Mudroom Inspiration

Design Tips

Must-Haves for Transitioning to Spring

Updated Mudroom with Grey Lockers and LVT floor — *Design by Carla Bast*

Spring brings sunnier days, the reopening of restaurant patios, and an explosion of greenery and blooms across the city. But, in the midst of these seasonal wonders comes plenty of mud and rain – which means that with kids, pets, and more, that can all get tracked through your home and cause endless cleaning stress. So, what’s the best way to prevent the mess? Mudrooms.

We absolutely love incorporating mudrooms into our designs – not only are they highly functional, but they can also be incredibly stylish. So today, we’re diving into some of our favorite mudroom designs to give you all the inspiration you need to keep that mess to a minimum and give your family plenty of smart storage solutions.

Mudroom, Bench, Shiplap, Hooks, bench cusion, storage, cabinets, baskets — *When the snow melts, this back of the home mudroom goes into spring-time mode with spaces for rain boots, umbrellas, and all of the backyard activities. Design by Carla Bast*

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A Rinse-Off or Scrub-Away Zone

First thing’s first – every mudroom absolutely needs a space where family members can eliminate the bulk of that outdoor mud and mess. If you can swing it, a wash station is a total magic solution where you can quickly and easily hose off dirty paws or rinse mud splatter from your boots. But, installing one of these isn’t always in the cards if you’ve got a stricter budget to adhere to. If that’s the case, you’ll definitely want to at least have a few quality mats at the door entrance where you can scrape your boots before walking inside. It might seem simple, but it can save a ton of hassle when it comes time to mop those floors!

In this modern farmhouse-style mudroom, a sleek and unobtrusive rinse-off zone is located just steps from the door for easy mud and dirt clean up. / Source

This beautiful grey and white mudroom includes a step-in shower station with surrounding walls to prevent splashing, and ample space for both pets and kids to clean up before entering the house. / Source

Right next to the door, this mudroom’s shower is the perfect place to clean off mud, helping to avoid tracking messy footprints through the house. / Source

Boot & Shoe Storage

Once you’ve rinsed off that mess, you’ll need a dedicated space to store boots and shoes – ideally before you continue to walk through your mudroom. Try to set up a storage area as close to the door and scrub-away station as possible so that you’re tracking next to nothing across the room and beyond into the rest of the house. Generally, avoid piling your shoes on a rug or mat because as wet as it gets in the springtime, it can take a while for it all to evaporate. Instead, stick to things like boot trays and shoe shelves where water can be collected in one place and shoes can quickly dry off.

A simple boot tray serves as both a storage area for shoes and an easy-to-clean collection station for water and dirt. / Source

Farmhouse-inspired, this mudroom includes a rolling raised wooden boot tray, allowing for flexibility in storage and keeping wet shoes off of the ground. / Source

Shelves with slats offer plenty of shoe storage for the entire family, while also allowing boots to dry when wet. / Source

Hooks for Coats, Umbrellas, and More

Next up, you absolutely need an ample number of hooks for all of those spring essentials. From raincoats to umbrellas and everything in between, this season is packed with layers, and since those layers often need to dry, you don’t want people just throwing them into a pile on the floor. Keep your storage going vertical, and not only will your belongings dry in record time, but they’ll also take up far less floor space, leaving your mudroom feeling open and airy.

Modern and chic black iron hooks are both functional and stylish in this neutral mudroom space. / Source

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A pop of brass in this mudroom’s hooks and drawer hardware pairs perfectly with its feminine splashes of pink and whimsical wallpaper pattern. / Source

In this mudroom, simple black hooks are evenly spaced to allow for ample storage space for coats, bags, and more. / Source

Cubbies to Keep Things Organized

To complete your mudroom design, be sure to incorporating cubbies for all of your family members. By giving each person a dedicated space to store their daily essentials (think backpacks, extra shoes, or sports gear), you prevent the rest of your house from being a dumping ground for excess items. Of course, we can’t always promise organization will be perfect, but having cubbies can definitely help to cut down on the clutter and provide storage solutions that make a big difference.

This mudroom offers excellent storage solutions for kids, including individual cubby spots with hooks for coats, wall space to hang artwork, baskets to collect sports gear, and dedicated areas for shoes. / Source

Sleek and simple, this mudroom’s dark cabinetry manages to feel open and airy while still providing dedicated cubbies for individual storage needs. / Source

White and bright, this mudroom’s cubbies include shelves, hooks, and storage drawers underneath for everyday essentials. / Source

If your front entrance has been a mashup of all sorts of coats, accessories, and shoe collections with no rhyme or reason for years, then installing a functional mudroom will be a major game-changer for you and your family. In fact, once you’ve got a dedicated space for all of those living essentials, we think you’ll find that keeping the house clean will be a snap, and spring will once again top your list as a favorite season – mud and all.

Want to see more mudroom inspiration, take a look at my Jordan Project Reveal!

By Megan Johansson, Contributor to Carla Bast Design

One Response

Carla says:

February 28, 2022 at 1:31 pm

If only we had just a few things to hang up/ store like these pics show…lol. But even just the two of us have lots of shoes, boots, coats, hats, scarves, and biking gear. It’s overwhelming!

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