Are you lucky enough to have a mudroom in your home? Are you unsure on how to make it stylish and functional?

Even decorators are not immune to this phenomenon. We use this space daily, but it was dark and dreary, and we didn’t have any systems to keep the clutter away. Here are my top 3 must-haves for creating a stylish and functional mudroom. 

1 Storage

Before you start, take an inventory of all the items that currently are living in your mudroom, removing all the things that don’t belong there. Camping lantern, I’m looking at you!

Next, it’s important to consider your family’s unique needs and lifestyle to make sure you incorporate the right size and style of storage.

Things that can work well for storage options in a mudroom are built-in or free-standing cubbies or shelves with baskets. Even something like my antique wardrobe can function as a great place to store things, such as seasonal clothing. 

For day to day, handy hooks on the wall keep frequently used jackets, scarves, and bags tidy and easy to access.

2 Seating

Having somewhere to sit down comfortably while taking off shoes is another essential part of any mudroom. But you don’t have to build a fancy custom unit with seating and storage. A piece like this lovely dark-stained wood bench is an ideal choice as a perch when putting on shoes and boots.

3 Durability

The last thing you need to consider when designing your mudroom is durability since it is a place that can see quite a bit of abuse over the years. 

In our mudroom, we have a slate look porcelain tiled floor that easily holds up to that abuse during all our long, wet Ottawa winters. 

On the other hand, practicality doesn’t mean lacking personality. I fell in love with the bold checked wallpaper and knew it would make a stunning accent wall. Want to know the best part? It’s super washable which is great for winter grime and dirt splatter.

Once a messy mish-mash, our marvelous mudroom makes me smile. I tamed the chaos with an organizational system that is both functional and pretty, and it’s made our everyday lives so much easier. No more lost mittens!