Are you considering adding a mudroom to your custom home blueprints, or luxury home renovations? There are a few elements to make sure to include in your dream mudroom for functionality, comfort, and style.
Mudrooms are increasingly popular, especially for families. This transitional space serves as a buffer between the outdoors and indoors, making it an ideal spot to keep everyone’s dirty shoes, coats, backpacks, and other outdoor gear. Goodbye to the days of having a cluttered front hall closet of shoes and coats piled onto each other. It’s time to say hello to having a tidy, organized space where you can leave the mess behind!
Wouldn’t it be great to enter your home without worrying about tracking in water, mud, snow, or wet leaves? With a mudroom, you can keep your home organized, tidy, and free of clutter. The TLCH team are big fans of a smart mudroom design.
Explore why families like yours would want a mudroom in their home. Read on for Tom Len’s expert tips on creating a functional, yet beautiful space that complements the rest of your luxury living space. Let’s dive in…
Starting with the Basics: What is a Mudroom?
Before you set out to create a Pinterest board for your custom mudroom, let’s start with why you need a mudroom and what it is. A mudroom is a room that serves as a transition space between your home and the outdoors. Think of this as a secondary entryway, only for your immediate family to come and go. It’s different from the front door which is more for greeting guests and friends.
This second entrance is often located near the side, garage, or back of the home. Speaking literally, the mudroom is designed to contain the mud you carry in from the outdoors so it doesn’t ruin your floors! But a mudroom is not just to stop the dirt from coming in. It also serves an even greater purpose: storing coats, hats, umbrellas, shoes, and backpacks.
Imagine the convenience of having everything you need to leave the house, all in one place! All while keeping the kid’s clutter from school and extracurriculars contained. Mudrooms are truly the secret to maintaining a neat and organized home.
Benefits of Having a Mudroom in Your Home
Wondering how having a mudroom will add value to your home? The benefits go beyond just serving as a separate entryway and storing everyday items:
- Constant cleanliness: Having a mudroom helps you have a clean and tidy home. The dirt, mud, and mess from the outside are contained in the mudroom. It prevents allergens from entering your home and you have a safe and healthy environment at home.
- Easy organization: Mudrooms offer great storage. All outdoor gear and seasonal items can be stored there, keeping your house clutter-free.
- Comfort & convenient: For family members, it can be very convenient to gather their coats, and wear their shoes and hats before exiting their home. There are fewer chances of you forgetting things or spending time trying to gather your belongings and carrying them around the house. Similarly, it’s a welcoming space for guests – you can welcome them and store personal belongings during their stay.
- Easy transitions: Changing seasons means switching weather-appropriate outdoor gear and accessories. You can store swimming gear, gardening tools, winter coats, and all seasonal items. With all these packed in the mud room, you’ll have well-managed and spacious living areas.
- Pet-friendly: For people with pets, mudrooms are a must-have. They’re ideal for pet care. You can use the room to clean up your pets or tend them before the house when coming in from outside. It ensures your house stays clean and dirt-free, especially after walking the dog!
- Increased security: Mudrooms even add an extra layer of security and safety to your home. These spaces create a buffer zone between the outside world and your home, which can help improve the security of your property. Consider including an alarm security system that alerts you when the door is opened or adding a ring doorbell camera.
Key Considerations for Your Gorgeous Custom Mudroom
Must-Have Elements
Mudrooms are designed to be functional spaces. Hence, the following items are necessities for enhancing functionality and comfort:
- Hooks: Hooks are extremely useful for hanging items like coats. While you may have hangers, it is easier to pluck off items off hooks and go about your day. The hooks should be put up considering the height of all family members.
- Benches: Benches offer comfortable seating and are helpful when putting on or taking off your shoes. You can choose benches with underneath storage to ensure that the bench stays clutter-free all the time.
- Cubbies: Each family member can have a dedicated cubby. This helps keep personal items organized, and you can easily grab essential items without having to look for them.
- Storage: Add shelves, cabinets, drawers, and baskets to keep all items sorted neatly and out of the way. Never lose your favorite gloves again!
