Mudrooms: Pros and Cons
Mudrooms historically were located in homes in rural areas with rocky dirt roads when boots tracked mud inside thus the name “mudroom”. The purpose was to contain the mess to one area and not track it throughout the home. The same purpose exists today but we also utilize modern day mudrooms as a transitional space to exit and enter our homes. Typically located at back or garage entrance, they are designed to be highly efficient, functional, and store our most commonly needed items as we go about our daily business.
The Pros of having a mudroom whether a dedicated room or an expanded entryway is that it helps us to keep our homes organized and clean. They provide us with extra storage and a designated area for coats and shoes. For those of us living in the Northeast, they keep the salt, sand, and water in the entry rug depending on the season. Mudrooms hold the accoutrements of our everyday lives: sports equipment, gym bags, briefcases, toolboxes, backpacks, dog leashes, keys, sunglasses…you name it and it is probably there.
Which leads us to one of the Cons…it’s probably in there. The space can become a holding area for those items we want to quickly drop and get to later. If later never comes, the room can quickly get out of control and look like a dumping ground. The mudroom also need to be cleaned regularly since it is busy collecting all that dirt and water we leave behind.
Well designed mudrooms and entryways need to consider first and foremost the users of the space. Who is coming and going? What is their lifestyle? What are some of the daily and seasonal activities? Should the area be designed for a growing family with children or an empty nester? The answers to these questions help us as interior designers determine the recommendations for the key components.
Whether you are building a new mudroom or revamping an entryway it is best to take a moment and think about the following:
Flooring needs to be durable and accommodate the volume of foot traffic and types of dirt carried in. If you tract road salt in on your shoes in the winter, hardwood may not be the best selection.
Seating typically depends on the number of people coming and going and the square footage of the space. Is a single chair enough or a bench for multiple people at one time?
Storage requirements are a key component to a successful design. Those daily and seasonal accoutrements all need a designated space. What combination of storage with doors or without doors, cubbies, lockers, shelving, baskets or hooks should be utilized?
A thoughtfully designed mudroom or entry will reflect your personal style while continuing to be functional even when your daily activities change over time.