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The mudroom or laundry room is one of the places you frequent everyday, but don’t pay much attention to it. Should you even decorate it, you ask. Of course, you do. You deserve to walk up to a room that suits your vibe, pleases your eye and is super functional.
Yes, we understand space is at a premium and you can’t waste those precious square feet on a mudroom. Here’s the best part – regardless of whether it’s a small space or a big space your mudroom has, you can bring in aesthetic and functional elements that make the space look super cool.
If you’re game, you’ll love this collection of ideas that’ll help you decide what you love for your mudroom, regardless of whether it’s a tiny wall in the garage or a spacious room in itself.
Most Important Considerations for Your Mudroom
1. Decide What You’re Going to Use The Space For
How many people are likely to use the space at the same time? Your seating and storage solutions have to be tailor-made for them. Also, are you going to be carrying stuff as you enter the home – grocery items, sports equipment, etc.? If you are, you need proper storage space and appropriate coat hooks based on the heaviness and height of the equipment.
If you want to have a service area/laundry room right in the mudroom, you need to figure out how many washing machines or dryers you’ll need, and if you’re going to hang them in the same space or a different one.
Read also – 23 Living Room Divider & Partition Ideas For 2024
2. Figure Out Where You Need the Mudroom to Lead You
Mudrooms are usually near the garage, where you get out of the car and enter the house. If you’re going to be bringing groceries home from the store frequently, you probably want your mudroom to lead you into the pantry or the kitchen. If you have a pool nearby, you want your mudroom leading to the bathroom. Similarly, based on your lifestyle, identify which activities you do regularly and which room do you want the mudroom to lead you to.
3. How Do You Want the Mudroom to Look?
We’ve ruled out the purpose, now let’s turn the spotlight on aesthetics. Yes, we hear you say it’s a high-traffic room where you wouldn’t spend much time. But, remember, you’re going to walk through the room and use it from time to time. If your floor plan is designed in such a way that you can see the mudroom from the living room, it definitely needs to be aesthetic, to not cause an eyesore. Take inspiration from your overall interior design style, while adding a touch of character to the mudroom.
4. What Items Would You Be Dropping Off at the Mudroom?
You traverse through the room every day and drop off things you don’t need to carry with you inside the house. What items do you drop off? Make a list of them, so you can plan for a drop zone and what storage or hanging options you should buy. If you’re only dropping off your wallet, purse, and coat, simple valet stations (we’ll talk about it later in the blog), and a couple of hooks should do the trick. If you carry an umbrella with you and need a place to set it down, or you take your pets for walks every day and drop off bags, treats, and leashes, you need provisions for them as well.
5. What Type of Climate Does Your Region Have?
If you live in a state that faces extreme climate, or radically different seasons, you’d do best with provisions to hang gear you use for every season. This way, your walls and floors will be protected.
Read also – Designing Homes for Extreme Climates: Challenges and Solutions
Mudroom Decor Ideas You’ll Love to Have in Your Home
You have your basics right now. Hop on, and let’s see decor ideas you can pick and choose for your mudroom.
1. Go Full-on on Storage
No matter what style of mudroom you’re rooting for, or what you’ll use it for, you need as much storage as you can get. That’s why when you design a mudroom, you look for places that can double up as storage spots. For example, a lovely storage cadenza, console, or a slim table to hold items you drop off on the go.
If you’re planning to keeping the kid’s belongings and the pet’s toys in a place where they can access them easily, while keeping them concealed, you may want to choose baskets or bins to place under the cabbies.
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2. Don’t Forget Wall Hooks To Hang Your Coats
Always get two pronged hooks for your mudroom, ones that can accommodate both coats, outerwear keys, sunglasses and a purse or a backpack. If you have many friends and family members home regularly, you may want to make space for them to hang their belongings in the coat closet in the mudroom to keep it clutter-free.
3. Bring in Comfy, Space-saving Furniture
You need soft, comfortable furniture to sit down peacefully and put your shoes on or change them after you get home. If you have a no-shoe policy, this becomes all the more important. However, if you do wear shoes at home, you want a decent place to change into your comfy shoes. A bulky furniture may not be a good idea, given that most mudrooms are compact.
