PRODUCT FEATURE | Hidden kitchens and utility rooms
The growth in demand for open plan spaces has created a lucrative new category – hidden kitchens and utility rooms. Linda Parker looks at this growing market and how you can gain from the trend
Hidden
A set of plain secret doors lead into a large walk-in pantry with bespoke shelving and storage units, by The Myers Touch
DEPTHS A
s we spend more time in the kitchen socialising and even working from
home, the trend for concealed features, streamlined looks and hidden rooms continues unabated. Practical utilities, pantries and boot rooms are also increasing in popularity, with utility rooms often considered to be a ‘second kitchen’ where the real work gets done. There’s been a significant shift towards kitchens with concealed facilities over the last few years – it’s not just about plenty of cupboards, it’s about hiding and disguising whole areas, such as the breakfast spot, the bar and ultimately, separate utilities, pantries and boot-rooms.
Practicality is key for homeowners according to Houzz which has seen a significant rise in the search terms ‘larder’, ‘boot room’, ‘utility room’, ‘laundry’, and newly coined terms ‘bootility’ and even ‘lootility’.
A perfectly organised pantry with appliances shelves and deep drawers, Brandt Design
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“There is a continual and ongoing separation of the ‘tidy’ and the ‘untidy’ zones of our home, so that the places in which we live become clutter-free, and therefore more peaceful,” explains Helen Myers, director, The Myers Touch. “We achieve this by taking the messy items away from our living and
kitchen areas, and zone them into separate ‘closed off spaces’ such as utilities, laundry rooms and boot rooms - which we can shut off at the end of the day or when we are entertaining.” To enable this concept to be successful, designers need to address storage facilities forensically. To consider the impact of noisy appliances and be familiar with the possibilities of pocket doors or other full-height options that can screen off particular sections of a kitchen layout. There’s still a place for open shelves and display cabinets, but only for ‘curated’ displays of attractive items.
Out of sight, out of mind “Ground floor redesigns are becoming increasingly popular so that second kitchens and hidden boot rooms are becoming the foundation of the downstairs living space,” explains Julia Steadman, commercial director, Brandt Design. “In fact, if we consider utility rooms off the main kitchen as well, then designers are having to accommodate practical and social aspects and are finding new ways to maintain functionality yet keep noise levels to a minimum.”
According to Paul Illingworth, design manager, Abode, the latest Mintel kitchens report shows that only 22% of
· February 2023
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