A mixture of open and closed storage space keeps outdoor things organized without too much clutter. Photo courtesy of Pottery Barn.
Seasonal Influences
Mudrooms
Designing an Entryway that’s Practical, Organized, and even Beautiful

Storage space under the bench provides a clear surface to sit and change out of boots or put down shopping bags when you first come in from the cold. Photo courtesy of Pottery Barn.

10 Tips for Mudroom Magic

1.   Outfit closet doors with Brickman hinges, which turn closet lights on and off when the door is open and shut, and are a great energy saver.
2.   Shoe drainers help keep mud and dirt from escaping into other rooms.
3.   An airlock will save money on fuel because less heat will escape out the door and fewer cold drafts will enter the house.
4.   Keep the space from overflowing with seasonal changeovers. In spring, move winter coats into deeper storage to make room for rain slickers and windbreakers.
5.   If you have small children make sure there are hooks low enough for them to hang up their own coats and backpacks.
6.   Use materials that will withstand water from dripping coats or melting off boots.
7.   A mudroom may also serve as a “safe haven” for a valued canine family member when the family is away from the property during the day.
8.   To track a family’s busy schedule, hang a bulletin board in the mudroom with family members’ schedules posted in plain view.
9.   An absorbent doormat on a non-slip surface and a tray for boots are essential to containing those winter elements.
10. If using cabinetry and counters, use the same style as in the kitchen to make the transition from one room to the next seamless.

Tips provided by Cathy Kert (1), Ginny Gassman (2–6), and Elizabeth Early Sheehan (7–10).

A mudroom can be many different things. As the place we take off our snow and dirt caked boots in winter, it is the protector of the floors and carpets in the rest of the house. As a storage spot for coats, backpacks, sports equipment, garden items, and keys, it is the center of organization. It can also serve as a gift-wrapping station, recycling center, and laundry room. However, it is important to remember that as the first place you walk into after a long day, the mudroom is also an entryway to your home, and its design should not be just an afterthought.

“It’s like the new foyer since we’re living more informally, and I think a well-designed mudroom sets a great tone for the family,” says interior designer Cathy Kert.

Mudrooms—in some form—have been a common feature for homes in New England for quite some time. “The term ‘mudroom’ may be fairly new, but the concept is as old as the horse-drawn plow,” says professional organizer Elizabeth Early Sheehan. “Farm and manor houses had a back room or porch where farmers would deposit their soiled clothes and boots and wash up at a pump before entering the main house.”

Today, as an entry space for the house, mudrooms are the place we change into boots, hats, gloves, coats, and whatever else we need to protect us from the elements. Oftentimes, however, we bring those elements back indoors with us. “I find that 80 percent of dirt is brought into the house from the outside; making it a good habit to replace outer footwear for slippers or house shoes before entering the rest of the house,” explains Elizabeth.

That kind of space is especially key in New England, where many months of winter weather start in fall and end in spring. “In our climate, it’s important to have a mudroom or a space that acts as a mudroom to keep the mud, grit, rain, ice, snow and cold of the winter from invading your house,” says professional organizer Ginny Gassman of Tidy Cove, LLC. “When you have that barrier, you’ll find you let the kids get down and dirty more outside because it’s less of a chore to clean up after they strip off their snow pants or their running shoes.”

With the mudroom’s role as a high-traffic area, it’s also important that it be organized—so you don’t have to spend 10 minutes looking for your keys every time you leave the house. Elizabeth recommends using closed storage areas, such as built-ins, custom kitchen cabinets, closet organizing products, and wall hooks to keep everything in place.

“A well-designed mudroom serves as a great place to hang purses, umbrellas to drip, backpacks, briefcases, sports equipment, coats, hats, and mittens. This keeps the clutter out of the kitchen and helps keep busy families better organized,” says Elizabeth.

It’s also important to keep some clear spaces too, according to Ginny. “It’s a great idea to have a bench and/or a table in the mudroom so you can sit to take off or put on your shoes and have space to put grocery and shopping bags down while you’re taking off your coat,” she recommends. “The mudroom bench and table should not be used to store things long term. They work best as a beautiful clear space to counteract the busyness of the rest of the room and as available space when you get home from an expedition outside.”

Depending on the size of the area, the mudroom can be a multifunctional space. Cathy Kert designed a mudroom space in Bedford, N.H., with an adjoining laundry room with a craft table that could be used for gift wrapping, crafts, or a potting plants.

Cathy says in designing mudrooms you can have fun with the space since it is separate from the rest of the house. Inspired by the fact that the rolling fields around the house was once home to a horse farm, Cathy designed the mudroom closet as a mini tack room, complete with saddle and competition ribbons. “We thought it might be fun to play up the equine aspect of the property,” she says.

“To me they’re really fun,” Cathy says, explaining that mudrooms can be a nice place to showcase collections or have fun with seasonal decorations. “You’re not so locked in just because it’s smaller.”

And that can put a smile on your face every time you walk in the door. “When you come home and it’s a happy, bright little place, it kind of makes your whole day flow better,” says Cathy.