PRODUCT FEATURE | Utility rooms and hidden kitchens
Poggenpohl design featuring Miele laundry appliances
Sachsenküchen’s glass storage wall has a hidden ‘passage door’ system
This utility room by Crown Imperial features a new tall laundry cabinet solution
Daval’s Linton kitchen and day pantry, in a
porcelain finish
and most provide fitting kits to make it possible. Both Smeg and Miele mention this.
“Our high-performance washing machines and
dryers can be positioned in a vertical or horizontal alignment using a specially designed connection kit that allows for the appliances to be stacked for a space-saving solution,” Smeg UK’s head of marketing, John Davies says. “This allows for them to form a single module for greater ease of use, perfect for personalising to any kitchen design.”
Side by side
If the client has the space to position the laundry appliances side by side, Miele GB’s fabric care manager Alastair Cooke recommends hanging the doors so they open in opposite directions, as while this is a small detail to remember, it can make loading from one machine to the next much easier. Additionally, if they can be raised to avoid the user having to bend down to floor level then this should be considered too, especially if there is someone in the household with limited mobility. Cooke recommends using Miele’s plinths, which come with drawers, offering “ample storage”.
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Most of our contributors agreed that the “perfect” utility room should have energy-efficient laundry appliances, storage, a sink, iron, ironing board and clothes airer, while Asko also puts forth the benefits of the drying cabinet. These can be placed within utility rooms to stand alone as part of the laundry solution, and according to product and marketing manager Jessica Rhodes, they offer the “perfect solution for creating a lusted-after hidden utility room or ‘boot room’ that can fit seamlessly in with the rest of the kitchen space”.
As well all of the products mentioned above, Helena Myers of The Myers Touch, in Winchester, notes that “perfect is personal”, and while some might want a more traditional laundry room-type set-up, what is required really depends on the lifestyle of the homeowner. Both Myers and Searle & Taylor managing director, Darren Taylor, for example, note the popularity of providing areas for the family dog – a dog bed and even a doggy shower for use after long, muddy walks – these can also be used to clean dirty boots. A seating area incorporated into the space also transforms a utility into a ‘bootility’.
Retailer tip
Natalie Peters, general manager, Kitchens Etc in Norfolk, shares her thoughts on hidden pantries and how you can make the most of the materials you have, which is also more sustainable.
“Hidden pantries are a staple in our designs. We construct them in all shapes and sizes and curved ones are very popular, as are angled ones for tight or awkward spaces. “We cleverly utilise our stone off-cuts
from the fabrication of our worktops, to create cost-effective recycled stone-cold shelves that are eminently practical, as well as durable, luxurious and beautiful. “This really impresses clients and is a fantastic selling point.”
• February 2024
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