With the utility room’s fast rise in popularity, other secondary spaces have climbed up homeowners’ wishlists recently. Think prep kitchens, walk-in pantries, bootilities…

While these secondary storage rooms may have different functions, the main reason behind their purpose is the same – taking pressure off the main kitchen, Louisa Eggleston, creative director at Humphrey Munson, tells me. They are designed to act as an extension to your kitchen, boasting ample organising space, housing an array of appliances, or accommodating extra sinks, taps, and worksurfaces.

Depending on the size of your secondary room adjacent to your kitchen, you can design your dream walk-in pantry, for example, have a zone dedicated to doing laundry, or a multi-functional bootility (a fusion of a classic utility and a boot room).

“With open-plan living remaining strong in the UK home, finding new ways to maximise the footprint of your kitchen is now more important than ever and considerations like this have led to the relocation of laundry appliances from the main kitchen and into previously redundant spaces to become a secondary room such as a walk-in pantry, food store or utility room,” explains Matt Phillips, head of UK operations and managing director at Rotpunkt.

So, if you’re planning to extend or are looking for clever ways to maximise the space you already have, I’ve asked the experts for their top tips on secondary storage rooms to help you plan yours like a pro…

Why should you have a secondary room adjacent to your kitchen?

Each of these secondary rooms comes with its own benefits. “Creating a room adjacent to your kitchen for a second kitchen, pantry, utility room, or boot room offers numerous benefits, from increased storage and functionality to improved organisation and cleanliness,” explains Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio. “Whether you’re a culinary enthusiast, a large family, or simply someone looking to optimise their home space, these additions can significantly enhance your living experience.”

Prep kitchens, also known as back kitchens, are ideal if you love entertaining friends and family, for example, and need ample space for preparing meals or storing goods. “Think of it as the behind-the-scenes area that keeps the main stage running smoothly,” says Tom Howley, creative design director at the eponymous kitchen company. “A mix of closed cupboards, drawers and open shelving is essential to offer enough space to store ingredients, cookware and small appliances, ensuring that everything is conveniently within reach yet neatly tucked away,” he explains.

“A back kitchen should also feature appliances such as an extra fridge or freezer, a dishwasher, and perhaps even a wine cooler – which is particularly handy if you have a large family or love entertaining. The best thing about a back kitchen is that once you’ve had enough, you can close the doors behind you, concealing all the mess and clutter until it’s time to tidy,” adds Tom.

A walk-in pantry can help you keep a visually clean kitchen thanks to providing plenty of space for storing away dry foods, concealing small appliances and freeing your worktops, or keeping extra crockery and serveware on hand.

“Pantries are particularly useful spaces if you’re a keen cook or baker, as in addition to more storage, they also give you additional worktop space for prepping ingredients away from the main kitchen – meaning much less mess,” says James Bodsworth, creative director at Daval Furniture.

A utility room and bootroom, on the other hand, are versatile spaces where you can include plenty of cupboards for storing anything from cleaning products and laundry essentials to winter coats and chunky rain boots. The design opportunities are endless – you can stack your washing machine and dryer in a corner, include ironing boards and hanging rails, or add a compact storage seat for putting shoes on in the morning.

“Locating a bootroom adjacent to the kitchen means you have a convenient place to drop off groceries, sports equipment, or other items as you enter the house. It’s also an ideal spot for pet owners to clean and groom their pets before they enter the main living areas, reducing the spread of dirt and pet hair,” says Charlie.

Ways to make space for a secondary room

If your house doesn’t already come with an adjacent room to the kitchen, there are ways to craft a pocket of space by reworking the floor plan. “Reconfiguring walls and adjusting doorways is really common in projects where clients want to achieve a main kitchen and a back kitchen space,” says Louisa. You will, however, need to seek professional help, so it’s worth keeping this in mind when allocating the renovation budget – but it’s well worth it in the end.

So, how do you go about creating a secondary room? “First, evaluate the existing floor plan to identify any underutilised areas or adjacent spaces that could be repurposed. Consult with an expert if you’re thinking about knocking down or moving walls to create a different layout,” advises Ruth Lavender, design expert at Benchmarx Kitchens. “Utilise an extension if space permits, as this will add square footage that will create more flexibility when it comes to adding an adjacent room,” she adds.

If you’re working with a compact area, Ruth says repurposing it into a laundry room is the best option. “More spacious areas offer flexibility to create features like a utility room, walk-in larder or bootroom,” she says.

Don’t have the space, or budget, for a separate secondary storage room? “An alternative is to create a section of the kitchen that can obscured from view by internal walls like this one,” suggests Graham Robinson, head of design at Halcyon Wigmore Street. “It allows that feeling of a ‘hidden’ prep area, where functional items can be out of view but without the need for an entirely extra room.”

Key considerations

Organising space is one of the key elements of any secondary storage room. So, how do you maximise it? Louisa advises making a list of everything you need in the main kitchen and the prep kitchen or pantry, and then dividing it up accordingly.

A mix of closed storage and open shelving is recommended in a pantry, for example, so you can easily access cooking essentials. “Drawers can then be used to stow away things you only need from time to time and consider bespoke drawer inserts for overflow herbs and spices so you can easily see everything at once,” adds Louisa.

What else should you take into consideration? “Avoid spaces that are warm as food can easily spoil – good ventilation and light is needed, however lots of direct sunlight isn’t good either as it increases the temperature in the room,” says Allison Lynch, senior designer at Roundhouse.

“Think about incorporating space for extra appliances and sufficient worktop surface for folding laundry. A long straight run for the laundry and sink run, and a tall run for broom cupboard, fridge-freezer, boiler housing and stacked washer dryer usually works well,” she adds.

Space-saving solutions are also essential to ensure you maximise every inch of your secondary storage room. Think fold-out ironing boards in your utility room or pull-out shelves in a walk-in pantry, advises Ruth.

“Folding pocket doors are the perfect solution for those looking to create an ‘invisible kitchen’. Offering a great space-saving and aesthetically pleasing solution, the retracting doors mean that nothing needs to be on show unless you want it to be,” says Josie Medved, design manager at Symphony and Laura Ashley Kitchens.

Lastly, but equally important, when designing your secondary room, remember that it should feel like an extension of your kitchen. So, Mike Whitfield, interiors specialist at Lusso, recommends being consistent with your choice of colour palette, cupboard style, and metal finish for accessories such as door handles and kitchen taps.

Ready to gain that much-needed extra storage space in your kitchen? Happy planning!

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