Bootility rooms – The latest must-have spaces for hardworking homes

KitchensFeatures Tue 23rd Nov 2021 by Lisa Hibberd

Bootility rooms – The latest must-have spaces for hardworking homes

Bootility rooms – The latest must-have spaces for hardworking homes


Feature by Lisa Hibberd | Tue 23rd Nov 2021

Lisa has a background in working on consumer titles, and as the former associate editor of Your Home magazine, over 15 years' experience writing about kitchens and bathrooms. She now works as a freelance, contributing to both consumer and B2B platforms. More



The recent surge in outdoor hobbies such as walking and cycling, along with the huge increase in dog ownership, are just two of the factors that have contributed to the rise of the ‘bootility’ room – Lisa Hibberd explores how consumers are embracing this practical yet stylish space.

The bootility – a hybrid space that combines the best attributes of both a utility and a boot room area – is proving a popular trend that offers the ultimate in practicality. “The past 18 months have required us all to ‘stay local’ much more than usual and this has placed greater emphasis on both our homes and lifestyles,” says Simon Bodsworth, MD at Daval. “In fact, many of us have taken to the great outdoors, enjoying a dog walk or leisurely stroll each day and so the back door has changed its role in the home. The bootility room is able to support modern lifestyles, but taking a more considered approach, using durable materials that can withstand heavy use yet remain beautiful, is essential. I believe that bridging the gap between indoor and outdoor living will only continue to grow in popularity and fresh design concepts like the bootility room are helping to retain the social aspects of open-plan living by minimising noise from laundry appliances and preventing dirt coming into the main areas of the home.”

The Bramham Boot Room in Charcoal Grey by Daval presents a sophisticated and classic style thanks to its modern Shaker in-frame design. Clients can choose from multiple finishes, sizes and storage combinations

Masterclass has seen a significant increase in customers searching for utility rooms and boot rooms on social media within the past 12 months, with this design, showcased in the Hardwick range – one of its most popular images on Pinterest – receiving over 13k views each month

This bijou boot room by Searle & Taylor features a rack to hang wet coats after dog walking, plus a lift-up bench seat for shoes and boots. The bespoke cabinetry features a large cupboard to accommodate pet paraphernalia, with drawers above for storing car keys and other essential items

“Historically, a boot room was only seen as a necessity in houses where outdoor activities such as horse riding, gardening or walking were a hobby,” comments Martin Bepey, designer and showroom manager at the Burlanes Sevenoaks showroom. Now, however, it is beneficial even for the practicalities of everyday life – storing bulky coats, boots and dog paraphernalia, for example. “Usually, the bootility is located just off the kitchen or by the back door of the home. Deciding where appliances and the 'utility' aspect of the room will be will heavily depend on where the water and waste is, but you should also consider how the room will be used. If a client will be using the bench to pull off muddy boots etc, then ensure that is positioned as close to the back door as possible – they do not want to be stomping wet muddy boots past clean laundry in the utility area to reach the seating area.”

Featuring Arbor Lane Interiors’ in-frame staff bead Shaker cabinetry, manufactured for a kitchen retailer in Essex, this practical space features a stacked appliance solution and bootility area with made-to-measure furniture and storage solutions – handpainted in Bond Street by Mylands

This striking boot room was designed to maintain peace and order in a busy household of five. The entire back wall of the room has been re-fitted with open shelving, while additional boots and wellies are stored underneath bench seating. Bespoke cabinetry from Martin Moore’s New Classic Collection is hand painted in Martin Moore’s ‘Viridian’

Crown Imperial showcases a dedicated boot and utility room set at its Daventry showroom, highlighting the importance of organised storage, including its space-saving laundry unit innovation. The laundry unit is styled in Zeluso Rock Grey and the boot room space in Furore gloss Graphite, while curved units add a seamless connection between the utility and main kitchen

As well as looking beautiful, this sought-after space needs to be as hardworking as possible. According to Peter Humphrey, design director and founder of Humphrey Munson, storage is a huge driving force in good bootility design. “You want some open storage for hanging everyday coats and jackets, and then closed storage for things not needed so often. Shoe storage is key, particularly with children in the household as footwear multiplies exponentially year on year. Laundry appliances can be concealed behind doors, or open – stacking them is useful as it saves space. A large sink is essential, we love a butler design for a more relaxed feel, and always like to include a rinse tap for washing football boots or even small dogs. Countertop space for folding laundry is useful, and a housekeeper’s cupboard to store the ironing board, iron, cleaning kits, mop and vacuum – it all needs to go somewhere!”

This ultimate bootiity room by Humphrey Munson includes all the essential elements such as hidden laundry appliances, a bench seat with lift-up storage and hooks above, and plenty of open boot storage. Cabinetry is from the Nickleby range – finished in Goose Iron with bespoke Marton handles by Joseph Giles – offset by quartz worktops and limestone flooring

Showcasing Neptune’s Pembroke fitted storage in Charcoal, this almost floor-to-ceiling shelving area is perfect for creating a perfectly organised space. The Arundel two-seater bench provides a perfect place to perch, while Somerton baskets offer ample storage for odds and ends

With cabinetry from the Hartford Collection in Chicory, this boot room design from Tom Howley perfectly meets the client’s needs in terms of storage, and even boasts a personalised space for the family dog

With a dedicated dog shower and plenty of storage, this stunning utility area from Design Space London is the ideal solution for clients who are faced with muddy paws on a daily basis. The cabinets are in black wood laminate with practical Carrara marble-effect composite stone on the worksurface, splashback and shower

Tags: kitchens, features, bootility rooms, utility rooms, boot rooms

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