- Windows: We highly recommend adding windows to elevate the space. You will have a lot of natural light that will make your mudroom more welcoming and warm. Consider frosted or stained glass for privacy.
Tom Len’s Elements for a Magnificent Mudroom Design
Who says mudrooms can’t be stylish and luxurious? This space should be a naturally flowing extension of the rest of your home. Balancing functionality, comfort, and stunning interior design is fun with Tom Len Custom Homes:
Custom Cabinetry
There are many kinds of cabinets to choose from! Cubby cabinets, bench cabinets, hanging cabinets, and pull out cabinets are just a few examples. You’ll want to make sure you are getting the talents of excellent craftsmanship.
Natural Lighting
Adequate lighting is essential to ensuring that your mudroom is functional and inviting. Consider installing overhead lighting, task lighting, or even a skylight to brighten up the space. Windows are also a must for getting a peak at the weather outside and determining what kind of outerwear you’ll need!
Comfortable Seating
When it comes to choosing the right seating for your mudroom, it’s important to consider comfort as well as practicality. Maybe include some benches with cushions, upholstered chairs, or even an ottoman. This could be a comfortable spot for you to wait as someone comes to pick you up.
Dual-Purpose
We’ve seen many of our clients take this space even further by including sinks for washing sticky hands, a water filtration system to fill up your water bottle before you leave, and even including a washer/dryer combo for those extra soiled items. The possibilities are endless, make it your own!
Pops of Color and Decor
Adding pops of color and decorative accents can help to make the space feel more inviting and personal. Consider adding a colorful rug, decorative hooks, or even a piece of artwork to add some personality to your mudroom. Don’t be afraid to try a bold color or pattern, our impressive interior design expert, Rachel Gilman, can guide you!
Designer Materials
Choose hardware for your custom cabinets, hooks, hangers, and handles to enhance the room’s elegance. Materials like steel, brushed nickel, a gold finish, brass, bronze, or chrome will make these elements pop! For countertops, consider stunning materials like quartz, marble, or granite.
Storage Solutions
Opt for elegant storage options like custom cabinetry. Hidden and concealed storage can make the space look sleek and minimal. Consider incorporating built-in cubbies, shelves, or cabinets to provide ample space to store boots, coats, hats, and bags.
Integrated Technology
The mudroom is part of your home. Add smart home features that manage lighting, temperature control, music and communication. You can even add a charging station for your devices! Consider including smart locks, Bluetooth audio, a voice intercom, and smart thermostats.
Smart Flooring
Since mudrooms are high traffic areas, it is important to choose durable flooring that can withstand dirt and moisture. Options such as tile, vinyl, or even outdoor carpet can be good choices. But durable doesn’t mean boring! Examples include porcelain or ceramic tiles, vinyl, or stone.
Scent and Atmosphere
The mudroom will store coats that can be wet and smelly. Let’s keep this space feeling fresh. Aside from regularly cleaning this room, we recommend using diffusers, candles, and air purifiers to leave the room smelling pleasant.
Create Your Beautiful, Custom Mudroom with Tom Len Custom Homes
The TLCH team loves a well-designed mudroom! Our mudroom designs are all about balancing style, comfort, and functionality. Your mudroom should be a natural extension of your home’s aesthetic, serving as a smooth transition between indoor and outdoor life.
Let us add organization and ease to your everyday living! As the premier custom homebuilder in Chicago’s North Shore, Tom Len has collaborated with countless homeowners to bring their dream home to life. Our impressive Lead Designer, Rachel Gilman, and skilled residential construction team continue to earn our firm a reputation for high quality materials, excellent custom service, unique designs, and an eye for the exquisite.
A custom home is the ultimate reflection of your style, personality, and values. The mudroom, like the rest of the house, needs to reflect that too. We’d love to create a space that caters to your family’s wants, needs, and desires for luxury living. Is it time for renovations, or planning your new build? The Tom Len Custom Homes team is ready to guide you every step of the way!
