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Utility Room Shelving

On shelf-esteem

With apologies to Shakespeare, a utility room by any other name - be it laundry room, scullery, ironing room, or storage room - still requires shelving. Utility room shelving is usually as functional as storage gets, but some homeowners have discovered that a little practical beauty, even applied to something as utilitarian as shelving, can reduce the drudgery of daily chores. Here are a few methods.

If the shelving fits

There are several challenges a decorator faces when planning utility room shelving. Laundry rooms are usually very small, yet they're also expected to be the storage area of last resort. The inevitable result is clutter and frustration when you can't find the items you need.

For those reasons, planning is a critically important part of utility room shelving. Ascertain your shelving needs by listing all the needs your utility room meets. Is it a laundry room? An ironing room? Is it used to store tools?

Next, look at the space available in the room that can be used for shelving. It's alright if there's not much. The key to great utility room shelving is creativity.

Utility room shelving ideas

Open shelving is the most popular type of utility shelving because it occupies less space than cabinets and makes it easy to see and grab the items you need. Building utility shelving is a fairly simple do-it-yourself job. The commonest methods are metal brackets and wooden cleats. If you have the space, built-in wooden shelves will add warmth and coziness to any storage area.

More often than not, utility rooms lack space for large shelves. If that's the case in your home, stop thinking in terms of straight, unbroken lines. Single, open shelves of smaller length can be installed wherever there's room. Using wooden shelves painted in bright and playful colors will also brighten up the room.

Another utility room shelving alternative is a hutch. Hutches come in a range of sizes and styles, and a utility room hutch would look great atop a laundry table.

Utility room shelving doesn't always have to be shelves. Wicker baskets or earthenware combine storage space with aesthetic appeal, making them the perfect decorative accessories for sprucing up your storage room.