Mudroom Basics
Mudrooms are basically the best thing ever to happen to entryways since the invention of doors. Their popularity continued to rise through 2017, and we expect this trend to continue into 2018. Mudrooms keep common entryways free and clear of dirt and mud (hence, the mudroom moniker), and offers the perfect space for organizing coats and other outdoor gear. Today, we’re taking a look at design elements essential to making your mudroom great.
The ideal mudroom includes storage cubbies, coat hooks, and a bench for a convenient place to change in and out of shoes and boots. The great news is, you don’t need a huge space to place a mudroom. We recommend a space no smaller than 30” wide, which is big enough to accommodate two coat hooks. While a space this small may not necessarily be big enough for a bench, it’s plenty of space for a small cubby to house your favorite boots and shoes. This small but mighty corner pictured above provides plenty of space for seating and storage.
Mudrooms can be placed at any entryway in the home, and if you wish, you can even have multiple mudrooms throughout your home. Typically, mudrooms are placed at the most commonly used entryway, usually near the front, kitchen, or garage door.
Ideally, mudrooms house storage space for each household member, and perhaps an extra space for guests. Each cubby should be accompanied with a coat hook so that each family member has their own space to hang a jacket and store their shoes. Cubbies can be built with or without drawers or cabinet doors. These are great for those who prefer to keep their mudroom areas neat and clean, but can limit how you use the storage space. If you want to keep shoes, scarves, and other everyday accessories out of sight and still keep your storage space universal, consider using canvas basket inserts instead of drawers or doors.
This homeowner preferred cabinets over open cubbies to hide their family's belongings...
...While this homeowner chose fun woven baskets to store their daily gear.
Benches can also function as additional storage space and much like cubbies, they can be designed to fit your personal style and needs. Turn your bench into one large storage bin by making the seat of your bench double as a lid, or add additional cubbies underneath the bench for easy shoe storage. If you’re working with a smaller space, consider a floating bench to make the area appear more spacious. This family uses the space underneath the floating bench as additional storage and shoe space.
Depending on your space and budget, you can implement other accessories, like a built-in drying system for soggy boots and shoes, to make your mudroom area even more functional. Other fun but functional extras to consider adding include small nooks for mail and car keys, a chalkboard wall for last minute reminders and to-do lists, or an umbrella holder. This beautiful mudroom is full of extras, including built-in boot warmers.
Ready to add a mudroom to your most-used entryway? Let the experts at McCarley cabinets design your mudroom storage space to fit your personal style and needs. Give us a call at 662-728-1533 for a free quote!
