Practical ‘bootility room’ for 17th century countryside home

Nestled high up in the Yorkshire countryside on the edge of the Pennine Way and enjoying stunning 360 degree views, our client’s 17th century Georgian property is a truly stunning home. With a small standalone outhouse at the rear of the house, our clients decided they wanted to transform the space into a functional ‘bootility’ room to house a washing machine, walking gear and a shower for the family dog.

Cabinetry: Pembroke
Colour: Hunter Green

When did you first start to think about a new kitchen, and what was the space being used for before?
We started to think about how best to make use of the outhouse at the back of our property. We’d long needed a space that would work as both a utility room to house the washing machine and a boot room for dumping wet wellies and showering down the dog after winter walks, without having to trail into the main house.

What was your vision for the bootility?
The property is 17th century Georgian and has beautiful stonework, and the outhouse has a rustic, lived-in feel that we wanted to remain sympathetic too. We didn’t want anything too modern but felt that shaker-style cabinetry would give the space a contemporary feel while staying true to the age of the house and complementing the stonework.

Were there any particular features you wanted to incorporate in your bootility design?
The built-in dog shower was a main feature in the design and a priority for us and how we would use the room. We also wanted an additional sink, space for a washing machine, a tall-housing for outdoor gear and some shelving under the counter tops for keeping things like towels to dry the dog.

How did Daval help bring your bootility design to life?
Although the space is relatively compact, we worked closely with James and had lots of input from him on design ideas. We positioned the sink directly under the window and opted to have te dog shower in the corner next to the sink for easy access. We spent time looking at the various cabinetry styles Daval offers, and in the end opted for Pembroke as we felt it was the right balance of classic and contemporary.

After some deliberation, we opted to finish the cabinetry in Hunter Green, which works really well with the beautiful, natural grain effect that runs through the wood. The colour also works perfectly against the stone floor and fireplace in the bootility and helps bring the outside, in.

Do you feel you have achieved your vision with the finished result?
The space now looks fantastic, but most importantly, it works perfectly well for us on a practical level. It gives us the dedicated ‘messy room’ we need for doing the washing (dog and clothes!) and is so sympathetically done that it looks as though it has always been there.

It’s something a bit different to a regular utility room that is bespoke to us and how we need it to work, and we enjoy using it each and every day.