Designing the Perfect Mudroom
One of the best things about spring is that warmer weather has finally arrived after months of snow and slush. But one of the downsides of spring is it brings its own kind of slushiness, as April showers create a whole lot of mud. Luckily, the mudroom, which does exactly what it sounds like, can help alleviate some of the mess. In this article, we’ll take a look at how you can create the mudroom that best serves your needs.
Amount of Space Available
How your house is shaped and how many square feet are available will, to a large extent, determine the final look of your mudroom. While it may be nice to have a mudroom that can accommodate everyone’s coats and boots during a dinner party, it’s important to keep size and perspective in mind. And while a mudroom is important, it’s not so important it’s worth cutting into the kitchen, living room or garage to create extra space for it.
Personal Tastes
Now that you’ve got size and spacing sorted out, there’s no reason why your mudroom shouldn’t reflect your tastes and the rest of the house’s style. It still is a room after all, and not four walls and a ceiling that need to be kept out of sight all the time.
Whatever design you think of, though, remember to always think practically. The mudroom will be a place where dirty or wet things go, so choosing paint, flooring and furniture that’s easy to clean will go a long way. For paint, select a glossy finish so it’s easy to wipe off, cabinetry that’s either similarly painted or laminated, and easy-to-wipe flooring like linoleum, hardwood, ceramic tiles or porcelain tiles.
Storage
One of the most important aspects of a mudroom is the ability to neatly store gear without it looking like a college party bedroom. To figure out what kind of storage you need, ask yourself the following questions:
Answering these questions will help you decide if you should pick something like wicker baskets or stainless steel lockers, or tuck-away shelves versus easy-to-reach cabinets. There are pros and cons to each choice and nothing is wrong, only what you prefer to see everyday.
For example, some people might prefer the low maintenance style of polished wood cabinetry, but others who like to have flexibility in their storage space and design might find it too restrictive. It all comes down to personal taste and what kind of mudroom you’re happiest with.