And a good idea to boot
BOOT rooms are a boon for country houses where you genuinely need room for muddy wellies to keep your hall and kitchen clear from piles of footwear. But even if you live in a mud-free environment, having a utility room or just a corner of your kitchen to store boots along with the washing machine is equally useful.
Modern homes are smaller than those built before the 1980s yet we have more to store than before so if you are redesigning your home think hard about storage, advises John Sims-Hilditch, co-founder of interiors chain Neptune.
He suggests a full-height laundry cabinet where you can stack a washing machine and tumble dryer instead of having them side-by-side, leaving room for other cupboards.
“Consider foldout drying racks and towel rails, a large stainless-steel utility
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sink to cater for pets and laundry and a generous, clear countertop for folding, wrapping and cleaning,” he adds.
Hampshire-based cabinetmakers Lewis Alderson have many clients who combine a boot room with a laundry room and they also advise full-length cloak cupboards with slatted shelves to air muddy boots, hooks for waterproofs, a bench to sit on while removing wet or muddy shoes and easy-to-clean walls and floors.
But if you don’t have space for a boot room or even a utility room, a simple coat and shoe rack will help you to keep some order.
Atkin & Thyme’s modern rustic-style Cooper hall stand has room for walking boots and coats while the Oak & Rope Company’s stylish shoe rack is stackable or can fit into a kitchen or hall corner.