Design Ideas for Mudrooms: Creating Functional Spaces

written by Ashleigh Garris
last updated: July 15, 2019

Mudrooms can be the most underrated room in the household, which makes it an afterthought when trying to organize your home. Aside from the overlooking, many aspects must be considered, such as its compatibility with the rest of the home and whether it will endure the test of time. With the variety of storage options, it can sometimes become more of a hassle than a fun improvement. However, these ideas for your mudroom can help you get excited about creating a space with additional storage for your home.

Typically small, confined spaces, mudrooms are a great place for storing items such as coats, shoes, laundry items, cleaning supplies, sporting equipment, and more!

Benefits of Functional Mudroom Designs

A mud room acts as a transition between the outdoors and the indoors, mainly functioning as a hold for things that would clutter up the house and as a storage space for the everyday “go-to” items. As we’ve become more casual in the way we live, entrances often adjacent to the garage have become the main entryway into the home. Transitional spaces of the home are often cramped, cluttered, and overlooked, but when form and function work in harmony, these “in-between” spaces can have a dramatic impact. If you are considering investing in a mudroom, consider these benefits:

  • Mudrooms help create additional storage space
  • Mudrooms allow for everyday items to become organized
  • Mudrooms provide functional spaces for coat and shoe storage

In a busy household, storage solutions are essential for a neat and sane home. Incorporating space for all “drop-and-go” items not only keeps your family organized, but it is convenient. To accommodate different habits and seasonal needs, plenty of storage at varying heights can be used by every member of the family.

Modern Mudroom Storage Ideas

A mudroom is one huge storage area, so a place for everything will keep it organized. Here are a few mudroom storage ideas you can use in your next design:  

  • Bench seating for taking off and storing footwear
  • Wall hooks for coats, bags, and hat storage
  • Wall and base cabinetry for hiding away cluttering items
  • Shoe cubbies for younger generations to store footwear

In place of clothing hangers, heavy-duty hooks have more durability for hanging heavy coats and backpacks. Always be sure to hang a set of hooks lower for children. If designing for school-age children, hang the hooks low enough for them to reach

brown bench seat cabinets and storage
Madison Square, Maple, Sienna

Adding cabinets to a mudroom provides closed storage to conceal unsightly items such as laundry detergents or dirty clothing. Tall wall cabinets are perfect for storing items higher up that are not needed daily, like out-of-season wear.

contemporary natural mudroom cabinets
Bristol, Maple, Oatmeal Charcoal

Design Ideas for Mudrooms by Space and Location

Mudroom designs are usually influenced by their size and location. If your mudroom is attached to the kitchen, you may want the style and design to look cohesive with your kitchen cabinets. If your mudroom is attached to the garage, the style can be more universal and practical. Below are popular locations of a mudroom and can help identify where your mudroom should be located. If you are looking to shake things up a little with your mud room try checking out Wellborn's shaker style cabinetry. It is a great way to make it long lasting.

Small Spaces

Homeowners can make the most of small spaces like the area between the garage and the rest of the home with a bench seat area, some hooks, and tall cabinetry. You can also use open shelves and some simple home decor to help the mudroom blend in with the style of the rest of your home.

These small mudrooms off the garage are precisely what every family needs - convenient storage for all heights, a seating area, and decorative open shelving make this mudroom fully functional. Pro tip: add stone floors to keep this space easy to clean!

small space mudroom red cabinets and bench seat
Vienna, Maple, Caliente AF (Benjamin Moore 290)
contemporary mudroom cabinets in small space
Bristol, Maple, Oatmeal Charcoal

Laundry Room

A laundry room-mudroom combination is a perfect duo; dirty socks, wet pool towels, and sports uniforms can go straight into the washing machine. Gardeners, athletes, and families with children will love peeling off the dust of the day right where the washing is done. Add a barn door to the room so you can simply slide it closed and hide the mess when company comes.

In this well-appointed mudroom, a bright white Herringbone tiled floor, navy Shaker-style cabinets and simple cabinet hardware lend a relaxed farmhouse look. Not only is it full of space for books, shoes, bags, mail, and chargers, but it also has hidden pet accessories.

navy shaker mudroom cabinets bench seat tall storage
navy shaker mudroom cabinets pet accessories
Hanover Inset, Maple, Bleu

In this spacious blue and white laundry room, a built-in cabinet unit was installed to create a multipurpose room with its hooks, benches, and open shelves. The addition of lower storage drawers adds more organizational benefits to this already organized space.

Entryway

Consider reimagining your entryway as a mudroom. This idea requires a bit more imagination, but it is a smart way to make the space more functional and keep clutter out of the living room and other common spaces. Hang a coat rack on the wall and add a bench and some storage beneath it. If you have a stairway located close to your entryway, the space under the stairs can be a smart way to make use of unused space. This design makes good use of what could be wasted space and is perfect thanks to the smart storage and spacious drawers.

white shaker mudroom cabinets open storage

Design Ideas for Mudrooms by Style

Typically, the style of the kitchen sets the tone for the rest of the home, and since mudrooms are the transitional space for the rest of the home, be sure you are setting the right tone. Here are a few popular design styles to help you get started on your own mudroom ideas.

Traditional

The traditional style is defined by its details; multiple finishes and door styles, architectural elements, and decorative accessories. This expansive mudroom features brown and white mudroom cabinets and traditional mudroom features built-in furniture with hooks, benches, and shelves. The addition of the mail organization and desk make this mudroom the command center for the rest of the home.

traditional white and dark brown mudroom cabinets
Prairie and Millbrook Square, Oak, Glacier and Sienna Charcoal

Modern

Modern design employs a sense of simplicity in every element. Sleek is a collective term to describe the modern design. Wellborn Cabinet’s full access frameless Aspire cabinetry works perfectly in a modern mudroom. Behind the sleek cabinet doors is a variety of storage accessories which keeps this space clutter-free.

modern mudroom cabinets

Eclectic

Eclectic style is the great equalizer; it reshuffles the rule book, mixing and matching old and new, luxe and humble, showy and quiet. This laundry-mudroom combination exudes function. The sleek cabinetry provides loads of storage and conceals laundry room necessities.


For more design styles, request a Wellborn catalog to see which style speaks to you.

Mudroom FAQs

What is a Mud Room Used For?

A mudroom is an entrance room dedicated for removing shoes, coats, and wet clothing. It's purpose is to provide storage while keeping the rest of the home clean.

What Size Should a Mudroom Be?

Typically a mudroom range is between 6-foot by 6-foot and 7-foor by 9-foot.

What Can You Put in a Mudroom?

When you decide to put a mudroom in your home make sure that the space selected is convenient and useful.

How Do I Organize My Mudroom?

Organizing your mudroom can be achieved by baskets, bin and boxes. You can easily store items like shoes or clothes in these tidy and neat spaces.

How Do You Decorate a Mudroom?

Make your mudroom a comfy place with flexible storage. Remember this is a space people will come when they enter the house, so you want to be clean and airy.

Does Adding a Mudroom Add Value?

Adding a mudroom makes it easier on you and your families daily activities. It increases the value of your home and helps keep your house clean and organized.

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