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Oh, the mudroom. Perhaps the most trafficked room in the house for the actual homeowners! And ours has a laundry room attached to it! Functionally, I knew this space needed to be on point. And aesthetically – selfishly – I wanted it to be on point as well. I mean, why do the formal entries of homes get all of the glory? It’s not like anyone has frequent visitors anymore! Well hopefully that will be different once we are in the new house. But truly… as the homeowner, I will RARELY if ever enter my home through the actual front door. I’ll go through the garage to the mudroom. Every. Single. Day. Multiple times! So excuse me while I had a moment designing out a space that was functional, practical and… beautiful. Read on for all of the design details!
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This simple hook / cubby / bench layout from @oakstonehomesiowa is exactly what we are going for on one side of the mudroom!
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Making the Most of What You’ve Got
Many people assume since I’m building a custom home that the sky is the limit! But alas, I have a budget like everyone else. And a had a laundry list of wish-list items to fit into 3,000 square feet. Okay so we ended up bumping it to 3,245 square feet. But a huge, sweeping mud/laundry room with a wall full of lockers, dog wash and crazy counter space was not an option here. Our reality is this: an 8 by 5 ft pass-through mudroom connected to a 10×6 ft laundry room. Any larger and we would lose space in our pantry or have to reconfigure the L-shaped first floor. Built strategically around a courtyard housing two mature pine trees, the more we tinkered with this layout the more we realized what a house of cards it was! So when revision 2 (or 3, I honestly can’t remember) of our floor plans came back, and the mudroom checked all of my boxes (pass through with room for cabinets on one side, bench and hooks on the other) I decided to leave it be and embrace all 40 square feet of it.
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You don’t have to have a huge space or a giant budget to create a space that works for your family.
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(Pretty) Functional Decisions
I will get to all of the pretty details in a moment. I promise! But first, I want to talk through the functional ones (that I still wanted to be pretty). Namely – cabinetry and tile decisions. I knew I wanted floor to ceiling “locker” style cabinets on one side of the mudroom, and a bench with cubbies and hooks on the other. Easy! Now with paint-grade cabinets, the sky is the limit on color and sheen options! But these cabinets are typically more expensive, and I worried about chipping and wear and tear as my boys grow and throw soccer bags, stinky shoes, ski gear, etc in these cabinets. So we are going to go with stained cabinets, and though I debated a dark black/charcoal stain, my fears of dust settling and showing won out. I really did consider function and daily life here, people! A light wood stain (think white oak) will keep the space warm and bright while complementing the…. grey diamond tile floors! I mean, you know I love a wow-factor tile. Can’t help myself! In our last home, we installed 8″ black hexagon tile from Merola with light grout in our mudroom and entryway. And no, it wasn’t the EASIEST to keep clean. So this time I’m opting for something even more neutral (also from Merola). The color and sheen are both medium, meaning the upkeep will be easy – but the shape is still completely unexpected and FUN. I’ll probably add a darker grout as well.
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Practical decisions can still be beautiful. Even the most “boring” of spaces don’t have to be – don’t settle!
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I’m so excited to lay my diamond tiles in a traditional pattern with contrasting grout – like this bathroom from @jennasuedesign
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My Own Personal Entryway
Statement lighting. Wallpapered ceiling. Arched door! For our mudroom, I created a space that I’m truly excited to enter every. single. day. I was going for something that felt moody and organic but still modern and of-the-moment. By combining gold and black finishes with wood and woven elements (this pendant will technically be in the laundry room, but they’re sort of one space! and I’ll find the perfect baskets to complement for the mudroom cubbies) this room still feels very natural, and not at all too harsh or glam. The wallpaper I’ve selected for the ceiling will add a pop of green, draw the eye up (to the 10 ft ceiling!) and to my favorite ceiling light ever that was originally in Smith’s nursery that I replaced before we listed our old home. Timeless elements like textured subway tile and an arched doorway (i’m actually making this a swing door so I can bump it with my hip when my hands are filled with laundry and babies) ensure the space remains true to the aesthetic of our home. All sources are below!
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Cabinets – Custom | Floor Tile, Smooth Dark Grey | Wallpaper | Ceiling Light | Laundry Room Counters | Woven Pendant | Subway Tile | Gold Faucet
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I can hardly wait to shake off muddy boots in here! We have a long way to go, but pulling the details together and finalizing my designs is keeping me going and keeping me EXCITED. Look out for updates on the progress of this space and my favorite part – tile install!
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One response to “Mudroom Design Plans”
I love your boards and ideas! So much thought put into them.
So great to have a window in the laundry. I’m sure you’ve thought about hanging spaces for hangers/laundry. Love following your progress.