Mud Room Makeover that Dreams of Mud
Mud Room--Before
When we purchased our new home, we asked the previous owner, who custom built the house in the 90’s, what was the one thing she would change. She said that she wished she had planned more storage for coats, etc. when coming in from the garage. The original entry hall was narrow with a utility room immediately off the entry with a utility sink, toilet, crawl space hatch, water heater, and extra refrigerator, with an oversized laundry room off the other side of the hall that wasn’t very functional, and a powder room with an entry from a dark main hall around the corner,and a closet where decor and serve ware was stored. As part of a whole-house renovation, we gutted the first floor and reconfigured the entire space off the garage, claiming what were closets in an oversized laundry room to make space for a functional mud room that would become the drop zone for our entire family.
Original Entry Hall:
Original Laundry Room:
Mud Room--After
There isn't a detail that was missed planning this mudroom. I simply went through the process of how we come in the house--walk in, throw bags down, kick off shoes, take off coat, set mail down. And how we leave—set coffee down, put shoes on, try not to forget what we need to take with us. We needed places for ALL of those things, and to know that the reality is, the shoes won't be immediately put away, the mail won't get opened right away, and well, it would need to be a catch all for all of those things on their way in and out of the house. And for the most comfort--heated floors, and most important to keeping the dirt and germs out and the house cleaner, an entry rug to capture dirt, and an area rug with a thick non-skid pad to further corral dirt from shoes.
New Mud Room:
Bench
A bench is a mud room must-have. (Yes, it usually also becomes dumping ground for purses, backpacks and items that need to go out of the house on the next trip—but that is real life, right?) And of course, we tend to wear the same coats day in and day out so there are hooks for coats where easy access makes more sense. Knowing that the shoes are probably not going to make it to the shoe closet floor, let alone onto the shelves, and they most often remain right in the middle of the rug, we left open space under the bench where shoes can be kicked out of the walking path. We included drawers beneath the bench that are easily accessible to children for gloves, hats, etc., and cabinets above for more hats, compact umbrellas, shoe deodorants, and misc. items we often seek as we are running out the door.
Bench:
Shoe Closet
We are a no-shoes household, except when formally entertaining, so first order of business was a large enough space to house all in-season shoes. We took an otherwise blind corner from the laundry room and created a shoe closet with floor to ceiling shelves for shoes. The light automatically turns on when the door is open, and we left open space on the floor for taller boots and so that shoes could easily be shoved in the closet when family members are too lazy to pick them up and put them on the shelves. My favorite feature is the exhaust fan which runs continually at a low CFM and kicks up higher for several minutes when motion is detected when the door is opened. We learned that this fan also helps meet newer construction codes that require continuous exhaust of air to prevent toxic air from building up in homes. When we had a power outage from a tornado, boy did we learn how much we appreciate that fan!
Shoe Closet:
Coat Closet
Of course, we needed a coat closet as well. We included an exhaust fan in this closet as well to help dry damp coats. We store beach bags, bleacher cushions and shopping bags above, and keep a huge basket for paper recycling, which we empty about monthly at the paper recycling dumpster in our local school parking lot. There is another small coat closet near the front entry door for guest coats.
Coat Closet:
To-Go Station
We insisted on a “To-Go” station when working with our cabinet designer. A drop zone is a must for my husband who needs a place to set his coffee on his way out where it won’t be easily knocked over, and where he immediately empties his pockets when he comes in. It is also a place where I set mail that he needs to take with him. Our designer came up with the idea for this approx. 14” square “nook” with space from behind the adjacent mud room bath. Because it is recessed, it prevents coffee from being easily knocked off the counter. It has a mirror on the back, a puck light and a small drawer where he can toss his keys, wallet, and change when he comes in the house. It is also where we keep all extra keys and all car keys and garage remotes so everyone in the house knows where to find them. And then there are the random business cards that need to be added to contacts. But they also go in the drawer—out of site!
Beneath, is a cabinet where I house the journals that come in but that he often can only find time to read every six months. They come in and I can place them right in the cabinet instead of constantly filing in the office or living room. I’ll leave a few pieces of mail that appear to be junk on the counter so he can simply look at them and toss them in the recycling bin. This is the best used 18 square inches in the house! If we designated more space, it would simply accumulate more junk or papers.
To-Go Nook:
Command Center
Every house must have a junk drawer (or several) and a working desk or holding spot besides the kitchen island! We included a “Command Center” where incoming mail can be set and for basic office supplies, pens, pads, post-its, paper clips, letter opener, scissors, stapler, store loyalty cards, gift cards, coupons, and misc. items that often end up housed in an unassuming kitchen drawer. (We have a separate home office and a study area for the kids elsewhere in the house.) In a cabinet above, I store cookbooks, take-out menus and basic kitchen appliance manuals I often reference. I’m vertically challenged at 5’1” so I keep a small stackable space below my main shelf of cookbooks. (I'm a stacker!) Up high are seldom used cookbooks and since the are still delivered, phone books! (Has anyone seen The Intern???) Below, is a cabinet with pullout where I keep weekly store ads and coupons and where I store school papers and sports information. On the counter is a phone and router satellite and a ring holder where I place my rings away from the kitchen sink while working in the kitchen. I may add a bulletin board for invitations and flyers.
