Angle Eye Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized country mudroom in Philadelphia with white walls, brick floors, a single front door, a gray front door and red floor.

This is an example of a front door in Phoenix with white walls, terra-cotta floors, a single front door, a black front door and red floor.

Is your closet busting at the seams? Or do you perhaps have no closet at all? Time to consider adding a mudroom to your house. Mudrooms are a popular interior design trend these days, and for good reason - they can house far more than a simple coat closet can. They can serve as a family command center for kids' school flyers and menus, for backpacks and shoes, for art supplies and sports equipment. Some mudrooms contain a laundry area, and some contain a mail station. Some mudrooms serve as a home base for a dog or a cat, with easy to clean, low maintenance building materials. A mudroom may consist of custom built-ins, or may simply be a corner of an existing room with pulled some clever, freestanding furniture, hooks, or shelves to house your most essential mudroom items. Whatever your storage needs, extensive or streamlined, carving out a mudroom area can keep the whole family more organized. And, being more organized saves you stress and countless hours that would otherwise be spent searching for misplaced items. While we love to design mudroom niches, a full mudroom interior design allows us to do what we do best here at Down2Earth Interior Design: elevate a space that is primarily driven by pragmatic requirements into a space that is also beautiful to look at and comfortable to occupy. I find myself voluntarily taking phone calls while sitting on the bench of my mudroom, simply because it's a comfortable place to be. My kids do their homework in the mudroom sometimes. My cat loves to curl up on sweatshirts temporarily left on the bench, or cuddle up in boxes on their way out to the recycling bins, just outside the door. Designing a custom mudroom for our family has elevated our lifestyle in so many ways, and I look forward to the opportunity to help make your mudroom design dreams a reality as well. Photos by Ryan Macchione

Mediterranean front door in Los Angeles with white walls, brick floors, a single front door, a black front door and red floor.

These clients reached out to Hillcrest Construction when their family began out-growing their Phoenixville-area home. Through a comprehensive design phase, opportunities to add square footage were identified along with a reorganization of the typical traffic flow throughout the house. All household traffic into the hastily-designed, existing family room bump-out addition was funneled through a 3’ berth within the kitchen making meal prep and other kitchen activities somewhat similar to a shift at a PA turnpike toll booth. In the existing bump-out addition, the family room was relatively tight and the dining room barely fit the 6-person dining table. Access to the backyard was somewhat obstructed by the necessary furniture and the kitchen alone didn’t satisfy storage needs beyond a quick trip to the grocery store. The home’s existing front door was the only front entrance, and without a foyer or mudroom, the front formal room often doubled as a drop-zone for groceries, bookbags, and other on-the-go items. Hillcrest Construction designed a remedy to both address the function and flow issues along with adding square footage via a 150 sq ft addition to the family room and converting the garage into a mudroom entry and walk-through pantry. - The project’s addition was not especially large but was able to facilitate a new pathway to the home’s rear family room. The existing brick wall at the bottom of the second-floor staircase was opened up and created a new, natural flow from the second-floor bedrooms to the front formal room, and into the rear family hang-out space- all without having to cut through the often busy kitchen. The dining room area was relocated to remove it from the pathway to the door to the backyard. Additionally, free and clear access to the rear yard was established for both two-legged and four-legged friends. The existing chunky slider door was removed and in its place was fabricated and installed a custom centerpiece that included a new gas fireplace insert with custom brick surround, two side towers for display items and choice vinyl, and two base cabinets with metal-grated doors to house a subwoofer, wifi equipment, and other stow-away items. The black walnut countertops and mantle pop from the white cabinetry, and the wall-mounted TV with soundbar complete the central A/V hub. The custom cabs and tops were designed and built at Hillcrest’s custom shop. The farmhouse appeal was completed with distressed engineered hardwood floors and craftsman-style window and door trim throughout. - Another major component of the project was the conversion of the garage into a pantry+mudroom+everyday entry. The clients had used their smallish garage for storage of outdoor yard and recreational equipment. With those storage needs being addressed at the exterior, the space was transformed into a custom pantry and mudroom. The floor level within the space was raised to meet the rest of the house and insulated appropriately. A newly installed pocket door divided the dining room area from the designed-to-spec pantry/beverage center. The pantry was designed to house dry storage, cleaning supplies, and dry bar supplies when the cleaning and shopping are complete. A window seat with doggie supply storage below was worked into the design to accommodate the existing elevation of the original garage window. A coat closet and a small set of steps divide the pantry from the mudroom entry. The mudroom entry is marked with a striking combo of the herringbone thin-brick flooring and a custom hutch. Kids returning home from school have a designated spot to hang their coats and bookbags with two deep drawers for shoes. A custom cherry bench top adds a punctuation of warmth. The entry door and window replaced the old overhead garage doors to create the daily-used informal entry off the driveway. With the house being such a favorable area, and the clients not looking to pull up roots, Hillcrest Construction facilitated a collaborative experience and comprehensive plan to change the house for the better and make it a home to grow within.

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional mudroom in Other with grey walls, terra-cotta floors, a single front door, a medium wood front door and red floor.

The mudroom received an updated palette that suited the coastal area, with fresh whites and navy. New sconces were added, as well as durable rugs for this high-traffic area that has entries from the back, front and garage. Additional storage was added with a free-standing bench seat, a great place to pull on boots in the winter. Pillows and local art soften the space. Custom hooks were designed to mark each cubby for Mom, Dad, Thing 1 & Thing 2.

PHOTO: Steve Keating
Design ideas for a traditional front door in Seattle with red walls, brick floors, a single front door, a white front door and red floor.

