4 High-Performing Mudroom Ideas
Looking for entryway ideas with plenty of storage? Here’s how to make hooks, cubbies and drawers look great
Winter weather really shows what a home’s entryway is made of. Without proper storage and function, the entry to your home can quickly look like a ski shop that exploded — boots, coats, mittens and sports equipment strewn about and caked with mud and snow. In many homes, mudrooms are essential. Here, four designers show how they created organized, welcoming entryways to handle the chaos.
2. Open Shelves and a Control Center
Designer: Sid Levin of Revolution Design and Build, working with Westwind Woodworkers
Location: Hopkins, Minnesota
Size: 105 square feet (about 10 square meters)
Homeowners’ request: A functional space to store family sports equipment, school bags, coats, shoes and everything else that needs to be organized for a family of five, including three kids ages 11 to 19. All are active in sports and hobbies, and needed to have items be easily accessible and easy to put away.
Special features: Individual storage lockers with an integral bench, a “control center” to organize the family calendar and important paperwork, and a wall of hooks for random belongings.
Plan of attack: The designer had a blank slate to work with after a fire completely destroyed the previous house. “The design inspiration was the Hamptons meets industrial,” designer Sid Levin says.
Why the design works: Multiple points of entry to the room — from the exterior, the garage, the laundry room and the kitchen — made traffic flow challenging, but the layout of the benches and integral storage created interest and order.
Paint: Extra White 7006, Sherwin-Williams
Find freestanding storage benches
Designer: Sid Levin of Revolution Design and Build, working with Westwind Woodworkers
Location: Hopkins, Minnesota
Size: 105 square feet (about 10 square meters)
Homeowners’ request: A functional space to store family sports equipment, school bags, coats, shoes and everything else that needs to be organized for a family of five, including three kids ages 11 to 19. All are active in sports and hobbies, and needed to have items be easily accessible and easy to put away.
Special features: Individual storage lockers with an integral bench, a “control center” to organize the family calendar and important paperwork, and a wall of hooks for random belongings.
Plan of attack: The designer had a blank slate to work with after a fire completely destroyed the previous house. “The design inspiration was the Hamptons meets industrial,” designer Sid Levin says.
Why the design works: Multiple points of entry to the room — from the exterior, the garage, the laundry room and the kitchen — made traffic flow challenging, but the layout of the benches and integral storage created interest and order.
Paint: Extra White 7006, Sherwin-Williams
Find freestanding storage benches
3. A Charging Station and Heated Floors
Designer: Jim Scott of Locale Design Build (this project was built when Scott was a partner at Quartersawn Design Build)
Location: Minneapolis
Size: 125 square feet (11.6 square meters)
Year built: 1920; addition and remodel: 2015
Homeowners’ request: Having no mudroom in Minnesota, where snow is an issue for much of the year, can be quite a problem for a family of five. “The kids would all come in the back door of their home and spread all of their things on the floor of the family room they were entering,” designer Jim Scott says. The homeowners desperately needed a place to store boots, hats, jackets and backpacks.
Special features: A counter for charging mobile phones. A chalkboard for messages. Junk drawers. Baskets for scarves, mittens and hats. A walnut bench, V-groove wall paneling and a porcelain tile floor for durability and style. Heated floors to warm feet and help dry boots. Schoolhouse-style lights, face-frame cabinetry and crown molding for nods to traditional style.
Why the design works: The mudroom opens into the kitchen and center of the home. “This allows for groceries to come easily into the house as well as allowing guests to bypass the kitchen and move into the more formal spaces,” Scott says.
Designer secret: “Heated floors were a very nice addition,” Scott says. “We used a tile that will wear very well and hide all of the grime that gets tracked inside. Using stained wood tops on surfaces that will be abused is a good idea, to have them wear better than painted tops. Using old classics like V-groove paneling in spots that also see a lot of wear is a great idea for durability.”
“Uh-oh” moment: “We had plumbing in the ceiling above this space coming from the master bathroom above,” Scott says. “It was a challenge to figure out how to route that plumbing through this ceiling while keeping the ceiling plane flat, with no soffits. The solution was to drop the ceiling slightly to allow the plumbing to run through the space. I was firm in believing that the small change in ceiling height would not visually be apparent when we were done. The clients had to trust me, and the outcome was great.”
The nitty-gritty: Cabinets: custom; moldings: custom, by Shaw Stewart Lumber: tile: porcelain; light fixture: Jefferson, Rejuvenation; hooks: Duluth, Restoration Hardware
Team: Bill Nagel (design support); Mike Olson (job superintendent); Eric Stabnow (project manager)
Browse rectangular porcelain tile
Designer: Jim Scott of Locale Design Build (this project was built when Scott was a partner at Quartersawn Design Build)
Location: Minneapolis
Size: 125 square feet (11.6 square meters)
Year built: 1920; addition and remodel: 2015
Homeowners’ request: Having no mudroom in Minnesota, where snow is an issue for much of the year, can be quite a problem for a family of five. “The kids would all come in the back door of their home and spread all of their things on the floor of the family room they were entering,” designer Jim Scott says. The homeowners desperately needed a place to store boots, hats, jackets and backpacks.
