Utility room vs utility cupboard?

[WorrisomeHeart]

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.

Yes there will be two velux windows in the extension plus doors along the back. We are west facing so get a good amount of light and I’m sure we can be clever with lighting in the kitchen space.

Good idea re Oneplan, I have actually contacted her before so might see if I can get her thoughts on the plan.

We have a utility cupboard in our kitchen and you can hardly hear the washing machine or tumble dryer when the door is shut. My house looks to be a similar size to yours and a utility room just seemed a waste of space. I think they are a bit of a status thing, like an en suite. I also hate en suites squeezed into tiny new 3 bed new builds!

My gut is saying cupboard

I think that is probably your answer then. It's your house and the arguments people have put forward for a room haven't really swayed you.

I wondered about the practicalities of drying laundry in the small utility cupboard without the doors being open.