A standalone bench stacked against the wall is perfect. Or, a small pair of ottomans that you can tuck underneath your console table is cute to have in the small mudroom. It frees up valuable real estate.
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4. Hang a Quaint Mirror
Everyone loves a good last look before you leave home, so make sure nothing’s out of place. Mirrors also reflect light into the room and makes the space fresh and inviting. One Feng Shui tip to keep in mind – don’t hang the mirror facing the entryway. Go bold and adopt a contrasting design approach. Just bought a square or rectangular console table? A round or oval mirror is your go-to. Have a semi-circle, or half-moon console? An angular mirror is a perfect fit.
5. Layer the Room with Lights
If you have recess lighting in the mudroom, you’re sure to have lighting all over the place. Take it up a notch and add pendant lamps and wall sconces to the space. They give ambient lighting that you can’t get from overhead lighting only. Bathe your mudroom with more light especially if you have low ceiling and can’t install wall-mounted lights or drop lights. Table lamps, floor lamps and flush mount lights are great options.
Read also – What is a Tray Ceiling and How to Install it at Home?
6. Showcase a Wow Factor
Hang a statement feature in the mudroom – something that captivates everyone’s eyes. Perhaps a treasured accessory you want people to marvel at, or a wall mural/covering you’re proud of, or an impressive ceiling design, or a fabulous area rug. All those awards you’ve won over the years? Display a few in the mudroom, and get more eyeballs on them.
7. Use a Stunning, Washable Area Rug
Your mudroom is where you come back with dirt, debris from outside. Your footwear traps excess dirt and you can’t bring it home, not especially when you have elders and kids at home. The rug you use needs regular washing and it can’t get worn out with use. Find a durable rug that’s also dashing to look at. You can also put a rough, weatherproof rug as a welcome mat at the entrance, and you can take it up a notch by getting a whimsical one.
Read also – How to Choose the Right Doorknob/Door Handle for Your Design?
8. Bring a Fresh Breath of Air Inside
What better to refresh the ambiance than plants? Place a small bouquet of fresh flowers and refresh them often. Small plants will still do the trick, and add to the fresh vibe you’re going for in the mudroom. Get potted plants to line your mudroom window sill or hang them and watch how they make you feel like home instantly after you enter the mudroom.
9. Get a Valet Station for Your Grab and Go Items
Can’t hang or organize your everyday essentials? No problem. Here’s an organization idea — get a fancy tray to serve as your valet station and make your exits quick and fuss-free. Ensure the tray is big enough to hold keys, wallets, glasses or sunglasses, card holder, mints, and perhaps a small bottle of water.
Read also – How to Choose the Right Doorknob/Door Handle for Your Design?
10. Make Space For Less Used Items
No one uses the fancy sneakers all the time. Winter coats, toques, scarves, gloves and hats can be tucked away atop the built-in cabinets, either in the top shelving as open baskets, or drawers.
11. Add Rattan Floors For a Different Texture
Natural materials used as flooring work great for a high traffic area. Rattan is no exception. The tactile finish gives you a natural grip, so even if you enter the mudroom dripping wet from the rain, you can be sure to have solid footing and not slip. Aesthetics wise too, you’ve got yourself a solid deal. People entering the mudroom need to transition from the outside to the inside, and great flooring makes it easier.
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12. Get Multi-Purpose Benches
Of course you don’t want your guests to peek at all the shoes you own, or the clutter your kids or pets leave behind. You need space to conceal the items you store in the mudroom and also make them super-accessible. Get built-in benches that come with drawers and handles on them for shoe storage and whatnot. Do one better by getting a storage bench with a liftable bench seat that you can stuff your belongings in and declutter without anyone noticing.
13. Install Clocks in the Mudroom
This one’s for you if your mudroom is right next to your garage. Most of us are in a hurry whenever we need to step out. It’ll be great to have a gentle reminder to get there faster if we have a clock right where we tie our shoes to head out.
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14. Stick a Motivational Poster
Just like a reminder of time, you could also use a pat on the back in the form of a motivational poster that sets a positive intention when you’re just about to start your day.
