Journal
Once a boot room was a must-have space only indulged by those living in large country houses; today a boot room can be created by re-organising a hallway, stealing space from the utility room, or using part of the kitchen. With so many of us pursuing outdoor activities it is an essential practical space for wet coats, muddy boots, shoes and all the paraphernalia that we require for our many hobbies!
When considering the room, consider specifically what you need to store – everyone’s needs are different. Just coats, or do you need a sink; use part of it as a utility room, a place for the dog beds? If you are remodelling your home then it is the perfect opportunity to see whether you can add a boot room, or even adding a small porch may give you all the space you need.
Dedicating an area at the back door of your house for the storage of outdoor essentials will free up valuable space throughout the other areas of your home. No matter how small the space; functional storage is key when considering a boot room.
And while functionality is key, you can still create an interesting space through attention to detail such as fittings, light fixtures, baskets, hooks etc – and especially colour. Making the room feel like an important purposeful space rather than simply a place to hang a wet coat.
Guild Anderson have found that the smaller the space the greater the need to plan a bespoke design; to ensure that every corner is utilised for storage of all the necessary items for an outdoor life.
Footwear, seasonal coats, wellington boots, fishing tackle, sports equipment, riding hats, gloves, hats, scarves, umbrellas, shopping baskets, the list is endless. All of these items need a home; be it a shelf, cupboard, basket or drawer.
While it may seem like an indulgence to create a separate room to store outdoor items; once you factor in how bulky winter coats and boots can be; full height wardrobe-like cupboards to house them seem an obvious solution. What once may have been a wasted space behind a door; could now be a bench with storage underneath, a place to sit and remove shoes and boots. Don’t forget to use the height of the room; even those hard to reach spaces can be used if designed correctly.
Guild Anderson encourage you to opt for a combination of storage; coat hooks or pegs for every day outerwear, cupboards for coats that you use less often, and an area for drying wet coats; preferably over a radiator. If you have children then coat hooks lower down will help them hang their own belongings.
Shoes can be stored under a bench or on shelving, and for extra storage a bench with a lift up seat can be useful for boots. Small baskets or cubby-holes for gloves, hats, socks and scarves.
Often the modern boot room doubles as a place for wet and dirty dogs, so a dog shower could be a handy addition, plus a place for them to dry off; the inclusion of a dog bed, or area for a crate allows your four legged friends to stay warm and dry.
This transitional space needs hard wearing flooring such as stone, brick or tiles; in country houses it is likely to see a fair amount of mud; and this room may indeed be the most used entrance to the house. A boot room needn’t be considered simply a thoroughfare; it will allow the rest of the house to remain calmer, tidier and mud free. It can be a “decompression chamber” from the random, hectic and elemental outdoors to the calm inner sanctum of your home!
