While these rooms have existed for years overseas in countries with colder climates, we’re now seeing a surge in popularity here in Australia. So, what exactly is a ‘Mud Room’ and why do you need one? If you’re the type of person who believes everything should have a place, then read on.
What is a Mud Room?
A Mud Room is a room (surprise!) or area where boots (muddy ones mostly) can be removed, and wet clothes and coats can be hung up before entering the house. They’re usually a secondary entrance (often to the side of the house), at the front, off the laundry or a dedicated space as you enter the house from the garage.
What are they for?
Mud Rooms are there to keep the main areas of the home clean and tidy by providing a dedicated space equipped with lots of storage for you to walk in and dump your things. Be it your keys, a handbag, kids school bags, shoes or coats, Mud Rooms offer an area for you to store the essentials and keep your home tidy, clean and organised!
What does a good Mud Room need?
Durable and practical materials
Ensure all materials and items used in your mudroom are durable and practical. To ensure my mudroom was durable, I opted for custom-made built-in joinery with a stone bench top seat.
Overhead cabinetry – perfect for storing your handbag and school bags.
A shelf or cubby holes
Cubby nooks are great for hats or to add a rattan pull out basket to dump keys and keep smaller items organised.
A bench or seating
A mudroom is not complete unless you have some sort of seating or bench to be able to sit down to remove your shoes when you come home.
Lots of storage
Deep drawers under the bench seat to neatly stash away shoes you tend to wear most; Cupboards to hide your handbag or school bags and Hooks – if you prefer to hang coats in the mudroom instead of your wardrobe.
Lighting
When designing my lighting plan, I ensured the dimmable downlights in the mudroom were on their own switch. This was super handy to leave these lights on by themselves when expecting visitors after dark (and also for any Friday night pizza night deliveries).
Flooring
As this is a high traffic area, opt for sensible, durable hard flooring such as stone pavers or tiles instead of carpet. Instead of timber floorboards which was used in the living/dining area, in my mudroom, I chose hardwearing tiles – a dark grey polished concrete floor tile in a large format so less grout to clean and matched the grout to hide the dirt.
Styling
Just because a mudroom is designed to be practical doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful too. I added a rattan basket for warmth, styled with some beautiful pottery and plants and added cushions to the bench for softness and comfort when taking shoes off after a long day.
Looking to add a Mud Room to your space? Or want to include one in your renovation?
Get in contact to discuss your needs and how I can help make your life organised.