Special features: A counter for charging mobile phones. A chalkboard for messages. Junk drawers. Baskets for scarves, mittens and hats. A walnut bench, V-groove wall paneling and a porcelain tile floor for durability and style. Heated floors to warm feet and help dry boots. Schoolhouse-style lights, face-frame cabinetry and crown molding for nods to traditional style.
Why the design works: The mudroom opens into the kitchen and center of the home. “This allows for groceries to come easily into the house as well as allowing guests to bypass the kitchen and move into the more formal spaces,” Scott says.
Designer secret: “Heated floors were a very nice addition,” Scott says. “We used a tile that will wear very well and hide all of the grime that gets tracked inside. Using stained wood tops on surfaces that will be abused is a good idea, to have them wear better than painted tops. Using old classics like V-groove paneling in spots that also see a lot of wear is a great idea for durability.”
“Uh-oh” moment: “We had plumbing in the ceiling above this space coming from the master bathroom above,” Scott says. “It was a challenge to figure out how to route that plumbing through this ceiling while keeping the ceiling plane flat, with no soffits. The solution was to drop the ceiling slightly to allow the plumbing to run through the space. I was firm in believing that the small change in ceiling height would not visually be apparent when we were done. The clients had to trust me, and the outcome was great.”
The nitty-gritty: Cabinets: custom; moldings: custom, by Shaw Stewart Lumber: tile: porcelain; light fixture: Jefferson, Rejuvenation; hooks: Duluth, Restoration Hardware
Team: Bill Nagel (design support); Mike Olson (job superintendent); Eric Stabnow (project manager)
Browse rectangular porcelain tile
4. Drawers and Natural Light
Designers: Scott Jung of SRJ Development and Jessica Moreau of Moreau Design
Location: Phoenix
Size: 66 square feet (6.1 square meters); 11 feet by 6 feet (3.3 by 1.8 meters)
Year built: 2015
Homeowners’ request: SRJ Development built this home as a spec house. “Still, that didn’t stop us from thinking of who the client may be,” designer and builder Scott Jung says. “We figured whoever bought this home would likely have a family and would need a functional space.”
A family with two young children did end up purchasing the home, and they worked with designer Jessica Moreau of Moreau Design Studio to make the mudroom a livable, durable space that provided storage for bags and shoes and helped get the kids off to school in the morning. The cushion fabric is a durable outdoor fabric that can be easily wiped down and kept clean.
Special features: A French door brings in natural light from a large window in a laundry room. Open shelving and hooks allow family members to grab things quickly when they’re in a rush. Drawers on the bottom keep things organized and uncluttered, while classic hardware adds timeless style.
Plan of attack: “When you’re starting from scratch, so to speak, you have the ability to imagine all sorts of possibilities, then put them on paper and watch them take shape,” Jung says. “In that process though, it helps to know your potential clientele: Who will buy this house? What will their needs be? We try to put ourselves into the shoes of those who will live in our homes, and then the plans take shape.”
Why the design works: The mudroom connects to the garage and laundry room. It’s used daily by the homeowners, who pass through it on their way out — and when they arrive home at the end of the day. It’s a great landing area for backpacks, shoes, coats, work bags and the like.
What goes on here: “I love to create areas in a home like this mudroom, because they’re a beautiful but highly usable space,” Jung says. “What is the thing most people want, aside from a gorgeous kitchen and a nice master bathroom? Storage! They want a large closet or additional storage space in their home. That’s what we did here.”
Designer secret: “I like the added interest with the trim color,” Jung says. “It’s easy to create an all-white bank of cabinets and storage. The contrast with the dark color of the trim at the top and on the face of the shelves made the look tailored and gave it something special. We also added transoms above the interior doors to let light through. Moreau Design Studio worked with the family to personalize the space with art and pictures of the kids.”
Splurges and savings: “On this project, we didn’t really have those give-and-take moments,” Jung says. “However, one piece of advice I always offer clients who are building or remodeling is to keep change orders to a minimum, if have them at all. When you ask a builder to change something that has already been framed or plumbed, etc., that’s when you run into higher costs and likely find yourself having to trim in other areas.”
The nitty-gritty: Bench fabric: drop-in pattern with pewter ground color (36-18), John Brooks Showroom
Team: Moreau Design; Leland Gebhardt Photography
More
Mudrooms That Really Clean Up
Find a designer, architect or contractor near you
Designers: Scott Jung of SRJ Development and Jessica Moreau of Moreau Design
Location: Phoenix
Size: 66 square feet (6.1 square meters); 11 feet by 6 feet (3.3 by 1.8 meters)
Year built: 2015
Homeowners’ request: SRJ Development built this home as a spec house. “Still, that didn’t stop us from thinking of who the client may be,” designer and builder Scott Jung says. “We figured whoever bought this home would likely have a family and would need a functional space.”
