A boot room is a quintessential feature of British country living. Ultra functional, a boot room possesses a lot of storage space to keep heavy-duty shoes, hunting equipment or sports gear ready for action when you venture outside. The chances are that you will spend a lot more time in your boot room than you expected. After all, it is the last room you will use before leaving your home and the first one you see when you come back in. Good boot room design considers its role as a valve between the outside elements and the clean, warm interior of the house. Boot room design must of course allow for mud and water, as well as take into consideration your hobbies and favourite pastimes to make your life easier. Artichoke, experts in period architectural joinery and seasoned bespoke boot room designers, give their recommendations on boot room utility features. From a handy sink, to warmed seating, and clever storage solutions, keep on reading to discover some clever boot room design features.
The top boot room design features
Boot room utility idea #1: A sink
Smart boot room design should take your hobbies into consideration. For those with a green finger, a boot room is often the main point of access to and from a vegetable patch or the flower garden. A counter space with a sink will enable you to immediately clean your homegrown produce or trim piles of fresh cut flowers without making a mess elsewhere in the house.
If you don’t enjoy gardening, a sink will still maximise your boot room utility. It will make it easy to grab a drink of water before or after a day filled with exercise and quickly clean minor stains. It can also serve as a place to wash muddy boots – or even your dog’s muddy paws. Plus, an antique faucet or sleek stone sink adds a very elegant touch to your boot room design. Make sure you choose a sink that is hard wearing and sufficiently large enough to manage all the tasks it will be used for. And, don’t forget to choose your tap carefully – for example, one with a spray function can make cleaning muddy boots effortless.
Boot room utility idea #2: Warmed seating
It is no secret that English weather is often rainy, windy or cold. Having a heated bench awaiting you is a handy way to quickly warm yourself up after a trip outside and it is an inviting boot room utility feature your guests will love and appreciate. It also allows your damp coats, hats, gloves and any other item of clothing to dry quicker, and they’ll be toasty by the time you’ll need them again.
In a recent boot room project, Artichoke chose to position a marble bench over a radiator – a perfect way to incorporate functional but luxurious seating to their boot room design. Marble is a beautiful material with natural properties that withstands heat and transfers warmth quickly from one place to another, meaning you’ll be warmed up in no time after a day out in the cold and rain.
Boot room utility idea #3: A drain
A drainage hole in the floor is an invaluable boot room design feature. You will inevitably drag in mud, tiny pieces of gravel and grass back into the house – a drain will make it so much easier to clean up the mess. Just a bit of soapy water will go a long way to clean paw prints and mud-stained surfaces. Your floors will be sparkling clean and dry in no time thanks to this boot room utility idea.
Boot room utility idea #4: A washing machine
Finally, our last tip for top boot room utility is integrating a washing machine into your boot room. Whether you are coming back from a rainy stroll or a muddy activity, you will be able to throw a dirty jumper or grass stained trousers immediately into the wash rather than risk bringing the mess into your home’s main living quarters.
No need to worry about a washing machine not fitting in with your boot room’s design. It is easily concealed by bespoke wood panelling or hidden in clever custom cupboards. Explore Artichoke’s boot room design ideas to see how you can combine elegance with practicality.
Boot room utility idea #5: Plenty of storage
To keep your boot room utility tidy, consider plenty of clever storage options, such as custom built-in cupboards, open shelving, and plenty of hooks for neatly hanging up coats and hats. Boots, coats, hats, bags and walking accessories, including umbrellas and walking sticks, can all take up room and require different storage solutions. Custom built cupboards can easily accommodate these different sized items, ensuring effortless storage solutions for a neat and tidy boot room where everything has its place.
Boot room utility idea #6: Practical flooring
A boot room, by its very nature, will see its fair share of mud and dirt, so make sure you plump for a practical floor that is easy to keep clean when considering your boot room design. Stone or tile is often the first choice for a boot room floor as it is hardwearing and easy to clean, plus it can also offer timeless appeal. Cheaper alternatives could include vinyl, which comes in a range of fun colours and designs for those seeking to inject some personality into their boot room.
Which of these handy boot room design features is your favourite?
