Boot rooms are so much more functional than the name suggests. Typically located at the back of the home, the boot room serves as an entrance to contain muddy shoes and paws, and prevents them from spreading their chaos indoors! It can also employ a cleaning station, and most importantly, can create large amounts of storage space for all those bits and bobs that just don’t belong in the rest of the house. This has led to the term "bootility" being coined, combining the boot room and utility room concepts. Read on for our top tips when designing your boot room!
1. Consider the entrance. Will your boot room serve as the main entrance for arriving back from school, football practice, or perhaps a dog walk? In any case, above all the most important first decision is the flooring. You’ll need the most hard-wearing and waterproof tiles, so dirt can be regularly swept back outside where it belongs and a quick mopping can keep it spick and span. Another great hardwearing option is limestone. It also helps to have a patterned tile, so that your eyes aren’t drawn to every little speck of dirt!
2. Be intentional with your space. When planning the design, you must consider its daily use and functions. Do your family members play sports, so would benefit from being able to drop muddy boots & running shoes straight into a sink? If the square footage and plumbing will allow, can it double as a laundry room so dirty shorts can go straight into the machine? Do you have pets, and if so can you fit in a dog shower? Once again in all cases, it’s ideal to have a seating area such as a bench seat. This will allow for dirty footwear to be removed comfortably and dispatched to the correct area, rather than hopping about on one foot which can lead to injuries!
3. Think of the extras. Is there any extra space for storage? If you’re building a bench seat, the spaces above and underneath could contain storage boxes for outerwear. If there’s no room by the door for coat hooks, build a rail or add hooks above your seating. If you’ve got a sink, then rather than plumbing in a standalone unit use the space for a unit with a cupboard underneath. For pets, you can also use this space to store their leads, toys, food and even a cosy bed. You can also fit in a cupboard for your broom, mop, and dustpan and brush. Keeping everything contained to one room will help the rest of your home really feel like a sanctuary when you head in from the boot room and close that door behind you.
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