It’s that time of year where families transition from summer to back to school, which often means switching up the routines that have been followed for the last few months. Occasionally this disruption can cause a little chaos in the household as everyone adjusts to a new schedule. If this season has inspired you to invest in some organizational solutions for your home, we might have just the idea for you. One of our favorite recommendations that bodes well for families with children is the custom mudroom.
What is a Mudroom?
A mudroom is a designated space usually right off an entrance to the home where you can remove your shoes, coats, bags, etc., before entering the rest of the home. This space can take on different forms depending on the square footage as well as each family’s functional needs. Essentially, it acts as a transition from indoor to outdoor spaces and ideally includes storage space – which is where the organizational benefits come into play. We’ve done several mudroom projects and have had families intentionally include a mudroom in their new house plans to ensure ample storage space to keep their family organized. This is not a space you want to skip on!
Increased Organization
So what really is the benefit of having a custom mudroom and how will it make your life easier? For starters, anything “custom” allows you to cater to your personal taste and needs. This means you can identify what kind of storage solutions your family needs and cater your mudroom to function as such. For example, if you’re a family of five that needs storage for backpacks, purses, briefcases, etc., imagine having a built-in locker for each member. No more bags thrown on the ground with nowhere else to go. Maybe your family has accumulated a large shoe collection that switches out daily, try bench seating with shoe drawers. Keeping the clutter out of sight will increase the function of your home right as you enter/exit it, ideally giving you a little bit of peace as you go about the rest of your day. Whatever your needs, you can design the space to not only keep your family organized, but also do it in style.
Mudroom Storage Design Ideas
How do you design the perfect mudroom storage for your family? First, identify any current problem points. What are the items you always find laying around and out of place? Is it shoes, coats, bags, all the above? Do you need storage that’s readily accessible or do you prefer something more hidden away? Are you usually putting on/removing shoes in this area? These are just some of the questions to get you started on thinking what kind of layout would benefit you most.
If you want individual storage for everyone in the family, mudroom lockers are the way to go. A versatile design might include coat hooks, shoe drawers/garages, and/or bench seating. If you have the space for everyone to have their own, this is arguably the most ideal storage solution. If you’re a little tight on space, try a mix of open and closed storage; maybe some coat hooks for everyone to share with some closed storage for those extra items. Don’t be afraid to incorporate decorative baskets in some of those open storage spaces.
Bench seating is also great for sitting to put on/take off shoes for both children and adults. Maximize your space by including drawers under the bench for more storage or if you’re opting for lockers, you can include an extended section for sitting. If you have pets, consider adding a special spot for them such as a feeding station.
Once you have your general layout figured out, you can move onto the more stylistic decisions such as cabinet colors, door styles, and hardware. With custom cabinetry, the options are always endless. Choose any paint color, from moody blues to beigy whites, or opt for stained cabinetry. If you’re ever worried about matching a stain color with existing flooring, ask to get a custom stain match! You can get creative with door styles, and even explore options for custom cutouts to add a unique touch. Top off the mudroom cabinetry with your favorite hardware finish in a fun style.
Ready to Get Organized?
If you’re ready to start organizing the chaos, visit our Contact Us page to get in touch with our design team so we can start creating a functional and stylish mudroom. Start gathering inspiration from our previous mudroom projects by visiting our Pinterest board full of mudroom inspiration.