A family with two young children did end up purchasing the home, and they worked with designer Jessica Moreau of Moreau Design Studio to make the mudroom a livable, durable space that provided storage for bags and shoes and helped get the kids off to school in the morning. The cushion fabric is a durable outdoor fabric that can be easily wiped down and kept clean.
Special features: A French door brings in natural light from a large window in a laundry room. Open shelving and hooks allow family members to grab things quickly when they’re in a rush. Drawers on the bottom keep things organized and uncluttered, while classic hardware adds timeless style.
Plan of attack: “When you’re starting from scratch, so to speak, you have the ability to imagine all sorts of possibilities, then put them on paper and watch them take shape,” Jung says. “In that process though, it helps to know your potential clientele: Who will buy this house? What will their needs be? We try to put ourselves into the shoes of those who will live in our homes, and then the plans take shape.”
Why the design works: The mudroom connects to the garage and laundry room. It’s used daily by the homeowners, who pass through it on their way out — and when they arrive home at the end of the day. It’s a great landing area for backpacks, shoes, coats, work bags and the like.
What goes on here: “I love to create areas in a home like this mudroom, because they’re a beautiful but highly usable space,” Jung says. “What is the thing most people want, aside from a gorgeous kitchen and a nice master bathroom? Storage! They want a large closet or additional storage space in their home. That’s what we did here.”
Designer secret: “I like the added interest with the trim color,” Jung says. “It’s easy to create an all-white bank of cabinets and storage. The contrast with the dark color of the trim at the top and on the face of the shelves made the look tailored and gave it something special. We also added transoms above the interior doors to let light through. Moreau Design Studio worked with the family to personalize the space with art and pictures of the kids.”
Splurges and savings: “On this project, we didn’t really have those give-and-take moments,” Jung says. “However, one piece of advice I always offer clients who are building or remodeling is to keep change orders to a minimum, if have them at all. When you ask a builder to change something that has already been framed or plumbed, etc., that’s when you run into higher costs and likely find yourself having to trim in other areas.”
The nitty-gritty: Bench fabric: drop-in pattern with pewter ground color (36-18), John Brooks Showroom
Team: Moreau Design; Leland Gebhardt Photography
More
Mudrooms That Really Clean Up
Find a designer, architect or contractor near you
Designer: Brigitte Loranger of Brigitte Loranger Architecture & Planning
Location: Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Size: 135 square feet (12.5 square meters); about 11 feet by 12 feet (3.3 by 3.6 meters)
Year built: 2015
Homeowners’ request: A cubby for each family member, plus some extra space for guests. “It helps keep children’s and adults’ outdoor gear organized, allowing even young children to hang up their own jackets and put away their own things in their own drawer below the bench,” designer Brigitte Loranger says.
Special features: Each cubby doubles up as a bench. The deeper seat allows someone to sit in front of hanging items. The space also has a built-in drying system (the tubes seen on the right) for boots, gloves and other gear to be ready the next day.
Plan of attack: “We design a lot of homes in the outdoor playground of the British Columbia Coast Mountains,” Loranger says. “People come here for the outdoor activities, so the mudroom is a very important part of the entry sequence to a home, a transition space to drop your dirty and muddy outdoor gear and transition into your clean and cozy mountain home.”
Why the design works: “The space is really an enlarged open passageway between the garage and the front door entry, which boasts a more formal coat closet,” Loranger says. “This strategy works well in a mountain home such as this one. The mudroom needed to be very functional and more casual, as it gets heavily used.”
What goes on here: “When a family gets ready for skiing, everyone is putting their ski gear on all at the same time, and it can get chaotic. There needed to be enough room for several people to get ready at the same time, for a parent to help a young child to put on their ski boots. The family often has guests, so the mudroom also has an extra bench and additional storage.”
Who uses it: A family of five with young children and their many guests. The home has three guest rooms with daybeds and bunk beds for kids.
Designer secret: “Taking advantage of the tall ceiling to incorporate additional high storage for off-season items: bike helmets in winter; gloves and ski goggles in summer,” Loranger says.
“Uh-oh” moment: “Originally, this room was to double up as a laundry room, but it made the room too crammed. Taking the stacked washer and dryer out of the room and moving it to an adjacent closet, where it also serves guest rooms, resolved the issue. This way the white towels don’t get mixed up with the muddy pants.”
The nitty-gritty: Floors: radiant-heat basalt stone tile; millwork: walnut, Living Edge Design; boot dryer: Williams Direct Dryers
Team: Cabin Fever Interiors (interior design); Live Edge Design (millwork); Need Brophy Services (contractor); KMcG Photography