15. Convert Part of Your Garage to a Mudroom
If you have limited space and can’t figure out how to incorporate these ideas, we have your back. Shop all you need at IKEA or Amazon, and convert a wall of your garage to a DIY mudroom with cubbies, wallpaper, benches, storage solutions and so much more. Comes in handy when you can drop off things before entering the house.
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16. Play With Wooden Tones
Wood tones bring about a warm, natural, organic touch to the space. If your kitchen has millwork, you can use the same in your mudroom. It has a kind of an airy feeling that simply eases you in.
17. Conceal Washing Machines Behind Barn Doors
If you bring in sports equipment, weather gear like ski boards or boogie boards, you’re likely to hit the walls or chip them when you move across the room. If you happen to have washing machines there, there’s a good chance for the boards to come in contact and leave scratches on them. Install a barn door that you can slide shut after your weekly laundry duty, and forget about any damage to the machines.
18. Have a Large Mudroom? Make Way for an Island
Have a large space for a mudroom? You can definitely move your laundry, washing machine and dryer there. Don’t have to take the washed clothes in bags up to your room to fold them. Get an island, or a peninsula in the mudroom – it gives you an excellent surface to fold clothes neatly and makes for excellent mudroom storage idea. Get laminate, quartz or stainless steel for the countertop and you’ve gifted yourself great folding space.
Read also – 50 Best Kitchen Island Design Ideas To Create Fascinate Kitchen Designs
19. Invest in Quality Hardware
Do you reckon the feeling where a space looks great, and luxurious but you’re not able to single out any particular element it’s probably the hardware that steals the show. Hardware like cabinet doors, pulls, faucets, and all kinds of handles can transform even the most mundane places into a majestic space. Depending on the interior design style you’re going for, experiment with modern, sleek, thin, low profile hardware or bigger, chunkier, ornate, traditional or farmhouse hardware. You won’t regret investing in it if your mudroom looks just as wonderful as your entire home.
20. Go Bold in Your Wallpapers
Get a bold-colored or patterned wall covering or wallpapers that instantly pop out and portray who you are. Choose bold, fun wallpapers if you’re into them. If you don’t want your entire room looking crafty, get an accent wall and smear your favorite wallpaper on it. For a more neutral and low maintenance need, go for vinyl wall coverings that are easy to install, durable, washable and look great.
For wall colors, choose dark, smokey, cool, contemporary paint colors because look fabulous, define the space and they don’t look dusty or show chips. If wallpapers aren’t your thing, get tongue and groove boards or shiplap in the back – they have great texture, robust look and they can hold hooks tight for you to hang stuff on.
Read also – How to Install Mural Wallpaper: A Step-by-Step Guide
21. Add a Touch of Luxury
Add black, white and gold colors wherever possible in the mudroom, in your choice of flooring, hardware, wall paint etc. They have a knack for turning any place look gorgeous and luxurious. Mudrooms don’t always need to be light and airy. You can create interest by playing around with rich colors.
| Sarah Richardson, a renowned designer in Canada says,” Honed marble is a commendable flooring option, as it’s not slippery. Other beautiful contemporary options to explore are stack tile floor brick pattern, herringbone pattern, stapped pattern where you get centered tile in all spaces.” |
22. Experiment with Fun Tiling
Worried you have a tiny space for the mudroom? We have your back. Lay fun tiles with interesting patterns to make a cool statement. Farmhouse pattern tiles were all the rage before. Geometric styles and patterns are trending these days. Even if you keep the other areas neutral, you can go bold with the floor. If going bold is a no-go, think about organic materials and finishes that look sharp and beautiful.
Read also – 15 Modern Farmhouse Interior Design Ideas for 2024
23. Use Vertical Space to Your Benefit
Consider investing in stackable washer dryers, and make room for a broom closet to conceal all cleaning items so they don’t get messy and left outside. If you don’t have much space horizontally, getting in-built cabinets and ledges wherever possible makes for great storage in the mudroom.
24. Double Down on Closet Space
Get wide closets with doors and lots of hanging space like a coat rack within if you have the space for them. Let them have floating shelves and lockers whose heights you can adjust depending on what items go into them. You can also keep baskets and bins in them and conceal all of it in one go.
