I need some help figuring out the floorplan for my kitchen / mudroom addition. We currently have a room (which was probably originally a porch) off of the kitchen that should be a casual dining area, but has become a giant disorganized mudroom and unsightly drop zone as it is our daily access point to the detached garage and backyard. We're planning to expand this room slightly to encompass what are now the Bilco stairs to the finished basement (which has a powder room and the laundry - I think it'll be handy to have access to these from the backyard; especially with such a small mudroom. Plus, our current basement stairs are very cramped). I'd also like to close off a small mudroom area to contain and hide the messy coats and boots. And then we could actually use the rest of the room for dining and hosting (we currently eat all of our meals in the dining room, and we don't have a good gathering spot in the somewhat cozy kitchen).

Here's the dilemma: What type of door or doors do we install and where? When we're hosting a backyard BBQ, I'd love french doors or a slider between the casual dining area and the backyard. I'd also love a view of the backyard from the kitchen. But in winter (we're in the Northeast), I'd prefer a side entrance to block the wind and mucky boots from entering the house. How can I accomplish both? To make matters worse, the architect thinks there will need to be an elevation change (1-2 steps) between the casual dining and mudroom areas (due to the grade of the outdoor patio/driveway and the top of the stairs. I'm worried that placing a small, high-traffic mudroom at the top of stairs could be a safety issue. I'm also worried that multiple doors on the same side will aesthetically look too busy.

In general, I'm worried I'm trying to do too much, but am also hopeful that there is a solution that will give us maximum utility and enjoyment from this very busy part of the house! Please let me know your thoughts and thank you in advance!