fold down seat in mudroom?

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Has anyone seen or considered putting a fold down seat in your mudroom or hallway? Sort of like this? If so, any advice on products and installation tips? (my GC is doing blocking now, so if I need blocking I want to get the location right).

https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/teak-wood-wall-mount-fold-down-bench-traditional-phvw-vp~57064867

Teak Wood Wall Mount Fold-Down Bench · More Info

I have a 1940 bungalow so ideally I'd like something that fits the period of the house (and not just use a teak folddown seat designed for the spa bathroom). I do not have an official mudroom but a hallway from the garage (40" wide by 8' 2" long). The door from the garage is offset so one side has about 5" extra where I plan to put some hooks. The fold down chair would go on the same side.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Featured Answer

mvcanada

4 years ago

My original thought was an antique stadium type seat with a fold down seat, that attaches to the wall. You'd have to do some scouring of antique shops - often when old stadiums are decommissioned or torn down, the seats are sold as collectors items. But there are other options that I found with a search that might work.

I like the simplicity of this first one and the fact that it folds up tight to the wall when not in use. It doesn't look terribly comfortable but I assume a user is just perching there for a second to take shoes on or off. I'd stain or paint it a nice colour than shown.

(132) Pinterest · More Info

This one looks nice too and functional. I'm not sure how easy it is to open. Sometimes when you are coming into a mudroom you have full hands, so you don't want to put everything down to pull out a seating option.

wall mounted stadium seating fold down - Google Search · More Info

These look a little more stylish and maybe more comfortable as well. Looks like a bit of padding on the seats and a bit stylish looking when folded up, not just utilitarian.

wall mounted stadium seating fold down - Google Search · More Info

Comments (10)

lizziesma
4 years ago
Well, I think this fold down idea is great for many spaces. If it works, use it.
girl_wonder thanked lizziesma
suezbell
4 years ago
It doesn't look bad at all and, especially where space is limited, it could be the perfect answer.

Space and budget permitting, however, my preference would be a storage bench and/or hall tree. If you have the space but not the budget, then, if you're DIY inclined, a version of this one could be worth considering.

https://www.ashleyfurniture.com/p/daisee-entryway-hall-tree-with-storage-bench/A600000840.html?mrkgcl=1069&product_id=A600000840&google_pla=true&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt7urpbqY5wIVDlYMCh2PhQHaEAQYASABEgKRifD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
girl_wonder thanked suezbell
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I don't see a good place to fold in there. It looks really tight. I don't even see a place where you could pull out a hidden folding surface. Annette, a flipfold is not the same as a folding table. It is a plastic thingy they sell at Container Store that makes it fast to fold shirts and towels and some other things. They use them in clothing stores. It totally changed my dread of folding things. As I mentioned before, I use the kitchen counter which for me is a perfect height. Folding on the bed would hurt my back. I would try to find some kind of folding table for the DH, but I don't see where you could put it in that room based on the washer-dryer discussion. I might look for a place to fold in a different room, and make it counter height. Maybe a room with a view. :-) The flipfold makes it super fast - I would get through a load/basket full in maybe ten minutes: dump, sort and flipfold. My kitchen counter peninsula is 2' x 8', so there is plenty of room for sorting multiple loads. But if you fold one load at a time, it can be finished in minutes and you don't need as much room. Another thought is to have some kind of step up surface to raise your height so that it is comfortable to fold on the elevated countertop. That does not sound too safe: you don't want your head to hit the ceiling and you don't want to accidentally step off the step. I have been painting a lot lately and the little rubbermaid stepstool is used constantly. However I have to stand in one place, so I don't know if that would work for folding laundry. I would do it in a different room where I could move more freely. Unless... you could construct something safe that pulls out from under the machines and extends the length and has its own support underneath... IDK, it's a stretch.
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girl_wonder
Original Author
4 years ago
@suezbell I would *love* that hall tree but I don't have the space.

OK, so it sounds like a good idea. Can anyone suggest a product that looks good in a 1940 bungalow and doesn't look like a spa bathroom. (i.e. the teak doesn't work for my hallway location).
suezbell
4 years ago
Rather than attach one to your wall, consider a free standing one.

https://www.amazon.com/Welcare-Natural-Bamboo-Folding-Assembled/dp/B079YN4SBR/ref=pd_sbs_194_img_0/145-4866554-4806068?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B079YN4SBR&pd_rd_r=5907ef3b-7560-4e06-8d21-3d913d84148f&pd_rd_w=K0f5p&pd_rd_wg=YBqHf&pf_rd_p=5cfcfe89-300f-47d2-b1ad-a4e27203a02a&pf_rd_r=68676BQNNWFE4JJAXJ8S&psc=1&refRID=68676BQNNWFE4JJAXJ8S
suezbell
4 years ago
I like the saddle stools. If you could use a small one that doesn't fold away when not in use, this one might be worth considering. It's intended for a shower so could withstand moisture, such as from rain soaked clothes.

https://clean4happy.com/best-shower-bench/
Olychick
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
What is the advantage of a fold-down bench unless you want to fold it up when not in use? If you're going to store the shoes/boots below it, you won't gain any space savings by folding it up, because the shoes will stick out as far as the bench anyway. I'd do a solid bench with storage for shoes below - shelf or baskets.

eta: sorry, I didn't realize that wasn't your bench with shoes under. I'd read that it wasn't but just had a sr. moment and forgot.
girl_wonder
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Thanks everyone for the thoughts. Yep, if I had the space I'd put a bench or a tree or whatever. I don't have that much space, lol!

Maybe I wasn't clear but I am trying to use a 40" wide hall from the garage as a pseudo-mudroom (so hooks on the wall and fold down bench).

So any ideas/leads on the bench (or a super narrow bench?) would be helpful. Thanks so much!
girl_wonder
Original Author
4 years ago
@mvcanada, you are awesome! I like your ideas and when I googled on "wall mounted stadium fold down" I found a bunch of new hits I hadn't seen before. Like this pinterest board

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/483362972478209071/

I haven't had time to look into all (or any) of these but thanks for getting me unstuck. Good ideas! Yeah, I had considered an antique flip down chair, like an old movie seat, but the last thing I have time for now (with this remodel) l is scouting antique stores, lol. But you never know. thanks again!
chiflipper
4 years ago
Marine supply companies have a myriad selection of "folding seat hinges", a custom cabinet shop can build the actual seat. The seat shown in the top photo posted by mvcanada can be had from Danish Design Store - $385.
girl_wonder thanked chiflipper

fold down seat in mudroom?

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fold down seat in mudroom?

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