When was the last time you did this?
You walk into your home, leaving a trail of your wet shoes and raincoat dripping, with no umbrella in sight (because we live in Oregon).
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a spot to put your wet raincoat and muddy shoes when you walk in the door? Don’t overlook the importance of creating a mudroom! The mudroom has become a necessary home feature in the Pacific Northwest to keep you organized while the rest of your home is clean.
What is a Mudroom?
A mudroom is a casual, generally secondary entryway intended to remove and store footwear, outerwear, and wet clothing before entering the main house. As well as providing storage space, a mudroom increases the home’s cleanliness.
Where to Locate your Mudroom
You can add a mudroom to any area of your home. Mudrooms are typically located near the home’s primary or secondary entrance, like the front door or garage. You’ll want to consider where you enter and exit your home to create a functional and beautiful space.
Connect the Mudroom to the Garage
This Lake Oswego custom home mudroom is the perfect drop zone spot for shoes, coats, and keys. The mudroom is located off the garage, so you can walk into a drop zone, set keys on the countertop, sit on the bench, and hang things up. The space connects to the laundry room, with a walkway to the primary closet. The pantry and kitchen are to the left, with the staircase to the basement. The space planning creates a circular design that works well.
The mudroom off the garage has painted shaker cabinets in Sherwin Williams Iron Ore (SW 7069). This high-traffic area is the perfect drop zone spot for shoes, coats, and bags. With shoe cubbies and a closed coat closet, there’s a place for everything in this mudroom design.
Mudroom near the Back Door
Our clients utilized a hallway to create a mud room concept in their Northeast Portland home remodel. The home features a detached garage in the alleyway out back, so the backdoor functions as the family’s primary door to the home. Backpacks, coats, and shoes are easily accessible as this busy family heads out for the day. This area also functions as the family’s command center for iPad charging and a drop for mail and keys.
Mudroom off the Kitchen
This 1920s kitchen was compartmentalized and remodeled to open the space. The upgrades included adding a mudroom drop zone with a built-in bench at the back door of their Northeast Portland home.
Mudroom in the Laundry Room
Need a dedicated area for a mudroom? Depending on the layout of your home, the laundry room often functions as a mudroom. It’s usually located off the garage and is a natural entry into your home. Add hooks, shelving, and built-ins to create an organized space. You can still implement the concept and create multi-functional spaces.
In this Beaverton home addition project, we created a laundry room with a built-in mudroom bench, shoe storage, hooks, and a shiplap accent wall.
Transforming this West Linn home with a dual-purpose space: A seamlessly integrated laundry room and mudroom, maximizing both efficiency and style.
Convert Your Laundry Room into a Mudroom
A popular trend is to relocate the laundry room upstairs near the bedrooms. That’s where all the laundry piles up, right? Then, the original laundry room can turn into a mudroom. That’s what happened at this Bethany home remodel.
BEFORE: The laundry room off the garage was cramped and needed organization.
AFTER: The laundry room moved upstairs. Now, the space between the garage and kitchen functions as a mudroom.
How To Organize a Mudroom
Make the most of the space by creating vertical storage. Mudrooms are not typically large rooms; you only need a little space to create a significant impact. Add cubbies or lockers for each member of your family. Visual clutter is real. Hide clutter behind closed doors, and use open shelving, bins, and hooks for everyday items.
Optimize the function and look of your mudroom with the following:
- Coat rack and hooks
- Shoe racks or bins
- Open and closed storage
- Bench seating
- Command center with phone charger, area for keys, wallet, purse, mail
- Accent wall material or color
Mudroom Ideas
Rustic Mudroom Design
This Hillsboro custom home features a mudroom between the garage and the kitchen. It has plenty of built-in storage solutions for coats, shoes, and backup household supplies. While functional, don’t forget to add your personality and individual style through artwork, decor, and textiles.
A custom bench houses everyday shoes and boots while also fitting behind the door to the garage.
Industrial coat hooks add a whimsical touch to an otherwise utilitarian space.
Floor-to-ceiling Rustic Cherry cabinets provide additional storage right off the garage.
Get Started on Your Mudroom Design
Do you need to get organized? Adding a mudroom area to your home as part of a kitchen remodel, the whole house remodel, or a custom home build. Reach out and discover what’s possible in your home!