Read also – 35 Best Kitchen Color Schemes for All Types of Kitchen
25. Keep Laundry Hampers Handy
If you do your laundry in your mudroom, you often leave clothes waiting to be washed on the floor, or stack them on the bench, or on top of the washing machine. Doesn’t look so tidy, does it? Stay more organized by having laundry hampers in your mudroom. Store unwashed clothes awaiting their turn for a spin in the machine neatly in the hamper. You can use large baskets with lids or a simple canvas bag with leather handles.
26. Ensure Sufficient Hanging Space
Above your washing machine in the mudroom, always keep a clothing rod installed for quick and easy hanging of your washed clothes. Saves a lot of time and effort taking them outside.
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27. Have Bins By Your Side
When you’re washing clothes, you may be in for surprises – a receipt, business card or sometimes even a clothing tag. It isn’t mandatory to have a bin next to your washing area, but wouldn’t it be neat if you can quickly dispose them off without letting them just lay there for weeks?
28. Get a Brawley Stand for Rainy Days
People coming in on a rainy day carrying wet umbrellas don’t have to leave it on your precious wooden floor, or dampen your rug. The brawley stand can contain water until you can deal with it later, so your floor is safe.
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29. Use the Space Under the Stairs If Your Mudroom is Close to It
If your mudroom design is near the stairway, you may want to use the space underneath the stairs to double up on storage. Every bit of space counts.
30. Wall Paneling to Protect Walls
If you live in areas with extreme seasons, there’s a lot of gear to be used – snowboards, ski boards etc. When placed vertically, they tend to bump into the walls and leave dents or scratches. Use engineered, pre-finished European white Oak flooring as wall paneling – they’re durable and can withstand wear and tear.
Read also – Why Do You Need an Interior Design Sketching Tool?
31. A Swiveling Iron Board Could Save Your Workday
Is your space too cramped? Get a foldable, swivel iron board and attach it to the folding space, so your clothes are all washed, pressed and ready to tackle your workday!
32. Bring in a Window Seat in the Mudroom
Got a window in the mudroom? Wow, you’re lucky. It’ll most likely be a lower window, so get a window seat installed and throw in soft and decorative cushions and throw pillows. Add a bit of soft drapery and layering to exude a homey feeling. It’s nice to have a small escape space in your mudroom away, for a little quiet time, don’t you think?
Read also – Top 5 DIY Interior Design Software to Design Your Next Design Project
How to Design the Most Efficient Mudroom?
Given that your mudroom’s floor plan is unique, how do you know which of the above decor items will work in your space and which won’t? You figure it out by visualizing your mudroom with your favorite items and ruling out the ones that don’t fit in.
How can you visualize every space of the room without leaving anything to chance? With an advanced tool like Foyr Neo.
Here’s what you can do:
Step 1: Sign up for Foyr Neo’s 14-day trial.
Step 2: Go on to the Neo mood board and curate everything you’d love to have in your mudroom.
Step 3: Create the floor plan of your mudroom on Neo.
Step 4: Choose from 60,000+ 3D decor materials and simply drag and drop them into the home decor.
Step 5: Get any material in any color scheme, texture, shape, or pattern and truly customize your mudroom.
Step 6: View the mudroom makeover in 2D and 3D, from all possible angles and lighting conditions.
Step 7: Render your design in a few minutes and witness your mudroom in all its glory.
That’s all it takes! With 24/7 support and live chat, we’re here to help you if you ever get stuck anywhere. You can find tutorials on how to design on Neo all over the internet, so you’re never truly alone when you design using Neo.
What are you waiting for? Start curating your mood board for your mudroom, sign up for Foyr Neo’s 14-day free trial today.
FAQs
Consider installing a dedicated shoe rack with a drip tray or a tiled area designed for easy cleaning to manage wet footwear.
Incorporate adjustable shelves, labeled bins, and hooks at varying heights to cater to the needs of different family members.
Extend the color palette and design elements from adjacent spaces, ensuring a cohesive flow throughout the home.
Incorporate dedicated zones with easy-to-clean surfaces, built-in pet beds, and concealed storage for pet essentials to create a pet-friendly mudroom.
Consider integrating custom cabinets, decorative screens, or strategically placed furniture to discreetly hide utility areas while maintaining a stylish look.
