Refresh Your Mudroom

1. List your requirements. The next time you come home, take note of what you are carrying, as this will point you toward the furniture and accessories that will best serve you. For instance, silky scarves might beg for a drawer or basket, while bags would do well on shelves or hooks. You might want:

• Hooks
• Boot tray
• Shelving
• Chest of drawers
  
• Rug
• Mirror
• Baskets
• Clock
• Tray for mail
• Recycling bin
  

2. Think creatively about furniture. If you have the room, you may be able to repurpose something you already own instead of buying a new piece. Who says you need a hard wood bench in the mudroom? A loveseat or an armchair would be a charming addition (throw on a slipcover if you're worried about stains), and an old dresser can find new life as an ample storage unit.

3. Brighten up with color and art. A small can of paint can do wonders. Paint the walls, stencil a pattern onto the floors, or repaint your furniture for a whole new look. A bracing pale mint green looks especially fresh when paired with white, and it screams spring.

Artwork is another way to make a quick change, and there is no need to spend a lot of money to get a great look. Here are a few ideas for inexpensive wall art.

• Cut up a vintage book of botanical illustrations.
• Frame pages from a beautiful calendar.
• Press leaves and flowers from your own backyard and frame them.
• Cover a corkboard in burlap and use it as an inspiration board.
• Fill embroidery hoops from the craft store with swatches of colorful fabric.

4. Take advantage of a small space. Just because you don't have a mudroom doesn't mean you can't have an attractive and orderly area to corral your belongings when you come in the door. A simple built-in or floating shelf and a few hooks are all you really need.

If you want to make this zone feel like its own miniroom, try painting or wallpapering an accent wall to frame the area. Want it to blend in instead? Paint the wall and shelving to match the color of the surrounding room for a seamless transition.

5. Consider flooring options. The mudroom is a high traffic zone, often handling mud, snow and dirt, so think carefully about what you put on the floor. If you are starting from scratch, consider a hard-wearing material like stone or tile. Otherwise, cover existing flooring with a tough natural-fiber rug or even one meant for outdoors.

7. Add a command center. Since it is often the last place we look before leaving the house, the mudroom is a great location for a command center. Like a miniature office, the command center acts as an organizational hub for the entire family. Here are a few things you might want to include in yours:

• Chalkboard
• Wall calendar
• Chair
• Small desk
• Floating shelf
• File basket
  

8. Find extra space. Not enough room indoors? Make your garage, porch or back deck work overtime by setting up an exterior mudroom near the door. If you live in an apartment building, you may even be able to place a small locked cabinet near your door.

Browse more mudroom photographs

More:
Entryway, Mudroom and Laundry Room Wish List

The Handsome Mudroom

Makeshift Mudroom