Our mudroom is almost finished! We’ve been in our house for 3 years now and while progress is slow, I’m feeling like we’ve made some really great decisions regarding the functionality and style of the spaces in our home. I’m excited to share this space with you!
Our Mudroom before photos show a long narrow closet that kept the space from feeling open. It felt like a bit of a maze to get from our kitchen to the garage door and the long closet was not very functional with the coat rod at the very back of the closet. We removed the closet completely and I have zero regrets!
After we took out the closet we designed and installed the mudroom lockers, they’re the first thing you see when you walk in from our garage and they’re the star of the space. The clean lines and closed doors leave for a peaceful entry and a feeling of calm amongst the chaos of frequently coming and going. I added the cutouts to allow airflow into the lockers and also to add interest and a personal touch. The view from our main living room into our utility spaces also look a whole lot prettier. With the builder grade closet door gone, we see the prettiest blue cabinet that ties in with the blue on the wallpaper in my office adjacent to the mudroom.
I selected unlacquered brass ball knobs and pulls for the hardware in this space and its already starting to patina – a total upgrade in a brand new space that could use some character only natural, aging materials can provide. I also learned brass and bronze have recently been registered at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the first solid antimicrobial material. It has a natural ability to kill certain viruses on contact – perfect for helping to keep your family healthy through the long winter months! I don’t know about you but when I see handles I think, germs! But not with natural brass.
Photos by Meghan Balcom Photography
The inside of the lockers function just as planned with a double hook for coats and backpacks, small drawers for school papers, wallets, keys, all the little things the kids bring home, socks and more! the upper cabinets hold returns, seasonal hats and gloves, sports accessories, etc. I found the perfect baskets to fit on the shelf which helps keep the space organzied and makes it easier to retrieve stored items from the highest shelf. The bottom drawer holds our shoes.
Photos by Meghan Balcom Photography
My Dad and I installed tongue and groove on the wall adjacent to the lockers and across from them as well to help keep the walls clean and free from finger prints that were quickly filling up the drywall covered walls. A utility space and one of our most frequented rooms, we needed to make the walls more durable. I’d highly recommend this, even if just 1/2 or 2/3 the way up the wall.
While the space could use some natural light, and I considered adding a window, for budgeting purposes, I opted for a large floor length mirror to bounce the light from our main spaces into the mudroom. The mirror is huge and fills the wall perfectly allowing for a quick wardrobe check before you leave for the day. My kids also love playing in here – they dance in front of this mirror on the daily!
Photos by Meghan Balcom Photography
Across from the lockers, we also installed tongue and groove and brass hooks spaced every 18″. Most days, we fill them with all the things for easy in and out access and then I move them to the lockers to tidy up or to swap out seasonal items, etc. The hooks are a must! And the more hooks, the better.
The other wall adjacent to the lockers we kept drywall as it leads into the hallway and would have been awkward transition for ending the tongue and groove. I also love transitioning art work here – a working gallery wall if you will and being able to patch the drywall in the future seems easier than patching tongue and groove. This is the part of the space that I’m working on completing. I have a cabinet on order with lots of drawers for ipad charging, after school art work, library books, hats and more!
As always if you have any questions or need sources, please feel free to reach out. I look forward to sharing the new drawers when they arrive and future completed home projects with you!
xo Meghan
Love the transformation of this space! For the working gallery wall how do you decide on the mix and balance of the pieces? What tips do you have for making a gallery wall interesting and balance but not too busy?