Before and After: New Mudroom Helps a Family Get Organized
A designer improves functionality while adding modern farmhouse style to a family’s landing zone and laundry room
This family had a long list of rooms they wanted to remodel and had been working on it with interior designer Jeanna Letzring for awhile. “The mudroom was way down the list. But once their daughter started elementary school, the shuffle through this space to the garage ramped up. They had a greater need for somewhere to drop things like book bags and her guitar as soon as they entered the house, and the mudroom became their top priority,” she says.
The designer replaced a catch-all mess of a closet with an open bench and hooks, added cabinetry to better meet their storage needs and even planned a tucked-away space for their cat’s litter box. And she chose finishes that would coordinate with her clients’ future plans for their kitchen remodel.
The designer replaced a catch-all mess of a closet with an open bench and hooks, added cabinetry to better meet their storage needs and even planned a tucked-away space for their cat’s litter box. And she chose finishes that would coordinate with her clients’ future plans for their kitchen remodel.
After: From working on other spaces in the home, Letzring knew her clients liked a modern farmhouse aesthetic. “I knew we were planning on remodeling their kitchen in about a year, so I planned this scheme to coordinate with what I knew they wanted to do in there,” she says. The mudroom renovation provided a preview of the upcoming kitchen remodel’s style.
She replaced the closet with a large open coat locker and bench. Each family member has their own hook and basket. Knowing this area would get a lot of hard use, she chose solid alder wood for the bench instead of painted wood or a wood veneer. And knowing that drywall would have become scuffed and dinged behind the bench, she covered the wall in wood shiplap planks.
She sized one cubby under the bench to fit a covered litter box for their cat. The closed cabinet next to the bench has shelves to accommodate cleaning supplies and overflow pantry items. There are electrical outlets inside, and they keep their Roomba vacuum cleaner charging on the bottom.
Wall paint: Agreeable Gray, Sherwin-Williams
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She replaced the closet with a large open coat locker and bench. Each family member has their own hook and basket. Knowing this area would get a lot of hard use, she chose solid alder wood for the bench instead of painted wood or a wood veneer. And knowing that drywall would have become scuffed and dinged behind the bench, she covered the wall in wood shiplap planks.
She sized one cubby under the bench to fit a covered litter box for their cat. The closed cabinet next to the bench has shelves to accommodate cleaning supplies and overflow pantry items. There are electrical outlets inside, and they keep their Roomba vacuum cleaner charging on the bottom.
Wall paint: Agreeable Gray, Sherwin-Williams
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Before: “Their machines were on risers before, which is great ergonomically. But they had the litter box under there and it wasn’t really tall enough for the cat. And they would wind up chucking other stuff under there because they didn’t have enough storage space, so it looked messy,” Letzring says.
This photo was taken during the construction process.
“Lowering the washer-dryer opened up more room for upper cabinets,” Letzring says. She designed the cabinets for additional laundry, cleaning supplies and pantry overflow. “I told my clients that their existing utility sink and countertop were just fine, so we simply refaced the cabinet beneath it with matching cabinet doors,” she says. They opted for a more updated faucet, but she saved her clients money by repurposing the sink, counter and cabinet box.
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“Lowering the washer-dryer opened up more room for upper cabinets,” Letzring says. She designed the cabinets for additional laundry, cleaning supplies and pantry overflow. “I told my clients that their existing utility sink and countertop were just fine, so we simply refaced the cabinet beneath it with matching cabinet doors,” she says. They opted for a more updated faucet, but she saved her clients money by repurposing the sink, counter and cabinet box.
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After: The new cabinets have Shaker-style doors painted Pure White by Sherwin-Williams. These are finishes that Letzring had already planned for the kitchen remodel. Like the bench, the counter over the machines is alder.
The black shiplap detail over the machines is a box that conceals the water valves for the washer. It can be pulled out for easy access to the valves. “We couldn’t make a beautiful room and then have that eyesore of a valve sticking out,” Letzring says.
The black shiplap detail over the machines is a box that conceals the water valves for the washer. It can be pulled out for easy access to the valves. “We couldn’t make a beautiful room and then have that eyesore of a valve sticking out,” Letzring says.
The planned palette for the upcoming kitchen renovation determined the color of the shiplap accent. “We have a chalkboard wall planned for a cool coffee bar in the kitchen, so we used black paint here to tie the two spaces together,” Letzring says.
Not sure where to start on your home project? Click here to learn the basics
Not sure where to start on your home project? Click here to learn the basics
The pendant lights have leather strap details at the top. “My clients loved these lights so much that they are planning on using smaller versions of them in the kitchen,” Letzring says.
Browse pendant lights in the Houzz Shop
Browse pendant lights in the Houzz Shop
The leather details on the pendant lights inspired the leather cabinet pulls.
Cabinet paint: Pure White, Sherwin-Williams
Cabinet paint: Pure White, Sherwin-Williams
Another standout feature in the room is the dark travertine floor tile, laid out in a herringbone pattern. “This tile is beautiful, and there is some variation in the color and veining,” the designer says. “And it’s not shiny or glossy, so it hides everything.” This means the high-traffic area’s floor won’t show dirt between weekly cleanings. A herringbone backsplash is in the kitchen plans, so the pattern will provide another nice connection between the spaces.
Hooks on the wall add a spot for keys, bags, and for now, masks. The open door leads to a powder room that was remodeled as part of the project. The herringbone floor tile continues into that space.
Hooks on the wall add a spot for keys, bags, and for now, masks. The open door leads to a powder room that was remodeled as part of the project. The herringbone floor tile continues into that space.
The powder room received a budget-friendly but impactful makeover during the mudroom remodel. Letzring extended the travertine herringbone floor into this space. She saved money by keeping the existing vanity, toilet and mirror. She painted the dated golden oak mirror and vanity olive green and added cute new porcelain knobs to the vanity.
She also created an accent wall with adhesive wood paneling. These thin veneer planks are installed just like peel-and-stick tiles.
She also created an accent wall with adhesive wood paneling. These thin veneer planks are installed just like peel-and-stick tiles.
Letzring replaced existing low golden oak baseboards with more modern 5-inch baseboards painted white. One of the homeowners is a graphic artist, and she added olive green details to a map of Minnesota’s small airports, then chose a frame that coordinated with the wood accent wall.
The clients were so excited about the new mudroom that they decided to start the kitchen remodel immediately instead of waiting a year. The black chalkboard wall, Shaker-style cabinets, pendant lights and herringbone backsplash tile will tie into the mudroom and powder room beautifully.
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The clients were so excited about the new mudroom that they decided to start the kitchen remodel immediately instead of waiting a year. The black chalkboard wall, Shaker-style cabinets, pendant lights and herringbone backsplash tile will tie into the mudroom and powder room beautifully.
More on Houzz
Read more stories
Browse mudroom photos
Hire a local design pro
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Mudroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their daughter
Location: Maple Grove, Minnesota
Size: 100 square feet (9.3 square meters)
Designer: Jeanna Letzring of Pinnacle Interior Designs
Contractor: Stoltz Installation & Carpentry
Before: The door to the left leads to the garage. The mudroom layout was not bad, but it had dated decor, and the coat closet and cabinets were not meeting the family’s needs. “They needed the mudroom to serve all three of them well and look good,” Letzring says. “The closet did not have any sort of closet system, so there were disorganized piles of things in there — in addition to their coats, there were overflow pantry items and laundry stuff.”
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