Can You Improve My Mudroom/Laundry/Pantry Plans?

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

I've been working on coming up with a good plan to (re)design the back room of our house. Right now this room is severely underutilized. The main house dates to around 1880 or so, and this room is an addition that was tacked on about 20 years later. Right now it has three rooms in it. A 6x6 "laundry" room (where the proposed powder/small closet is), a large and useless 6x9 bathroom (where most of the laundry is), and a big empty 15.5x16 room (everything else).

All of the walls can go or be moved. None of the exterior doors or windows can move. The top center door is currently the main entry (leads to deck). Top left is another entry, which will attach to a planned garage. Bottom left is the basement steps (not shown). Bottom center leads to the kitchen (not shown). The kitchen is next on the list, but I have to get this finished first to have a place to put everything when the kitchen is torn up. The kitchen will be about 21' wide (after stealing the existing pantry space) and 12' deep, and will open up to a large family or keeping room by putting in a beam. For reference, the 12' deep wall runs about 5 feet to the west of the basement door, and just a little to the right of the wall for the proposed pantry.

I tossed this sketch together quickly in Planner 5D, so it's a bit limited in terms of which cabinets and furniture are available, and the appliance sizes are a little odd, but it's enough to get some rough idea of the overall plan. One major design goal is closets and storage. The entire first floor has no closets. I would prefer to keep at least as many as I've designed in here. Even more would be great. The mudroom bench would probably be ell shaped, with the bench continuing (after the door) in that little corner by the closet/pantry. Or would that be better for a drop zone? Or swap the closet and the mudroom bench/lockers? There's a fairly good amount of space to work with, about 21.5x15.5 overall. That cabinet on the top wall is a 4' wide, 7' tall antique cabinet I'd like to keep a space for, but it's not essential if there's a way to improve this and lose the cabinet.

Any feedback would be most appreciated!

Comments (3)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
I would like to see how this space connects to the rest of the house if storage is a big issue then think about that from the beginning but I need more info as to the whole house . I rarely like walk in pantries so I would need to see the kitchen too. IMO that size of mud room is odd how many people use this whole space on a daily basis . Can you also post some exterior pics to show where this space is and also where the new garage is going. These things are all planned together and so the more info we get the better. I see no 6x9 bathroom and best to post the plan as it is . Show where the plumbing is if it needs to stay where it is too.
ryanmh1
Original Author
3 years ago
Ask and you shall receive.... The Kitchen and stairs are located as follows:

For reference, the garage would go to the left of this, past the back of the house, and pick up that door to the "north" of the stairs (not shown, but labeled, top left) The stairs and kitchen are an exterior wall. No windows until you get to the kitchen sink.

3D Overview:

That wall running through the refrigerator is the existing pantry area and would be beamed at about 9'. to match heights with the back room. The opening in the kitchen wall is new also--currently just two 30" doors on either end. It has a post in the middle due to a steam line that can't move. Plumbing in the back area does not need to stay. All can move. Current 6x9 bathroom is where the proposed laundry is, if that makes sense. Current wall location does not matter--it's already stripped and ready to pull. I just didn't feel 6' wide was enough for a laundry.

The mudroom is basically the space that was left over after trying to accommodate both rear doors, and fit in the walk in pantry, laundry, and a half bath. All of those elements need to be in here in some respect. For scale, the entire house is almost 5000 square feet above grade.
This 15.5x21.5 back room is just open, disorganized space (apart from the tiny 6x6 laundry).
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You'd probably want to leave an inch on either side of the pair and an inch between them just to be on the safe side. The standard model they give me on the layout program is 30" wide, so with those dimensions side by side is a no go. With your dimensions and adding the 3" of wiggle room, that would put you right up against the 24" deep countertop running under the windows. So it could be done, but you are pretty much locked in to that size washer and dryer from then on. I like the idea of putting the rack in the pantry style closet--that's what my mom does with hers. Another thought is to do pullout hampers. We are doing 3 sets of them. They are actually tall trash pullouts, but they will allow the kids to go ahead and sort their clothes when they bring them in to the laundry room & I can just load them in the washer. I like the idea of the shelves for the clean clothes baskets too. We did the corner sink and it looks great. We used a single basin stainless undermount large D-shaped sink. You would not believe the space in there and I don't have to worry about it staining or yellowing or cracking like alot of the "laundry sinks" out there. I've attached an 'under construction" pic for you of our countertop & sink. I don't have time right now, but I'll work on some elevations for you with some additional ideas.
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One other problem I see is that now your kitchen is completely closed off to the rest of the house. Are you ok with not interacting with any guests when in the kitchen and it being closed off? This of course is a personal decision. Some folks prefer not to have people in their kitchen and others like myself, want to be part of the action. I personally prefer the original version to this one regarding the public spaces. I think it flowed better with the exception of the sun porch. If it were me, I'd keep the public rooms as you had them, (with ARG's change) and change the master area to the new configuration since you need the closet space. Or I'd explore if there's another way to configure it so you also don't have the toilet on the bedroom wall. I hear you about it being a smaller house and not having to walk too far. Maybe you can do what mrspete is going to do and get a small cart, similar to a supermarket cart to wheel laundry back and forth if the time ever comes that you need more support. (I'm not suggesting you do it now but it's an idea to keep in the back of your mind.)
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I meant to add that the bath will stay to the left as in the drawings and walls, windows, and door locations can be moved. The only thing that can't be changed are the original 17' 9" x 7'9" dimensions of the area.
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Maybe zero in on your program requirements a little better and more firmly. You say you don't really need the Family Room, yet it is a 2 story. So what is upstairs, and is that a necessity? How critical is a bigger kitchen, and having an island at that? How is the existing Sunroom used? I do not know the site plan and existing house, but if it were only a Mudroom/Powder, Kitchen and small sitting area, it's possible that could be done next to the driveway with only a smaller 1 story addition.
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ryanmh1
Original Author
3 years ago
Maybe if I ask a few more specific questions it would help.. :)

What would you rather have--a larger pantry or a larger laundry? There is a lot more counterspace in the laundry if goes to galley style, BUT this means cannibalizing the pantry to get 48" of walk space. I'm assuming 34" (machines) +24" (counteR) +48" (walk spacE) would be about right? That would shrink the pantry by about a foot. There's just enough room for the machines plus 2" for a sink.

It's a little out of style, but what about using a good old Mustee Utilatub in the laundry instead of a sink in the counter? It's very functional, but not nearly as attractive... Would we regret it?

Would you swap the big closet and the lockers?

Can You Improve My Mudroom/Laundry/Pantry Plans?

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Patricia Colwell Consulting

ryanmh1
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Can You Improve My Mudroom/Laundry/Pantry Plans?

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Patricia Colwell Consulting

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