Mudroom Design Inspiration for the New Year

Design Tips

Mudroom Inspiration to Transition into Spring

Updated January 21, 2023

Spring brings sunnier days, the reopening of restaurant patios, and an explosion of greenery and blooms. 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. And with mudrooms, comes fresh ideas and mudroom inspiration.

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Like many interior designers, I absolutely love incorporating my favorite mudroom ideas into my client’s homes. Not only are they a great way to keep clutter at bay, but they can also be incredibly stylish. So today, we’re diving into some of our favorite mudroom designs with inspiration photos to give you all the great ideas you need to keep that mess to a minimum and give your family plenty of smart storage solutions.

Bringing the Outdoors In

The color scheme in this designated space flows seamlessly to the outdoors whether it is winter or spring. Benjamin Moore White Dove built-in cabinets and trim pairs beautifully with the neutral paint color and pops of accent colors. Jute rugs add a bit of texture and functionality to the entire room.

When the snow melts, this back of the home mudroom area with large built-in bench and coat rack goes into spring-time mode. Filled with quick access open spaces for rain boots, umbrellas, and all of the backyard activities this high traffic area is a highly functional space. Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring wears like iron against mud, water and sand. Design by Carla Bast

Cubbies with drawers hide individual charging stations for devices. Waterproof Luxury Vinyl Tile runs under the bench for muddy shoes and boots to be tucked away quickly. Design by Carla Bast

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A Pet Wash or Rinse-Off Station

First thing’s first – every mudroom absolutely needs a space where every family member 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 muddy shoes and 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 taking advantage of a small space located just steps from the back door. / Source

This beautiful grey and white mudroom include a dog washing station with surrounding walls to prevent splashing, and ample space for both pets and kids to clean up before entering the rest of 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. The first place you’ll need it is 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. A great place for muddy boots at the mudroom entry or the front door. / 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

Coat Hooks, 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 coat hooks are both functional and stylish in this neutral mudroom space with shiplap walls and live edge wood bench. / Source

RELATED: How Much Shiplap is Too Much?

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

In this bright mudroom, simple black hooks on bead board are evenly spaced to allow for ample storage space for coats, bags, and more. Black, white and grey floor tiles offer visual appeal and conceal dirt! / Source

This mudroom offers excellent storage solutions for every member of the family, including individual open cubbies with lots of hooks for coats and school bags, wall space to hang artwork, baskets to collect sports gear, and dedicated areas for shoes. / 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 a lot of spaces to tuck things away can definitely help to cut down on the clutter and provide storage solutions that make a big difference.

mudroom-with-drop-zone-wicker-baskets — Mudroom drop zone with lockers and seating areas for each family member. Wicker storage baskets keep smaller items organized. *Design by Carla Bast*

Sleek and simple, this mudroom’s dark built-in cabinets feel open and airy while still providing dedicated cubbies for individual storage needs. / Source

White and bright with grey herringbone pattern tile, this mudroom’s cubbies include shelves, hooks, and lower drawer storage for everyday essentials. / Source

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Laundry Room and Mudroom Combo

laundry-room-in-mudroom-black-and-white-tile-floor

If space allows, incorporating a laundry room into your mudroom is an excellent way to use space efficiently and help keep the whole family organized. We love the white oak custom storage and bench paired with the black and while patterned porcelain floor tile in this mudroom, laundry room combo!

If your entry space 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 ideas and inspiration for today’s mudrooms, head on over to this post: 8 Top Mudroom Ideas for the Busy Family.

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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