Utility room layout - do you have wall cabinets above your sink?

[WellTidy]

I am in the process of designing a new layout for our awkward shape utility room (two doors, one to get in and out and one onto the garden, also massive tank to accommodate).

We are going to stack the washing machine and tumble dryer, which will give me a work surface next to them with a cupboard underneath, and then there is space next to that for a sink and a cupboard under that.

I really need more storage, and so I am thinking of whether to put wall cabinets above the work surface and above the sink. But I’m wondering whether having wall cupboards above the sink would feel too in your face. I will definitely use the sink and stand whilst I use it, but I’m thinking it is only going to be used to soak items of clothing, scrub sports shoes and wellies etc, rather than how you use a kitchen sink and the amount of time you’d spent standing in front of that.

Im unsure. Do you have wall cabinets above the sink in your utility room, or have you actively decided not to?

Yes we do. It's absolutely fine. My sister does too. My experience is you want to cram as much storage as possible into the utility room as it becomes the area where everything lives if it doesn't have a home elsewhere!

Same here. It works brilliantly.

We chose not to have a sink in our utility as we found the surface space more useful and we have a sink in the boot room if we need it. I am clumsy and tall so would probably bump my head on the higher cupboards if I had a sink there! Could you have shallower shelves as an in-between option?

This is encouraging! I am 5 foot 1, so rarely bump my head on anything 😂and I am not a shelved person, I like everything tucked away as I can be messy and hate wiping things down or dusting. The kind of things I’d like to store aren’t pretty - shoe polishing basket, laundry products (not in attractive jars or baskets, more like an bumper size lenor and two tubs of vanish).

On the other hand, I would really like a retro sign or poster related to laundry and that would be a nice gap to put it in, and actually the only wall space that I could put anything to soften the room.

We have open shelves above the sink then wall cupboards above them which go all the way to the ceiling. I can reach items at the front of the bottom shelves in the cupboards but have a small set of steps that I bring out for things on the top shelves.

I had a top cupboard (like the ones above a tall fridge/freezer) and a rail underneath. I loved the rail!! It's what I'll do when I get another utility. Bonus you can put your sign up!!

I am also short - 5’3” - and it works really well for me. I use my cupboards for exactly the same things you’re planning to, and the utility is my favourite room in the house because it’s all exactly as I designed it and it works because of that.

We have recently put in a utility with exactly the same layout, plus a slim wine fridge at the end of the run before the door. Added wall cabinets above that go up to the ceiling, to store all sorts of random junk that doesn't look pretty enough for open shelves. The top cabinets are much less deep than the base ones, so don't get in the way.