Boot rooms: how to fake it in the average home

Boot rooms are big interior news. They are a space devoted to managing the transition from outside to in but what does that actually mean? 

A boot room is a specific area designed to contain mess and outdoor wear. Historically, boot rooms became a quintessential feature of country houses, farmhouses and vicarages. 

They were loved because they were the first port of call for anyone who was dirty, dusty or dripping wet, keeping the main residence clean and clutter free. Usually located to the side or the rear of the property, boot rooms were heavily used by farmers, gardeners and those coming back from long walks or game shoots. 

The best boot rooms shared a number of common elements that made them ultra practical. 

Rails and pegs for wet coats, a stand for umbrellas and hats, room to dry off a damp dog and a place to hang up leads. 

Other must-haves included a bench where you could sit down and prise off muddy wellies or walking shoes, and storage baskets for scarves and gloves. The best bit? Boot rooms also had an internal door, so you could close it shut and hide away the mountains of coats, shoes and outdoor accessories.

Such is their practicality that homeowners lucky enough to have a boot room guard it with their lives but what about the rest of us who don’t live in a stately pile or substantial countryside retreat?

All families battle the British elements and the mud, whether that’s on a pair of Hunter wellies or Nike football boots. There’s also the 1 in 3 households in the UK that have a dog. That moment when they shake off puddle water? Easier to manage when it’s in a boot room. 

The majority of us won’t have a boot room but that shouldn’t stop you creating a place for outdoor apparel. We’ve seen some really creative approaches that centre on upcycling and repurposing common items of furniture. The end result is a freestanding mini boot room that keeps everything together.

Here are three to try:

The bookcase

If you see a full height, freestanding bookcase going spare, snap it up. It’s the entry level point to creating a mini boot room. Simply remove the shelves, install some hooks and consider adding a floating shelf that could double up as a bench.

The French/Welsh dresser

An old French or Welsh dresser offers the perfect framework for a mini boot room. We’ve seen examples where the sides and top are retained but the shelves are removed and replaced with either hooks or a hanging rail. The cupboard top is then removed, the cupboard height lowered and the top replaced to create an integral storage bench.

The wardrobe

Some of the best repurposing projects involve old wardrobes and they’re ideal for mini boots rooms. You might choose to keep one or two of the hanging spaces but remove a middle wardrobe to create a seating alcove. It’s up to you whether you keep the doors.

10 furniture tips when creating a mini boot room

1. Check out charity shops and Facebook Marketplace for vintage style furniture to repurpose

2. Don’t rule out Ikea items – there are 1,000s of Ikea boot room hacks online

3. Unwanted cube-style storage units can be laid horizontally to create a bench with cubby holes underneath

4. get ideas and ‘how to’ guides by searching Instagram and Pinterest

5. Gather the right power tools and materials before starting

6. Buy paint that’s suitable for furniture in high traffic areas

7. Always securely affix a freestanding mini boot room to the wall for safety reasons

8. Use skirting boards, coving and architrave to give the illusion your boot room is built in

9. Add a seat pad on top of a bench for comfort and colour

10. Use wicker or rattan baskets for a country-chic style of storage

If you’d like to move home for more space, please get in touch.