Sounds like you want a laundry room and also a mud room but put them in the same space. For me, the mud room is essential. Add the bench and hooks above it as you’d planned. Gotta have a place for coats and boots.

Can you mount the drying racks above the washer and dryer?

@auntthelma You are exactly right I should have planned them in separate spaces. (Time for an addition; my dh would die...did I mention we just finished our build in May 2020) Our w/d are on pedestals so it is pretty hard to reach things so I made a shelf out of barn wood with a hanging rod it is just high enough to hang shirts and delicates. I could try that with the Hobby Lobby ones I bought and see if there is enough clearance since the drying part is up higher. (I set our wicker laundry baskets on the top of the washer and dryer when not in use -Maybe I should put a drying space in that nook were the closet was supposed to go? I just don't know if they will dry very well over there. I'll try putting my portable drying rack there to experiment with it.

My husband did put coat hooks in the garage and we have a boot box out there for the really muddy stuff (DH is a cattle rancher) The kids and I have tried to hang our coats in our bedroom closets and they just aren't making it there lol

Love that idea @bpath I've seen those completely forgot about them!

My old house had mudroom and laundry together. It was nice because I could close the door. LOL.

What about a cute ladder over washer and dryer as drying rack?

I like the bench idea running into the cabinet. That would look great.

Sport bags in garage?

Or I like the idea of using what was supposed to be a closet...can you add a door and put shelves on it? then you could put sport bags, etc. and close it away? can you not make it the closet? confused?

Otherwise perhaps you can still do shelving there.

I'm still scratching my head over my laundry [poor planning on my part] so I feel ya...

looks great though!

How big are the sports bags? That is, are they for hockey or for soccer? Big difference! I think an open bottom with boot trays for shoes, then long shelf for the bags if they fit, bench top for excess stuff, then hooks. I don’t think I’d do cubbies, they are too limiting. And, having just hooks makes it easier to reach the cabinet in the corner. Maybe a shelf above the hooks for baskets for hats etc; if the kids (or you!) can’t reach it, it can hold off-season stuff. Or cabinets above the hooks?

You actually have a pretty good situation, lots of floor space for everyone to mill around, the big sink right there for washing up, dumping wet gear before it gets hung up or washed, and a solid wall for whatever “system” you want for the jackets and gear.

Here’s a question. How often do you use a drying rack? You have a dryer. If it’s just a few of your good sweaters, maybe put it in the closet in your bedroom or bathroom. If it’s for hats and mittens, we are back to the mud room design.

K H Have you considered a drying rack suspended from the ceiling that can be retracted up and down? All of the foxydry Clothes Drying Racks on Amazon have good reviews (I am sure there are other options similar to their designs). If you place anything over the air vent it will definitely need to be open so you can still have airflow in the room. Your inspiration picture with a bench and open cubbies would most likely work, but I would keep that one cubby clear from objects. I bet you could find a closed cabinet to fit in the hallway niche, if not perhaps a cabinet maker could build something, or open shelving in that area as the easiest solution.

@bpath sports bags are for softball, basketball and then seasonal swimming pool bags. I think you are right about the cubbies above. An open shelf is more practical for sure and less expensive. This is why we stopped I was quoted an additional 5k for the rest of the cabinets I wanted such as something over the w/d, the cubbies, pantry uppers and the "closet" we didn't do and then got stuck with a cold air return so we had some cabinets quoted there too. It was just too expensive. But now I kinda wish we would have just done it lol!

@auntthelma Our master bath is right off the laundry. I usually dry my jeans so I need something heavy duty. Maybe I can just dry them in the shower it is 3'x4' so it would fit a standard scissor drying rack like I have. I'm currently storing mine under the counter with the sorting hamper.

@Brandie May I will definitely take a look. I already have the ones from Hobby Lobby purchased I'm either going to keep looking for a place to hang them that is unobtrusive or just return them and get something different.

@Trish Walter I remember you had a forum too. Did you ever get your countertops built?

@K H

laundry room is waiting on list behind 1) basement 2) garage shelving lol.

I did use a vintage shelving use from old house to store paper towels toilet paper etc which helps...but there are still bins in the corner...waiting...i have a closet where all my brooms, vacuum, etc. are housed in there.

washer dryer closet and laundry tub are only things 'in place'.

I asked the trim carpenter who did all our trim, pantry, mud area, etc. to quote...but it's been months and never heard back from him.....around here contractors are so busy unless they want to to do the job, crickets...and quotes get higher and higher because if you're willing to pay, they'll do it...

Hi KH!

I purchased a Retractable Clothes Rack with chrome bar (Amazon) to hang things over the laundry sink that are wet. I will also have hanging bars in a few places in my laundry room.

You can add a half closet over your cold air return. In my previous home, we built in shelves above the return.

@User What program do you use for the design work? Also not sure what a half closet is? Could you explain! You have such good ideas!

I did not do the final designs you see. I used PAINT, but then my cabinet designer drew what you see above.

The shelves in my study sit on top of an air return box (the grill is facing in the hall behind the study wall. I added a photo of that. Grill outlines in white.) Since there was this large hump sticking out in the study, I decided that the space above could be put to good use. I did a similar thing in the back of our house. Air return in hallway. Bump out was in my closet. I built shelves about it for pocketbooks.

You could build a cabinet with doors above your air return.

@UserOur return is up top! So I guess we could build up untill we get to the return; right? Just have to be sure we dust occasionally

@Trish Walter I hear you on quotes for work I can’t get a plumber back out here to dig in our downspouts!

Is that a return, or a regular air vent? I don't see a way to change a filter, so I am guessing it's just a vent.

Yes, I don't see any reason why you could not build your closet. In fact, you could have that vent extended out to the front of the closet and not have an opening above closet to catch dust.

When my husband finishes a room in the basement I'll make sure he gets enough drywall so we can finish this closet as well! 2' of storage is 2'!

Well I've started. Now to get the beadboard for the backing and the bench. Then I plan to redo the shelf so it is open and is the same width as the coat hooks!

BTW it took forever to get those hooks lined up and placed where I wanted them! Mittens and hats are going in the green basket for now. I think I might build a side by side cubby above the coat hooks to put the mittens/gloves baskets and then use the stirrup shelf hangers somewhere else.

Not sure what you mean @Robert Gann??

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