Utility room
A utility room is a room or commercial building within a house where equipment that are not used in day to day activities are kept. Utility refers an item designed for usefulness or practical use, so in turn most of the items kept in this room have functional attributes. A utility room is generally the area where laundry is done, it is the descendant of the scullery. [1][2][3]Utility room is more commonly used in British English, North American and Australian English generally refers to this room as a laundry room.
Uses
The utility room has several uses but typically functions as an area to do laundry. This room contains laundry equipment such as a washing machine, tumble dryer, ironing boards and clothes iron.[4] The room is also used for closet organization and storage. The room would normally contain a second coat closet which is used to store seasonal clothing such as winter coats or clothing which are no longer used daily.[5][6] Storage spaces would contain other appliances which would generally be in the kitchen if it was in usage daily. Furnaces and the water heater are sometime incorporated to the room as well. Shelving and trash may sometimes be seen at this area as not to congest the other parts of the house.
History
The utility room was a modern spin off to the scullery where important kitchen items were kept during its usage in England, the term was further defined around the 14th century as a household department where kitchen items are taken care of. The term utility room was mentioned in 1760, when a cottage was built in a rural location in the United Kingdom that was accessible through Penarth and Cardiff. A utility room for general purposes also depicted its use as a guest room in case of an immediate need. An American publication, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, on July 24, 1949 reported that utility rooms have become more popular than basements in new constructions. On June 28, 1959, a report of a typical American house being built in Moscow, Russia. The house was described to have a utility room immediately at the right side after the entrance. The Chicago Tribune reported that the laundry room was then commonly being referred to as the utility room in a September 30, 1970 publication.
References
- ↑ Utility Rooms FAQ, http://www.utilityrooms.com/utilityroomsfaq.cfm Accessed: 2010-03-17
- ↑ Utility Room, http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/utility%20room Accessed: 2010-03-17
- ↑ Organized Utility Room, http://www.hihut.com/organized-utility-room.html Accessed: 2010-03-17
- ↑ Utility Room Laundry Aids, http://www.utilityrooms.com/laundryaids/ Accessed: 2010-03-17
- ↑ Utility Room Closet Organizers, http://www.utilityrooms.com/closetorganizers/ Accessed: 2010-03-17
- ↑ Utility Room Storage Cabinets, http://www.utilityrooms.com/storagecabinets// Accessed: 2010-03-17
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