Boot Room Ideas : Why this small space is back in fashion

Why did the boot room ever go out of fashion? 

Most family homes call out for a practical and stylish place to intercept and store all the paraphernalia and mess of outdoor life, plus they’re the perfect solution to keeping your entrance hall clean and clutter-free. One possible answer is that boot rooms were traditionally considered a luxury, an outdated amenity reserved for larger properties and country homes.

But the truth is that, with considered design and smart planning, it’s possible to find the space in homes of all shapes and sizes for a beautiful yet functional boot room solution.

And best of all, with the desirability of boot and utility rooms rising hugely in recent years, it’s an investment that will add real value to your house. So, whether you have a spare room, a wall or just an alcove to spare, here’s how you can create a place for everything, no matter how muddy.

Think utility… but don’t spare the style

Offering a buffer between your home and the world outside, your boot room should be easily cleanable, hard-wearing and boast copious storage – but there’s no need to sacrifice stunning looks for pure utilitarianism.

In this beautiful boot room, our designer has combined plenty of closed storage to hide clutter with open shelving at low and high levels, offering ease of access to every day “grab and go” items like wellies, towels and children’s toys. Integrating storage into your home is a great opportunity to create and organise a clutter-free storage.

Alongside cupboard space to house out-of-season coats and jackets, the comfortable, handy bench seating sits below individual hanging spaces, perfect for current favourite jackets and bags.

With its timeless shaker-style cabinetry, wall panelling and ornate cornicing all finished in our restful, Opal colour and Seville Oak, this is a wonderful combination guaranteed to withstand the dual tests of time and the elements in style.

Stuck for space? Go up

The trick to maximising every inch where space is limited is to go upwards – a favourite trick of our expert designers when designing our custom, handmade fitted furniture.

“The big advantage of bespoke furniture is of course that it can fill the space and cope with any idiosyncrasies,” explains Simon Tcherniak, one of our Senior Designers here at Neville Johnson.

“Boot rooms are generally smaller rooms in the house, so you need to be careful not to waste space.  It’s amazing how much storage you gain by going high up a wall and, if you make it no deeper than it needs to be, your room will still feel spacious.”

Space for all the family… pets included

As with all our fitted furniture, the beauty of bespoke design is that it can be configured to provide the perfect storage solution for you and your family – with consideration given to the items each member of the household needs to store.

“Hooks on a panel or in a shallow cabinet are nice and easy for people to use. You need to make it easy for people to put away their things or they will just end up on the floor or in a heap at the bottom of the cupboard!” – Simon Tcherniak

In smaller spaces, as well as using every inch vertically, our design experts can also look to incorporate smart options like under-bench storage, or hidden shoe compartments inside cupboards.

Bespoke cabinetry is also the perfect solution for unsightly fuse boxes or boilers. “Hiding these items completely transforms the space, and a vented boiler cabinet is a good place for drying off damp shoes.” adds Simon.

And of course, we mustn’t forget our furry friends! More than 50% of UK homes own a dog or cat and, as any of those households will undoubtedly attest, pet ownership brings its own special storage and cleaning requirements!

Where better than a boot room to store leads, toys, bags and treats? With a little extra space to spare, you could even incorporate a purpose-built bed for the ultimate in pet pampering.

Creating value for you now, and for your home for the future

We’ve looked before at the huge rise in the popularity of multifunctional living as people look to get the most from their homes.

Providing a dedicated space for clutter can vastly improve your experience of your main living areas, and boot rooms are a prime way to free up space elsewhere – as well as ticking all the boxes for potential buyers should you ever decide to move on.

A boot room also keeps your entrance hall clean and tidy, so it can serve as a calming and restful welcome for you and your family every time you enter – and also create that perfect first impression that’s so crucial if you do decide to sell your home in the future.

Boot Room Essentials

So, with that in mind, what would the perfect boot room contain?  Here’s our handy list of the essentials:

• Coat storage – the ideal is to combine internal hanging with external hooks
• Shoe storage – racks and/or compartments
• A bench or seat to remove shoes
• A welly rack
• Space for gloves, hats, welly socks
• Pegs for handbags and reusable shopping bags
• Space for pet items – bags, toys, leads
• An umbrella/ walking stick stand
• Space for cleaning items – towels, boot brushes

Ready to discover what we could design for your home? Our experts are on hand to help you create the perfect boot room – why not book your free design consultation now?