1. SELECT DURABLE MATERIALS
Just as in hallway ideas, durability is key when it comes to mudrooms since it’s such a high-traffic area that sees its share of children and pets, along with dirt and wet shoes and clothing. When it comes to walls, designer Michelle Gerson avoids regular painted walls, which tend to scuff easily, and often turns to shiplap with a satin painted finish instead.
2. PLAY WITH COLOR, PATTERN, AND TEXTURE
Mudrooms shouldn’t be taken too seriously. In fact, they are the perfect opportunity to have fun with design and incorporate the playful patterns and objects that might not work in other areas of a home. Designer Sara Hillery took full advantage of her client’s love of color for this mudroom that serves an active, sporty family with three kids and three dogs. Patterned wallpaper lends interest to the cubbies in this wall of custom white cabinetry, complete with deep drawers that double as bench seating, and could also easily work in your narrow hallway ideas.
3. MAXIMIZE STORAGE
As part of the renovation of an 1800s residence, designer Laura Tutun refreshed an existing mudroom that sits between the back door and kitchen. The client wanted to keep the bench seating, so Tutun simply tweaked the design to accommodate deeper storage drawers below.
4. MIX THE TYPES OF STORAGE
This family’s mudroom is “their lifeline for everything,” says designer Sarah Hillery, whose priority was giving the family as much storage as possible. “We were able to give them a lot of flexibility by using a mix of closed storage, cubbies, hooks, shoe drawers, and baskets, which the adults can reach without a stool. It’s all about easy storage here and having enough compartments and space for each person.”
5. BE SUBTLY DECORATIVE
Just because a mudroom is serves a very utilitarian purpose doesn’t meant it can’t look and feel as luxurious as the rest of the home. Take designer Laura Tutun’s own mudroom, for example, which she covered in an Hermès wallpaper. Painted trim, a sleek flushmount light fixture, terrazzo flooring, a shallow stainless-steel bench, custom window treatments, a coordinating rug, and artwork round out the chic space.
6. MAKE SHALLOW RECESSES
There wasn’t enough available square footage for a separate mudroom in this quirky Victorian residence, so designer Michelle Gerson carved out just enough space for the son’s athletic equipment in a passthrough area between the powder room and basement and the family room and kitchen upstairs.
7. DIVIDE A MULTIFUNCTIONAL SPACE INTO ORDERLY ZONES
As the only entrance to this triplex condo, this space had to function as both the foyer and the mudroom. Designer Laura Tutun broke the long, narrow space into three distinct zones to ensure function and beauty. Wallpaper, a console, and a mirror create a welcoming vignette on the right wall, while the closets on the left are dressed up with a lacquered finish, faux-leather panels, and chunky Lucite hardware.
8. KEEP THE PALETTE SIMPLE
The mudroom in designer Michelle Gerson’s own home features a staggered series of handsome hooks to accommodate anything from coats and hats to bags and pet accessories. A sleek custom bench includes a storage grid for items such as umbrellas or lacrosse sticks, and there’s room for shoes to be tucked underneath. Durable shiplap walls are painted in Gerson’s favorite blue-gray paint shade, Benjamin Moore’s Silver Half Dollar, while contemporary artwork and patterned cement tiles add a splash of fun.
9. USE SHUTTER-STYLE DOORS
While conceiving this mudroom, designer Sara Hillery took into account the fact that the space is visible from the kitchen and to guests passing through on their way to the powder room. Shutter-style lacquered doors not only look beautiful, but they allow for airflow—an important element for housing the client’s collection of handbags hidden on shelves inside. Drawers are the perfect place for shoes or pet accessories, and baskets hold seasonal items that the clients don’t need to access on a daily basis.
10. CLOSE OFF THE MUDROOM WITH A POCKET DOOR
For a family’s mudroom, designer Laura Tutun installed a variety of storage that features open cubbies with hooks, drawers, open shelving, bench seating, and closed cabinetry with adjustible shelving and drawers to suit the family’s changing needs. Chic-yet-durable finishes include a vinyl wall covering, a faux-leather bench cushion, and porcelain tile laid out in a striking grid pattern. But the most impressive component of the space just might be the pocket door.