing. We also keep recycling bins in there and cookbooks and bottles of spirits etc. Basically it hides mess!

CamVegOut · 07/03/2019 06:38

I would go with the utility room. You still have a great kitchen with it. We have a small utility space and so all the laundry work needs to be done elsewhere. In your space you could have a ironing plank made to use on top of the units. Second sink for mucky things. Hanging space for wet jackets and boots. Very useful.

CamVegOut · 07/03/2019 06:40

We have lots of wellies and foot ball boots here so a utility like that would be so useful.

TipseyTorvey · 07/03/2019 06:43

We had the same issue. In the end we went for a half cupboard half room that leads to a side door. It's about 2.5 x 1.5 and is a small corridor type room. The tumble dryer is stacked over the washing machine and there's a tall cupboard for brooms etc then a sink with a cupboard over that. Then we have a dryer that hangs from the ceiling that can be unwound to hang loads of stuff on and then loads of hooks on the other wall. It is cramped when it's full of washing I won't lie, but I wouldn't be without it because that's where all the crap is. I hate having laundry draped all over the kitchen and on top of that it's where the cat sleeps and eats so her food bowls can make a mess in there and not my kitchen. Also handy as it has the side access so if the kids come in muddy they can dump it all in there.

Linguaphile · 07/03/2019 06:49

I actually like the layout with an actual utility room. I think the space might actually feel bigger as you have a bit of breathing room when you walk in. I’m guessing that wall by the door is a run of tall kitchen units? I have a utility now and would never be without one again. It’s so convenient to have a place for muddy bits, cleaning products, a folding area, an extra freezer... definitely worth the little bit of extra space.

chicaguapa · 07/03/2019 06:59

What's your other storage space like? I find a utility room is also useful for having extra cupboards for kitchen appliances, Tupperware etc, or temporary storage of bags for the charity shop, somewhere to hide a birthday cake. When we had one, I couldn't keep the surfaces clear as it became a dumping ground!

Original poster

WorrisomeHeart · 07/03/2019 07:07

I guess that’s one of my reasons do posting is to understand what other people use theirs for and was I missing something!!

Ironing - would still need to be done in the main room as the U room won’t have a window (it would be on the attached wall)
Storage space - U cupboard would still have a broom type section for mops etc. Shopping bags are in the understairs cupboard. Rarely used kitchen stuff will be in the kitchen in corner base cupboard.

Coats are hung by the door above a radiator already. Boots are kept under the stairs.

Drying clothes would be on a drying rack above base cupboards in either option.

What else am I not considering?

OP posts:

NotPennysBoat · 07/03/2019 07:11

We've just had a very similar dilemma!

At the moment we already have a very small utility room (WM & TD stacked and one full height cupboard for cleaning stuff), but we will lose this to install a back door.

After much discussion, we've decided to go for a utility cupboard because, like you I wanted the visual impact of having a huge open kitchen space. I'm not worried about storage for other things because we'll have plenty of space for that elsewhere, the only thing that slightly concerns me is the noise of the machines. However on balance the big open kitchen look is worth it for me.

wowfudge · 07/03/2019 07:46

I'd go for the separate utility room every time. You'll be more effectively blocking the noise from the washing machine for starters and will be keeping washing out of the kitchen. A second sink is really worth having. The additional wall means you can have more units fitted.

JuniorAsparagus · 07/03/2019 07:51

I love my utility room. It has a sink as well as housing the washing machine and dryer, and doubles as the dog's bedroom. Our kitchen is quite small by modern standards, but I still prefer having all the mess out of the way.

BlueSkiesLies · 07/03/2019 07:53

I have a utility cupboard with stacked WM and TD with space beside for tall things like mop, hoover and clothes rack.

I like it. Hides the appliances and softens the noise. No issues with having a wash on when eg eating but also I got modern appliances and they are pretty quiet anyway.

I do have an outside sink which is used for mucky jobs like washing paint brushes after decorating (once every 5 years?!?) and cleaning shoes that have stepped in dog shit (again not v common).

I don’t dry washing around the kitchen. TD most things in winter and in summer outside. Anything delicate in winter gets dried on the spare room radiator.

I think you just grow to fill the available space re utility space being a dumping ground.

I might feel differently and desperately want a utility room / boot room if I had three sports mad muddy teenagers to deal with. But I don’t.

BlueSkiesLies · 07/03/2019 07:55

OP I think you get a much better layout without a utility room as long as you have enough shoe and coat storage already (eg under stairs)

parkview094 · 07/03/2019 07:57

I prefer the utility "Room" option myself. I think creates a better layout for the kitchen? Presumably you could have full-height cupboards in that configuration where the utility 'cupboard' would have otherwise been? The net result is that although you get a shallower kitchen, it's much wider. If I've calculated correctly, you get considerably more cupboard space with the utility room in both rooms and I can't really see what you're losing out on?

cortex10 · 07/03/2019 07:58

We merged our utility into the main kitchen. This gave us space for a huge deep sink with the dishwasher next to it. Much better use of space for us.

ColeHawlins · 07/03/2019 07:59

Utility room. Because:-

I like to sort loads in front of the machine. When I'm at home I sort and line up a whole days worth, popping in and out to rotate loads every couple of hours.

The full size sink and drainer is invaluable for messy/ unhygienic jobs or for soaking things. I can't even remember how I did those things before.

I have ceiling and wall drying racks and still room to put a clothes horse up and move around. Good for woollens and delicates in foul weather.

Muddy shoes get dumped, dealt with and dried in there.

Pet stuff all lives in there.

You can chuck random stuff in there when you have short notice guests.

ApolloandDaphne · 07/03/2019 08:10

If you didn't have a utility cupboard what would be in that space? I would use that and have a bigger kitchen. If there is no door to the garden from the utility it makes no difference in terms of muddy wellies and taking out wet washing.

Original poster

WorrisomeHeart · 07/03/2019 09:04

Thanks everyone, this is really helpful. I am definitely veering towards the cupboard on the basis of the responses. It will be big enough that we can potentially still have a small sink in there.

If we didn’t have the cupboard there it would be a run of units but would still need to have an under counter boiler there because of venting. I was struggling to see how that would look alongside kitchen cupboard layout and also how it would work having a fridge or pantry on that wall away from the main kitchen units.

OP posts:

PazRaz10 · 07/03/2019 10:30

@ColeHawlins, you have just described all the reasons we are having one built - I cannot wait!!!!!!

ApolloandDaphne · 07/03/2019 10:54

If you are going for the cupboard rather than a room maybe it would be useful to factor in space to keep your dirty laundry and your ironing pile?

dinkystinky · 07/03/2019 11:08

We had a utility cupboard in our old terraced house (because didnt want to eat into kitchen space) - was fine when only one child doing sport at school, fast forward a few years with 3 kids doing sports and activities and 3 loads of laundry a day and our kitchen ended up overrun with laundry.

Moved and now have a utility room with space to air clothes, launder, iron and fold clothes AND a separate sink to clean muddy boots/paint stuff etc in and keep wellies/trainers etc in and its my favourite room in the house. Also like being able to close off laundry when cooking smelly foods and ensure that it doesnt pick up food smells.

stayathomer · 07/03/2019 11:12

What does your gut say OP? I've lived in houses with no/small/ very decent utilityrooms and I'd go for the large any day cos you can sort your clothes in their/ hide a clothes horse if people are coming etc, but then I'm a horrendous cook and I know if dh was planning a house it would be all about the kitchen! What does your gut say?

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