Designing a Utility Room The Space A Way
A well-designed utility room is one of the most transformative spaces in a home and one of the most overlooked.
It’s where the real life of the house happens. It’s steamy, practical, and endlessly hard-working. A truly great utility room doesn’t just function, but it transforms how the whole house feels. This is the space that keeps every other room calm.
‘‘Repose’ (2022) painting by Caroline Walker
The utility room is where mess and order coexist, where chaos is processed, contained, and transformed. Designing a utility room, then, is really about designing peace of mind.
“There are two schools of thought: the ‘stuff it full and close the door’ type, and the Khloé Kardashian-style mecca of order and organisation. Either way, it’s the space that makes the rest of the house work.”
- Design Director Anna
The utility room has always had more emotional range than it gets credit for. Take Ross and Rachel’s first kiss on Friends, a well-designed one might not change your love life, but it will make the daily grind feel a little more cinematic.
Ross and Rachel sharing a kiss in the laundry room (Friends 1994)
The utility room is a modern echo of the Victorian era scullery, traditionally used by housekeepers and maids as an overflow kitchen. These were the hidden engines of the home, full of heat, steam, and soap. Housework and laundry was kept hidden and set apart from the rest of domestic life but over time, modern living habits have drawn these spaces inwards.
Wash day (1938) painting by Gerald Moira
There was also a time when laundry meant leaving the house, hauling a bag of clothes to a launderette, alive with gossip and the whir of machines. Now, 97% of us have our own washer at home and the launderette has gone from necessity to nostalgia, a symbol of care, community, and renewal that still shapes how we feel about washing today.
There’s something deeply human about the act of cleaning and washing. In a world that moves so fast, these small acts of care can feel grounding.
“Every home has its own scent — its own rhythm of washing,”
says our Design Director Amelia.
“The utility room is where that identity begins. It’s the source of the smell you send out into the world.”
Laundry Man (2019) painting by Kerry James Marshall.
Designing for the way you live
The best utility rooms feel calm because they’ve been designed around real habits. Shallow shelves that don’t make you bump your head. Drawers that fit laundry pods perfectly. A plug inside a cabinet for charging a cordless hoover. Even a small space can feel generous if every detail serves a purpose.
Every household has its own rhythm when it comes to laundry. For your own project, think about how laundry moves through your home, where do clothes pile up? how often do you iron or hang clothes to dry? Function comes first, but feeling follows closely behind.
Some people like to take clothes straight from the dryer to the ironing board, folding and storing everything in one smooth routine, while others only bring out the iron before a workday. Combine fitted baskets for sorting and storing between cycles with pull-out ones for carrying laundry between rooms.
In larger homes, a laundry chute from the bedroom floor can be great for larger families who wash often and parents who hate lugging baskets down stairs. The chute can be built so that laundry lands directly into a laundry basket stored in a cupboard, keeping the space neat and organised.
Utility room by Redrose Designs, featuring an LG washer–dryer in a soft matte green and beige finish. A reminder that appliances can be beautiful too and designed to complement the room rather than dominate it.
These days, there’s no shortage of options when it comes to laundry appliances. Think first about how many people live in your home and how often you wash, then choose your washer/dryer size accordingly. Front-loading machines allow for a countertop above, while a combination washer-dryer can save room in compact homes.
It’s also worth deciding on placement early as both your appliances and any laundry chute will depend on your building’s architecture and access to drainage, power, and ventilation.
If space allows, a built-in hanging rail offers the perfect place for air-drying clothes or hanging freshly ironed pieces.
Countertops are the backbone of the room. They provide space for folding, sorting, or even potting plants. A durable surface like quartz, stainless steel, or composite stone will resist moisture and stains.
Choosing your countertop material isn’t just about durability but also about defining the personality of your utility room. Quartz feels calm and sleek, marble adds drama, and stainless steel brings a bit of edge.
Combine that surface with a wall colour or splashback tiles that speak the same language, and suddenly you’ve got a space with a real colour and texture story.
Smart storage
With thoughtful storage solutions, you can hide everything away and give each task a place to belong. For example, ironing boards can be designed to tuck into cabinetry and drawers.
Full-height cupboards are invaluable. One should be dedicated to cleaning tools like mops, brooms, and vacuums.
Adjustable shelves in cupboards make room for sprays and detergents. In family homes, consider childproofing by keeping chemicals up high.
Pull-out drawers prevent the endless rummage at the back of deep cupboards, whilst overhead cupboards are ideal for less-frequent items.
These details matter. The more specific the storage design is to you, the more serene the space feels.
“The primary design goal is functionality but no one said that it needs to be boring. Yes, it might store your mop bucket and overspill baked beans, but it’s also the perfect spot for that wallpaper you were too scared to use in the kitchen.”
- Anna
A built-in dog washing station - a great idea for pet owners!
Your utility room can work for everyone, two-legged and four. You don’t expect to crouch and wrestle every bath time, you can elevate a bath or install steps for larger dogs so you can work comfortably.
Think of it as your dog’s own spa corner, practical, yes, but also a small act of love built into your home.
It can be a joy to design, a chance to be playful, personal and even indulgent. Let’s stop treating it as an afterthought because when done well, it’s the room that makes every other room, and every day, a little better.
“If you’re lucky enough to have a utility room, cherish it with your life,”
- Anna
“Spoil it with rich colour, handmade tiles, marble worktops”
Thinking about your own utility room project?
We’ve created a detailed Utility Room Design Checklist, shaped by our experience designing spaces that work beautifully day to day. We’ll be adding to it as we go and welcome your thoughts and ideas.
To view & download the checklist please email us at hello@spacea.co.uk