Design ideas for a mid-sized beach style front door in Other with beige walls, brick floors, a single front door, a dark wood front door and red floor.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary front door in Jacksonville with white walls, brick floors, a single front door, a dark wood front door and red floor.

Design ideas for a mid-sized arts and crafts foyer in Other with white walls, brick floors, a single front door, a dark wood front door and red floor.

Coming home has never felt better...This complete exterior home renovation & curb appeal has vibes of Palm Springs written all over it!!! Views of the Organ Mountains surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert creates an outdoor space like no other. Modifications were made to the courtyard walls, new entrance door, sunset balcony included removing an over designed standard staircase access with a new custom spiral staircase, a new T&G ceiling, minimized obstructing columns, replaced w/substantial cedar support beams. Stucco patch, repair & new paint, new down spouts & underground drainage were all key to making a better home. Now our client can come home with feel good vibes!!! Our next focus was the access driveway, taking boring to sophisticated. With nearly 9' of elevation change from the street to the home we wanted to create a fun and easy way to come home. 8" bed drystack limestone walls & planters were key to making the transition of elevation smooth, also being completely permeable, but with the strength to retain, these walls will be here for a lifetime. Accented with oversized Mossrock boulders and mossrock slabs used for steps, naturalized the environment, serving as break points and easy access. Native plants surrounded by natural vegetation compliments the flow with an outstanding lighting show when the sun goes down. Welcome to your home!!!

Remodel of Foyer with original John Volk columns
Design ideas for a mediterranean foyer in Miami with white walls, brick floors, a single front door, a medium wood front door and red floor.

Photo of a mid-sized country foyer in Baltimore with white walls, brick floors, a single front door, a black front door and red floor.

While the owners are away the designers will play! This Bellevue craftsman stunner went through a large remodel while its occupants were living in Europe. Almost every room in the home was touched to give it the beautiful update it deserved. A vibrant yellow front door mixed with a few farmhouse touches on the exterior provide a casual yet upscale feel. From the craftsman style millwork seen through out, to the carefully selected finishes in the kitchen and bathrooms, to a dreamy backyard retreat, it is clear from the moment you walk through the door not a design detail was missed. Being a busy family, the clients requested a great room fit for entertaining. A breakfast nook off the kitchen with upholstered chairs and bench cushions provides a cozy corner with a lot of seating - a perfect spot for a "kids" table so the adults can wine and dine in the formal dining room. Pops of blue and yellow brighten the neutral palette and create a playful environment for a sophisticated space. Painted cabinets in the office, floral wallpaper in the powder bathroom, a swing in one of the daughter's rooms, and a hidden cabinet in the pantry only the adults know about are a few of the elements curated to create the customized home my clients were looking for. --- Project designed by interior design studio Kimberlee Marie Interiors. They serve the Seattle metro area including Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Medina, Clyde Hill, and Hunts Point. For more about Kimberlee Marie Interiors, see here: https://www.kimberleemarie.com/ To learn more about this project, see here https://www.kimberleemarie.com/bellevuecraftsman

Is your closet busting at the seams? Or do you perhaps have no closet at all? Time to consider adding a mudroom to your house. Mudrooms are a popular interior design trend these days, and for good reason - they can house far more than a simple coat closet can. They can serve as a family command center for kids' school flyers and menus, for backpacks and shoes, for art supplies and sports equipment. Some mudrooms contain a laundry area, and some contain a mail station. Some mudrooms serve as a home base for a dog or a cat, with easy to clean, low maintenance building materials. A mudroom may consist of custom built-ins, or may simply be a corner of an existing room with pulled some clever, freestanding furniture, hooks, or shelves to house your most essential mudroom items. Whatever your storage needs, extensive or streamlined, carving out a mudroom area can keep the whole family more organized. And, being more organized saves you stress and countless hours that would otherwise be spent searching for misplaced items. While we love to design mudroom niches, a full mudroom interior design allows us to do what we do best here at Down2Earth Interior Design: elevate a space that is primarily driven by pragmatic requirements into a space that is also beautiful to look at and comfortable to occupy. I find myself voluntarily taking phone calls while sitting on the bench of my mudroom, simply because it's a comfortable place to be. My kids do their homework in the mudroom sometimes. My cat loves to curl up on sweatshirts temporarily left on the bench, or cuddle up in boxes on their way out to the recycling bins, just outside the door. Designing a custom mudroom for our family has elevated our lifestyle in so many ways, and I look forward to the opportunity to help make your mudroom design dreams a reality as well. Photos by Ryan Macchione

Front Entry Addition with Boral Cobblefield San Francisco Stone Based Columns & Wainscot. Clear Coated Cypress Tongue & Groove Ceiling. New ThermaTru 3-Lite, 2-Panel Door & Single Sidelite with Rainglass Inserts and Painted SW 7020 Black Fox to Match Bronze Windows. Feiss Pediment 2-Light Outdoor Sconces in Dark Aged Copper. Exterior Repainted in SW 7031 Mega Greige.

The fanned, curved stairs leading to the entry steps flanked by stepped retaining wall units make a stunning entrance to the home. The hardscape materials look beautiful with the home's brick façade and stucco exterior as well.

This 1960's home needed a little love to bring it into the new century while retaining the traditional charm of the house and entertaining the maximalist taste of the homeowners. Mixing bold colors and fun patterns were not only welcome but a requirement, so this home got a fun makeover in almost every room! Original brick floors laid in a herringbone pattern had to be retained and were a great element to design around. They were stripped, washed, stained, and sealed. All wood floors in the home were also sanded, stained, and refinished so the front stairway got a mini-makeover as well. The bright yellow front door speaks for itself, and welcomes you to this stunning home.