Whether you have active kids or an avid gardener in the family, or you simply want a casual, convenient place to enter your home and leave shoes and coats behind, a mudroom is a perfect addition to any house plan. This multifunctional space is easy to customize based on your family’s needs, so you might be wondering where to begin. This guide demystifies your many options for creating the ideal mudroom.
A mudroom is a transitional space within a home, usually located at a secondary entrance—such as an entry door from the yard or garage—and serving as an intermediary area between the outdoors and indoors.
A mudroom is traditionally designed for removing and storing footwear, outerwear and wet items before entering the main part of the house. However, modern mudrooms have evolved into family hubs with storage solutions, like benches, hooks, lockers, cubbies and laundry appliances.
As an architectural feature, mudrooms make maintaining a clean and organized home easy by separating the outside elements from the interior living spaces. For many homeowners, a well-designed mudroom is a functional space that enhances everyday living and organization.
There are plenty of benefits associated with a mudroom. Here are just a few of the benefits you can look forward to:
Even if you have plenty of closets and shelving throughout the house, a mudroom provides accessible space for the items your family uses the most. Spend less time digging through out-of-season clothing and shoes and more time enjoying your favorite activities.
Creating a well-organized mudroom can be instrumental in maintaining order in your home. Here are some storage ideas to consider:
Incorporating these storage ideas into your mudroom design can create a practical and visually appealing space. Instead of trying to do a little of everything, focus on the most useful solutions for your family. For example, you can place a bench between a set of cubbies and shelves and add wall hooks above to cover multiple storage options without overwhelming the space.
Designing an effective mudroom requires a balance of practicality and aesthetics. Here are some tips to help guide your design process:
Before starting, assess your family's needs. Consider how many people will use the space, their age groups, the types of activities they engage in—like outdoor chores, sports and other hobbies—and what items they'll need to store.
Mudrooms need to withstand daily wear and tear. Use hard-wearing materials for the floors, like tile, vinyl or concrete.
Multiple storage solutions, like hooks, shelves, cubbies, lockers and cabinets, allow you to mix and match. Don’t forget about items that can do double-duty, such as a built-in bench with a rack underneath or a lift-up seat that reveals storage bins inside.
While keeping essential items within reach is important, don’t hesitate to think floor to ceiling. High shelves and cabinets are perfect for items you don’t need every day but still want to be accessible, while pegboards allow for flexible configurations at all levels.
Good lighting is essential to any space, especially in a mudroom. Choose a bright overhead light and add under-shelf lighting to cabinets or cubbies for better visibility.
By considering these tips in your mudroom design, you can create a functional and pleasant space that keeps your home organized and efficient.
About Schumacher Homes
Schumacher Homes, based in Canton, Ohio, is America’s largest custom homebuilder, with operations in 25 locations in 12 states across the country. The National Housing Quality award-winning company has built over 20,000 homes, customized to fit each family’s lifestyle, since its founding by Paul Schumacher in 1992. Schumacher Homes takes each customer’s inspiration and gives it a home. Each Schumacher Homes location includes a one-stop shopping design studio and model homes displaying the latest in architectural and product trends.