(you asked...) I worry that it might be a bad idea.
Will this be your forever house? Or, will it be your 10 yr house?

I think that pantry storage in a well-used, hard working room like a mudroom/laundry room will be viewed as "storage" and not "pantry" by most people.

If, however, you will be here forever, and you know that it will work for your family (and keep your food from smelling like dirty socks, laundry softener, or other laundry/mudroom odor, pleasant or not), then go for it.

hi, Yes, it is our 'forever' house...but I can't imagine anyone thinking it would be storage- they'd think it was a large laundry room/mudroom.

I guess I just threw in the pantry part since I don't currently have a pantry but have a tall wide kitchen cabinet that hold most of the food stuff. I figure most of the food stuff will stay in the kitchen (in a cabinet or two) but the overflow (extra cereal, canned goods, paper towel, etc..) would go in this laundry room. Does resale get affected by having or not having a pantry within the confines of the kitchen itself?

I wonder if the town will consider this a 'bedroom' if it has a built in closet? I hope not.

Ps I think in a 10x10 room you might have trouble cramming everything you want into it. Mind you, my room is awkward as heck (post, doors everywhere) but it is about 11x12 and I don't think I'd have room for a craft table, cubbies, and ironing board all out.

There are some people (and you'll see this in the kitchen forum) who want their "pantry" in the kitchen. If viewed as a mudroom/laundry, I think that is very typical and would be a positive. If it were the only pantry space though, I'd be hesitant.

Do you have a pic of your sketch? Will there be a door like a walk in pantry in the mudroom? I think as long as food items aren't visible it should be fine :)

Actually I think someone suggested a pantry to us and even a powder room in there but it wasn't big enough. I love extra storage and organization/ multipurpose rooms instead of formal unused rooms. It's all personal taste. Some people might not like mudroom/ laundry and others may love it. It works perfect for us.

Karen,

Yours is my inspiration pic! Are you in building stage yet or still only on paper?

I do have a sketch- need to scan and upload. Will do that tomorrow.

Thanks! Im so happy I've inspired you :) they are going to start drywall next week!

I'm late to the party....but I would not want a combo mud/laundry/pantry. It sounds very practical, but the crackers, cookies and other pantry foods will take on the moisture. Food, shoes and dirty clothes psychologically do not go together when reselling ;)

I'm not familiar with your plans but WHY is your kitchen way in the back? Wouldn't it be more practical to switch it with the LR? Do you rally want to walk thru your DR, several feet with your groceries? The cost of Plumbing being spread out will cost a lot, and after you move in getting hot water will take a while, the repairs may be more frequent...just sayin.

I'm telling you these things because I've made several mistakes with my "builds"....nobody pointed out the obvious to me.

Dabunch,

I think you are referring to Robo's layout which she said was an existing home remodel- not a new build. That's probably why the rooms are where they are.

Robo,

You've really got everything covered in that room. I looked at the houzz pics- great ideas. I'm on the fence on a 'large' locker-type area that is all over Houzz. In my current home, I have a bench with baskets below, and many hooks, and the coat closet is still full. I'm not sure that the lockers give any more storage for the expense. That appears to be the route you went also- no 'lockers'.

How about shoes? I'd really like a cabinet (closed) with open shelves for all the kids shoes. Since the master will be right there, I think mine and my husbands shoes will go straight there. I wonder if IKEA has 'ready made' shoe storage. Will go look.

Hi dabunch, yes, this is a remodel of a 70 year old home. Living room is way too small for kitchen and has a triangular fireplace wall. Dining room is interior. The only other place kitchen could go is where it currently is and we hate it there....way too isolated from rest of house, far from the deck (husband does a lot of grilling) has a structural post in the middle and having laundry in kitchen as it currently is is a real pain. In my region kitchens are typically at the back of the home so this will not impact resale.

Nepool, we anticipate the pantry space being more for bulk goods like cartons of soup stock. Basically where we keep the Costco stuff. We have another pantry cupboard in the kitchen. Since laundry is actually IN our kitchen right now, we know there is no impact from moisture....the dw lets way more moisture into the air, so does boiling pasta.

I have asked my architect for something similar minus the pantry--a multipurpose room basically.I gave him my ideas and what I want in the room and I am going to see what he comes up with on room size and where the room is located in the house.

A few of my ideas and requests for the room: (Forgive the incomplete sentences).

The lockers are not what they are cracked up to be. I have them now and they are a constant mess. I think I might put a few hooks inside a large coat closet instead and room for athletic gear. I also want lots of shoe storage (2 boys and a dh with too many athletic shoes). A place for my dog bed and bowls. A door to the outside (for dirty boys to use and doggy door). Washer/Dryer with plenty of room to hang damp clothes on hangars. Counter or island to fold. Floor space for piles of dirty laundry. Room should not be a pass through from anywhere.

This room is the room I am most excited about. I have a tiny LR now and fold clothes on a formal dining room table in a room I never use. I sort clothes in my family room. I figure why not give up a room I never use and devote the space to a room I will actually use.

If you are building from scratch...why not put your pantry in your kitchen rather than your LR?

I have aHouzz idea book with tons of pics of LR multipurpose rooms. I'll share the link with you if you want to email me.

Karen15

I would love to see your picture of your multipurpose room please.

Red,
I will email you for the pics. I may do a pantry cabinet of some sort in the kitchen, but like Robo, I'm envisioning this as a 'Costco overflow' type of pantry storage. Extra cereal, paper towels, plus storage for party platters, etc...

I agree- lockers don't seem a very efficient use of space and seem to overwhelming to put in a 'room'- they do look great from a design perspective in a pass through mudroom.

I'll try and post a pic soon:)

Hi Red,

I did email you via this forum. Let me know if you didn't get it.
Thanks

I got it and emailed you back a link.

Did you get it?