Mudroom helps keep the house organized

By Ann Robinson and Annie Vernon
For the Deseret Morning News

If you have children living in your home, you can probably attest that you don't have to hear kids come in to know they're home from school — the telltale trail of coats, backpacks, books, and dirty footprints across the floor gives it away.

If the mudroom is a separate room, hooks on the wall may suffice for clothing and equipment. Renovation Design Group

A mudroom allows you to keep household items that are taken outside the home — shoes, outerwear, umbrellas, sports equipment, backpacks, brief cases, and so forth — near the entry most used by the home's inhabitants.

This provides three main advantages. First, it keeps your home cleaner. Because dirty or wet shoes and outer clothing can be shed and stored in a mudroom, dirt and water inadvertently brought inside won't make it past this room into the rest of your house.

Second, a mudroom can help you be more organized. No more running around the house searching for mittens, coats, schoolbooks, or even car keys — they're always right where you stored them in the mudroom. Completed homework assignments, lunches and other items that need to be taken outside the home can also be placed in advance in the mudroom, where you won't forget them on your way out the door.

Finally, a mudroom naturally allows you to contain messes or clutter in one out-of-the-way room. Whether unexpected guests drop in or you just don't want to look at a mess that you don't have time to clean right away, no problem. Just close the mudroom door.

In designing a mudroom that works for you, first think about its location. It should be adjacent to the entry that members of your household use the most — typically the back door or entry to the garage — so that it's the first space the family passes through when returning home and the last space they go through when leaving.

Or you may want to install cabinetry. See this project. Renovation Design Group

Next, consider what you need to include in your mudroom. You'll want a bench or seat to sit on when donning or removing shoes and boots. You'll need a closet or hooks for hanging coats, sweaters, and so forth. A locker or cubby for each household member to store their personal outdoor gear and belongings in is also desirable.

Cabinetry for these items can be custom designed, which can be most tailored to your needs but also the most expensive. Stock designs or free-standing items such as manufactured lockers, benches, and so forth can also work for you while saving you money.

Lastly, flooring materials should be resistant to water and dirt (remember, it's called a mud room for a reason), but can also be attractive. Stained concrete, vinyl composition tiles, ceramic tile, and rubber flooring are your best bets.

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Architects Ann Robinson, AIA, and Annie Vernon, AIA, welcome your design questions at Ask@RenovationDesignGroup.com. Robinson and Vernon are founding principals of Renovation Design Group, a local architectural firm specializing in residential remodeling design.

To register for "Designing a Remodel with Character & Class," call 533-5331 or click here for details.

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