Command Center:
Mud Room Bath
We renovated the utility room to become a full first-floor guest bath for guests to use after boating or if they prefer more privacy than sharing an upstairs bath with the kids would offer. We included a tub spout in the shower where we can wash our feet when coming in, especially during the summer when wearing open shoes. And we added a window to the formerly dark closet of a room.
Original Utility Room/Garage Toilet:
New Mud Bath:
New Powder Room
We also reconfigured the powder room by moving the entry to the mudroom hall across from the Command Center so that it would not open into the Great Room, and decreased the width of the room to pull back the poster room that jutted into the main hall, leaving us with only 16" depth for a sink. We came up with a creative solution for the powder room layout and a shallowwash plane sink from inspirational Houzz stories and photos.
Before Powder Room:
Inspirational Layout:
Inspirational Photo:
New Powder Room:
Best to all configuring your mud-room spaces!
Comments (15)
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Comments (6)No, Annie, this isn't the same camping that you do. A lot of the cooking is, though. We used to tent camp all the time and loved it. Heard and watched racoons raiding our cooler and grabbing the marshmallows the neice left out. Stuck in a tent with a huge dog during a terrible storm with lots of high winds and lightening and all the other memorable times. Now, I am nearing 70 and DH isn't far behind. With the physical problems we have, we've had to make adjustments in life and the tent camping days are over for me. We've tried, but it just isn't something I can do any longer. Happy memories, but just not able to do it anymore so I stick with the physical things I can still do like gardening. As I said, DH is younger and still is able to do it, but I don't think for too much longer. He is going to do some of the Appalachian Trail in a month or so since it has been a dream of his. I will be his restocking source at different trailheads for as long as he can keep it up. We'll see how much of it he can do. I support him 100%. I would have tried to do part of it, but he's strongly against it. With my health issues, I'd have a heart attack or stroke very soon after starting. I really wish I could, but I just do what I can and I know that is beyond my capabilities. I don't look so broken, but I am and it can't be fixed. I guess what you would call our camping is the closest we can get to the olden day's camping and we do spend a lot of time doing easier (for me) hiking at the different places we go. Oh, and as much as DH has been the extreme outdoor person for most of his life, he's the one that doesn't want to do the campfire cooking. He says its too much trouble. Eeesh! I had to coerce him into getting me the smoker I wanted for last Christmas. Anyway, the next time you go camping, think of me and how I'd love to be there with you doing the same things, the same ways....See MoreWhats your dream laundry room?
Comments (43)My dream laundry room is about to be slightly modified but it is a dream. It's about 13'x10'. All cabinets are built-in and I have a single pane french door that leads to a deck plus a window so there's lot's of light. One side consists of room for my ironing board to always be down. I have a great heavy duty stainless drying rack and hanger that is positioned over the heating vent on the floor. I have a Jiffy 4000 steamer. I have a built in craft table with cabinets above and to the side that house my sewing machine, craft supplies, wrapping paper and ribbon and all my dog grooming equipment. I have 2 Bichons so I have a grooming table on the craft table as well. The other side is long counter all the way with a 47" dual stainless steel built-in sink at the end. I wanted it large enough so a bucket could go on one side and I could still wash a dog on the other. I have a TV mounted under cabinet that I can't image living without, makes folding and ironing tolerable. Under counter, I have a True (Bev-Aire) restaurant grade double frig. That is where I keep my cocktails to make ironing tolerable....joking,maybe. I use it to store drinks for the kids and really use the extra space when entertaining as I can stage huge platters of food, etc. Above is all built-in storage for linens, rags, pool towels, dog shampoo, etc. Modification will be happening very soon. When I designed it, I used undercounter washer and dryer but not only are they on their last leg but their capacity no longer can serve our family of 4. I'm going to cut into my beautiful long counter and put in some LG Steams. It will no longer be one long counter but I believe it's a sacrafice I have to make for capacity. i will also change to stone on counters. Unless someone has a really huge undercounter washer and dryer they can recommend, the demo may start this weekend. I designed this laundry room when we did an addition about 7 years ago. I've yet to see a laundry that I love more than mine....See MoreMud Room - Finished! Pics!
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Comments (26)It is my understanding that different animals not only have different visual systems, and different color perception, they also have very different prioritization of their senses. While humans get a lot of their environmental feedback from our sense of vision, other animals might not. From what I have been told, dogs are not particularly influenced by visual information, whereas cats are more so (although movement is probably more important than static colors) and birds are extremely visual. I am sure, somebody could do more research and find more data on this question. But my initial impression would agree with what everybody else in this thread seems to think as well. There is no such thing as the equivalent of a "stop sign red" room for a dog. To think that there is would be a failed attempt to treat animals as if they were humans. But there are, of course, lots of other things you can do to make the room comfortable for a dog. Smells and accessories/toys would spring to mind. You probably already know from your own experience with your pets which things are important to them....See More
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