Pantry vs utility room

[IamOnMumsN3t]

Hello,

So the walls are going up on my extension soon and I am thinking whether to move the utility room currently underneath the stairs per floor plan to where the pantry should be so it's a proper space for itself and then have a butter's or corner pantry within the kitchen itself?
I didn't want to many tall units in the kitchen hence why I initially made the room off the kitchen a pantry but I'm beginning to wonder whether would be better used as a utility instead.
The understair area is big neighbour to fit a stacked washer dryer on one end, sink on the other end and some reduced (30-40cm) depth cabinets in the middle, so I thought that should be ok but if moved it to where the pantry is then I wouldn't need plumbing in that area underneath the stairs.
I need to make the decision soon as it would impact how plumbing is laid.
What would you do?
Thank you for any insights.

I love a pantry. I wish we’d built one in our extension. It’s so useful. I have plans to remodel the kitchen I. The future to include one. DH says we spent so much money on the extension never happening.

The pantry where it is pretty perfect to me, BUT from a plumbing perspective moving the utility from under the stairs would be much easier and cost a lot less.

Where is the front door? eg are you coming in through the boot room? I love a boot room but I wonder if this is better used as a utility and use your generous hall for coats and so on. Anything wet and muddy can stay in the utility. Obvs don't want to walk in through the utility all the time if this is the actual front door.

Do you need the downstairs bath? Could you make that space a little bigger (into the loafing zone) and divide this to a loo and utility?

You don't want the pantry under the stairs, too far from the kitchen and what you have designed is lovely. So what else could you tweak to move the utility to the other side?

I've had the washing machine under the stairs before and it worked well but didn't give any drying space, and I think you would benefit from that if you can find a way to do so. Also I'd be concerned by the noise to both sofa spaces from the machines being in the middle as you have them.

Personally wouldn't the utility be better off of the kitchen as if you are sat on the sofa watching TV then you'll have noise from washing machine etc
I have a sort of pantry cupboard which is not next to my kitchen. Equivalent distance from your kitchen to under stairs. I find it useful because I use it for large bulk buys where I refill from. So I only occasionally have to walk from one to the other.

I’d leave it as is, if the kitchen seating area is fine

the pantry I take it is a hiden pantry and will have ey level shelves - whereas under the stairs it will not work that way

Utility where downstairs toilet is and put downstairs toilet under stairs?

I'd make the pantry the utility - you don't want the noise of the machines while you're watching TV.
Then put the pantry where you have that line of 3 double doors (large cupboard that opens up at the front?). And put the storage where you've currently put the utility.

@Tortephant , @yomellamoHelly , @Didimum , @IzzyGone , @Whyherewego thank you for your response.
Yes the bootroom has the main entrance to the house so putting the utility room the wouldn't be an option sadly as the space would have been perfect.
The downstairs shower is to future proof ourselves in case of ill health or mobility issued when we're older. This way we wouldn't need to move again.
I've looked at several options before. E.g. initially the pantry was the utility, the utility the pantry and the shower room was underneath the stairs but then we didn't want toilet shower opening directly into the living space especially as we are also are also swapping the locations of the dining and snug area. That would have meant if the toilet/showroom was underneath the stairs it would open directly into the dinning area 😑. Swapping positions of the snug and dining area also solve the issue of noise when watching TV.
I have asked to create chatGPT to create a utility area underneath the stairs and it came up with something that seems doable. I will include picture in a separate post, it doesn't possible to include here. The issue with this option is no proper drying space 🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Why can the pantry not be a combined pantry/utility with washing machine? Having a second sink in the room off the kitchen (whatever you call it) is extremely useful for entertaining. We chuck all our washing up in ours so neither we not our guests have to look at it.

I also think that having a washing machine and tumble dryer under the stairs by a seating area is not great - it will affect where you put seating so you don't block it. And you'll be walking through the seating area with loads of laundry. And you'll probably have to fold it somewhere else rather than doing it as you empty the machine.

Here's chatGPT image.
I think it would be better to have the washer dryer facing the other way towards the door for better practicality

Your utility room is in an unsuitable place currently, sandwiched between your two living areas. The noise will be a pain. Swap with the bathroom?

The chatgpt image looks great but unrealistic! Your plans show that space as 891mm wide. A base cabinet is 600mm you won't be able to run any units or the w/m & t/d along the length of the space, they all need to go at either end as per the architectural plans.

I quite like this Option actually.
Hadn't considered it before. The space should be ok to accommodate both ...let me see

If you go with this then I would have the w/m & t/d stacked in the top left as you look at the plans on the outside wall (and lose the little bit of worktop on the wall that backs onto the kitchen.) That means you'll have more space for the doors to open out into and put a basket in front of etc.

Sink along the same outside wall, and then reduced depth shelves/cupboards on the opposite wall, if you see what I mean?

Thank you. The outside wall will actually have a window so perhaps I can a sink there, washer/dryer on the opposite wall then storage shelves on the middle wall.
I hadn't considered putting a door, just an arched entrance from the kitchen. Maybe now as a utility combi I may consider a door.
With this option, I could use the area underneath the stairs as drying cupboard ..so no need to run plumbing there.
Ooo thank you @MotherofPufflings 😊

@MotherofPufflings something like this ?

How about a sliding door? Then you can shut over when washing machine is on

Stack the washing machine and dryer into the boot room and use the utility space as a storage cupboard. Weird to have the washing off the sitting area.
Add a hidden (shelved) door from pantry to utility/ boot so you dont lose storage and don’t have to walk all round.

Been thinking about this whilst working!
Could you increase the depth of the toilet/shower room to take in the kitchen cupboards, then back to back the plumping. use the proposed cupboards + a bit into the room or into the bathroom as your utility and the shower room sits on the other side of it as planned. or instead of horizontal (on the plan), you could go vertical with these two spaces.

I would combine pantry and utility and then use the under stairs bit as storage - therefore all the bulk buy stuff goes in there plus all the other crap you might not want to look at in the boot room as soon as you get in.
Looks like it's going to be lovely and I'm very jealous

Thank you @Ivygarland. Looking at all the options this seems to be the best one. Combining utility and pantry means I don't have to extend plumbing to the unstair area.
...and thank you for your kind words too ❤

Thank you @Tortephant. With this option id have to find another place for my fridge, freezer and breakfast station.
The pantry-utility combo seems to work best I for the space ...thank you for looking at this and taking the time to respond ❤

Did you post this previously? If not someone else posted weeks ago with the exact same floorplan!
My choice would be to combine utility and pantry, and have a door off the boot room as it would annoy me to traipse around too the kitchen when coming in with shopping.
I'd also make the boot room into inner hall entrance double width and not a single door.
And I'd extend the kitchen counter where the sink is, past where it currently ends. I know you've ended there to be in line with the island, but the cupboard the other side of the room are already well past that so it's a tiny bit odd that the counter stops so short.
It's really lovely.

Keep the washing machine under the stairs and have the pantry in the kitchen! Looks lovely you lucky thing x

It depends. We had a similar dilemma and we decided to prioritise the utility room as we needed space to air dry a lot of clothes and we also live 2 minutes walk from three super markets (right off the high street) so don't need to bulk buy items to avoid running out at an inconvenient time. If you live far from the shops and need to store a lot of bulky items I would keep the pantry.

Though looking at your floor plan, I'd probably make you boot room a combined boot room and utility so you have plenty of space for storage and the noise of washing machines etc is far away from your living areas. You should still have plenty of space for coats and shoes!

Sorry just saw your replies up thread. I'd make the pantry a combined pantry and utility room. Put a door on it for sure. Turn the understairs area into storage