If you have enough space in your home, adding a mudroom can be a great idea. If you already have a mudroom and want to spruce things up, check out these tips on decorating your entryway. But if you want more info on mudrooms, read on.
We will go over what a mudroom is, what you can normally find in a mudroom, and how you can create a mudroom in any home. So take a look at all we have to offer on mudrooms and what they are!
What Is A Mudroom?
A mudroom is simply another name for an entryway. It got its name from the fact that a lot of dirt and mud is tracked in, leaving the entryway a mess. However, keeping the mud detained to one room is the purpose of a mudroom.
If you have people walk directly into your living room or kitchen, your whole house will soon be a “mudroom” and no one wants that. So a mudroom can prevent a mess despite it being named after a mess.
If your floor is hardwood, then make sure you know how to clean it well. Keeping your floors clean is the best way to keep your mudroom looking good. It will get messy, so don’t worry when it does.
What Is In A Mudroom?
Every mudroom is different but many of them have the same features. For example, you won’t find two identical living rooms anywhere but most of them do have a couch and TV. Mudrooms are the same way.
Just remember that you don’t need all of these things for your mudroom. This is simply a list of guidelines to help you create your mudroom, to begin with. They aren’t concrete and should be considered suggestions.
Rug
A rug is necessary if you want to keep the mess to a minimum. Put a small one in front of the door or a runner that runs all the way across, in case someone doesn’t take their shoes off. This way, most of the dirt comes off naturally.
Coat And Shoe Rack
A coat and shoe rack for strangers and family members alike is a great investment. Keep the shoes near the ground and the coats shoulder height to make things easy on every. You can use a rack, bin, or shelf, but coats should hang up.
It’s a good idea to have a lower rack for children if you have children or have children visit a lot. It can also help to have baskets in the winter for hats and gloves.
Organized Shelves
The organized shelves are primarily for family members. It can be helpful if either each person has their own shelf or if each category has its own shelf. You can label them, put color-code them, or just teach the family what goes where.
Unorganized Bin
When you have only organized shelves, people can get lazy. If you don’t have a designated spot for those times, then the entire place will be unorganized. So have a bin or basket for when people don’t want to put stuff away.
Seats
If you have a special seat for taking your shoes off, people are more likely to do it. While kids can take their shoes off anywhere, older people will need a seat. It’s better to have more than one seat or a bench for when more than one person enters.
Building A Mudroom
Now that we’ve gone over the things that are added to a mudroom, let’s talk about the things that are part of the mudroom, to begin with. This is what you’ll need to focus on when you’re building your mudroom.
Sturdy Floor
While a bathroom floor may not need to be sturdy, it does need to be waterproof. While a living room floor may need to be sturdy, it doesn’t need to be waterproof. But when it comes to a mudroom, you need the best of both worlds.
Attractive Walls
This is the first room people will see, so make sure that the walls aren’t too loud, yet have a little personality and warmth. Plaster and drywall are common options, you can learn about the difference between plaster and drywall here.
Great Lighting
An entryway in general needs good lighting. It needs to work well, emit a lot of light, and look eye-catching. While lighting in other rooms may not be noticeable, lighting in entryways is never missed. So make it count.
Finding Space For A Mudroom
If you’re already struggling with space in the first place, finding some for a mudroom can be difficult. But there are plenty of options, so surely one of them will suit your needs and make it easy to build a mudroom.
Create An Add-On
If you’re really short on space, building an add-on is by far your best option. Especially if you have the extra money to spend on one. You don’t need a lot of space for a mudroom, so the material costs won’t be much.
Convert A Porch
If you’re not one to sit out on your front porch in the summer, you might as well turn at least part of it into a mudroom. Since there’s already a foundation, it will be a lot easier than building an add-on from scratch.
Take Space Out Of Another Room
If you have a large living room or kitchen, you can always turn part of it into a mudroom. You just have to add a wall, even if it’s just a partial wall. Then, you’ll have an entirely new room. The same can be done with a dining room.
Expand Your Laundry Room
If you have a laundry room or other small room that serves only one purpose, then consider turning it into a mudroom. You can leave the washer and dryer in it because mudrooms make great laundry rooms.
Turn A Bath Into A Half-Bath
If you have two bathrooms in your home, you can turn one of them into a half-bathroom and use the other half for an entryway. This works well if you only have one or two people living in your home because you won’t need the extra shower/tub.
Veer To The Garage
Have a large garage that isn’t all in use? Take out a corner for a mudroom! You can even take out half of it, or the whole thing for a mudroom, though extra large mudrooms are kind of pointless. Use the extra space for something else.
Mudroom Alternatives
If you don’t have space or money for a whole mudroom, there are still ways you can achieve the same things without one. There are only two things you need to focus on. Having space to put muddy boots and coats.
Mud Closet
One of the easiest things to do is create a mud closet. This just means that you convert a closet near an exterior door into a place to put muddy boots. Keep rugs on the inside so it will be easy to clean up.
Mud Cabinet
A mud cabinet is just like a closet only it is designed to blend in with your kitchen. Take extra cabinet space, preferably near the door, and use it for outdoor wear. This is a great way to keep the dirty boots hidden.
Extend A Reading Nook
You can either build a reading nook or use one you already have. Make sure there are good cabinets beside it or simply use a bench with storage. Leave books on revealed shelves to give the illusion that it’s just a reading nook.
The best part about this is that it gives people somewhere to take their shoes off too. The reading nook doubles as a seat for people to take their shoes off and on.
Use Lockers
Lockers are easy to clean and are weatherproof. So you can use them for coats and shoes any day. They are a cute addition to any room, so no matter where your entryway is, it will look good in the right color.
Rug And Shelf
If you’re really short on space, all you need is a rug and a shelf. A rug so that people can wipe their shoes off and a shelf so that they can stack their shoes neatly. This way, no one trips over the shoes left by the kids.
Stairwell Cubby
If your entryway is next to a stairwell then you’re in luck. A lot of people create little closets under their stairs. Remember Harry Potter’s cubby? Well, it works better as a closet than a bedroom, so use one for your shoes!
Mudroom Endnotes
No matter what you decide to do with your mudroom or entryway, it will be fabulous. That’s the best part about interior design. It’s an expression, not another way to follow a textbook way of life. So make your mudroom your way.
The post What Is A Mudroom And Do You Need One? appeared first on Home Decorating Trends - Homedit.
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