The Cure for Houzz Envy: Mudroom Touches Anyone Can Do
Acute Houzz Envy: a forlorn state suffered by those who look at perfectly styled photos of gorgeous homes for hours on end and think, “My house will never look like that!” Trust me, when I lose perspective I get it too, but then I remember that these thousands of photos are here so that I can steal great ideas from them. Also I remember that those houses looked like that on photo shoot day after being professionally styled, lit and shot. Those homes are red-carpet ready, while most of ours can at times be more like “Stars Without Makeup!” tabloid stories. But using these homes for inspiration, with some elbow grease and a few dollars we can get our homes ready for their close-ups. Plus, there’s something extra satisfying about knowing you spruced up your space yourself.
Today we’re looking at an often-ignored, utilitarian space: the mudroom. The spot where you enter your home should give you a welcoming hug. A big trend in home design lately is expanding the mudroom and turning it into an efficient machine, with built-in lockers, coat warmers, benches, charging stations, command-central desks and more. Hey, most of us don’t have room or money for that, but we’re going to swipe some quite doable ideas from those who do. Let’s go!
More cures for Houzz envy: Kitchen | Dining room | Guest room | Living room | Entryway | Bathroom
Ah, fresh lilacs, beautiful cabinets, a slate floor, straw hats hung just so, gorgeous trimwork, an antique rake … oh, do I love this mudroom. I’ll tell you, though, not only do I not have a beautiful cubby, cabinet and storage bench in my mudroom, but I don’t even have a mudroom. I have a side entry that leads to the pantry cabinets in my kitchen. While I assembled ideas for this ideabook today, I realized that my tiny space is full of bad chi and useless clutter, and I cannot wait to finish writing so I can go clean it out!
So friends, as with all of the ideabooks in the Houzz envy series, I am writing this ideabook for me just as much as for you.
Paint. I don’t know about you, but a lot of the mudrooms I’ve seen are simply neglected, utilitarian spaces. Just because a space is cramped and utilitarian doesn’t mean it has to have scuffed-up white walls with matching scuffed-up white trim. You can cover at least one wall with a small amount of colored paint; look around the garage and see what you have left over or buy a pint in a color you love.
I also like the contrast of the door color in here. Yes, these lucky ducks have a gorgeous wood and glass door with a lovely view, and the rest of us may have a solid door that leads to a messy garage or alleyway — but a few coats of contrasting paint on the door will give your mudroom some sass.
Hooks. If you don’t have room for a coat closet or cabinet, don’t worry. Personally, I like the convenience of hooks out in the open. They make it easy to hang and grab coats, hats, bags, dog leashes etc. If you have kids, assign hooks to each kiddo.
Remember to make the most of height — if space is tight or built-ins are not in the budget, hang hooks lower for book bags and higher for taller grown-ups’ hats and bags. Just make sure you don’t have any hooks hung at anyone’s eye level.
A seat. A place for sitting and putting on and removing shoes and boots is a really nice luxury in the mudroom if you have the room for it. This is a spot where a repainted salvaged chair or two can add charm. If your mudroom space is tight, a slim bench may still allow enough room for you to move around; try one out.
Browse benches in the Products section
Messages. A magnetic board is a great way to keep messages, invites and calendars in a spot where everyone will see them, and the metal adds a cool industrial touch.
The entire wall on the left side of this mudroom is a magnetic board, thanks to magnetic paint. Note the way the owners framed it with wood.
Of course, a chalkboard or chalkboard paint will work here too. From what I’ve picked up from Houzz readers, if you’re wary of dust, chalk markers are the way to go.
Make Your Own Chalkboard Paint
Spruce up the flooring. The flooring in this photo is ceramic tile, but you can get the same look with inexpensive peel-and-stick tiles. I used black and white checkerboard peel-and-stick tiles in my kitchen when I was on a very low budget in my first home, and they held up for five years.
Spread into the garage. Take over part of the garage to serve as a mudroom. Add “curb appeal,” like address numbers on the door, a freshly painted handrail and a welcome mat. A rack for shoes and outerwear will provide structure, as will a bench.
Note: If critters are able to sneak into your garage, be careful of what you store; for instance, dog treats and other food items in cardboard boxes may attract them. You may also want to keep shoes and boots from becoming cozy nests by placing them in plastic bins with lids or in a storage bench.
Spread into the kitchen. This nook is part of a modest-size kitchen but creates a transitional zone from the outside to the inside. If I didn’t need my existing cabinetry in my back hall for food, I would love to change the area to something like this.
See the rest of this kitchen, which has a backsplash made of reclaimed street signs
Add a welcome mat, small area rug or runner. Hey, look on the bright side. If your mudroom is a fifth the size of this one, the little rug you’ll need will be that much cheaper — I’ll bet you can find something really great at HomeGoods or Ikea for under $10. You’ll want something durable, washable and colorful enough to conceal whatever comes in on the bottom of dirty shoes.
Add fun hardware. Yes, this mudroom is an absolute dream and is probably bigger than my kitchen! But I can’t resist sharing a photo that includes a cute dog who likes to help out in the garden.
Plus, if your mudroom is teeny-tiny, you’ll have to splurge on only one roll of wallpaper if you want to really do things up. Also, I love the thought of adding a whimsical detail like starfish hardware to drawers in the mudroom. It adds that touch that says, “Someone with fun style took the time to care about and decorate this space.”
Do you have any tips for sprucing up the mudroom? Please share them in the Comments section.
