It is arguable that the utility room or boot room in a house is often the engine of the home, if you have one. If you dont, perhaps you are reading this as you dream of having your very own utility or boot room at some point! Utility rooms are a practical yet great space for keeping things in your home organised, tidy and clutter-free. It may seem that a utility room just has its practical uses - to take your muddy boots off after a walk with the dog, or to hide away the items in your home that you don’t want visitors to see! At Whitehall, we think it’s actually a room that deserves a little bit of a spotlight - especially if it has our flooring.

Let’s dig into why a stone floor is a great choice for your utility room and then we will share some of our ideas for features that you won’t want to miss out on.

We have spoken about having a seamless transition between the outside and inside before here but nothing is more synonymous with that than the humble boot room. It conjures up images of the whole family piling in after a soggy walk, taking off their dirty wellies, dumping their wet coats and heading straight for the warmth of the house.  

For the ideal boot room, many people would consider practicality as the main element. As well as being hard wearing, you will need something that is going to be easy to clean and able to stand the test of time whilst enduring heavy footfall over its lifetime. For many years, stone has been an obvious, favourite choice for utility flooring. If you want to keep it simple but still create that traditional countryside boot room, then there is no need to look much further.

Depending on the project, the boot room can also offer an area where a different stone can be used from the main kitchen living areas. The contrast in the use of the rooms means we have often used more of a “flagstone” in the bootroom like the Old Farmhouse Green, Crofters Cottage or Old Grey which give a more rustic charm of an old pantry or bootroom in an old country house. This can then differentiate itself from the smarter main living areas where you may feel more inclined to opt for a smarter looking stone like Provence, Highland Grey, Old Oast House.. As always it’s only a suggestion, and every project will have its own solution.

A laundry or boot room is also bound to be the home of some spills and a bit of mud here and there so it is important to have a floor that is easy to clean. Minimal effort without compromising on style. Our flagstones are the perfect option - they are very low maintenance and easy to clean, providing you are using the correct products - see more about maintaining your flagstones here. 

 

We have seen our fair share of beautifully practical boot rooms at White Hall, so here are a few top tips to consider:

1. If you already have a lot of natural light, soft lighting is a great option.
2. Often, the floor is the standout feature of a boot room, why not add a splash of bright colour with accessories, plants or even a beautiful rug. 
3. Make it multi-purpose, lots of people combine the space with their laundry room
4. Make room for the four-legged friends. It’s not only a boot room to some but a cosy little bolt hole for the dogs, so make sure they have pride of place in a cosy bed.
5. Keep things simple.

If you would like to chat with one of our team about your boot room, we can help you find the perfect stone for your space. Give us a call on 01432 870 855.