Fall in Love with your Home’s New ‘Front Door’: Five Ways to Elevate Your Mudroom
Be honest: do you enter and exit your home through the front door or another “secondary” entry? I prefer to pull up and walk into my home from the garage. Forget accent walls and open concepts— this is a hot topic with my clients. I have worked with countless clients who spend crazy amounts of money and time thinking about the designs of their front door entry without giving much thought to the entry point they primarily use.
I am all about maximizing the curb appeal, look, and feel of our front doors but I created Cokobo to elevate ordinary spaces that often get overlooked. Few spaces in our homes get overlooked as much as our mudrooms and secondary entrances.
The first few steps into our homes have the power to make or break the rest of our time in the space.
That’s right— your mudroom can actually ruin your day. If I come home from a rough day and step into a space that is unkempt, cramped, or aesthetically displeasing, it adds to the stress of my day. However, if my mudroom has a positive aroma, open feel, area to drop my belongings, and good lighting, I feel instantly relaxed.
Space planning in a mudroom and secondary entry will add positive emotional experiences for every person who enters or leaves your house.
What is a mudroom?
Mudrooms are often designated spaces found near the informal (or secondary) entryway in a home. Not all living spaces have a mudroom. In smaller home spaces, mudrooms are commonly combined with a laundry area, staircase, foyer, or hallway.
When a mudroom is equipped with the right amenities, it can even increase your home’s value.
Five Ways to Elevate Your Mudroom
When I first looked at this house I was most excited to start with the laundry room.
I saw the most opportunity in rethinking the secondary entry. I was able to implement 5 key changes that elevated this space to make it a second foyer to the home and an extension of living space.
1. Change out the doors.
I changed out the original solid doors for ones framed in glass, called full lite doors. These doors make smaller spaces feel larger. Use frosted glass when a visual barrier is needed from room to room but you want to allow light to filter through. In this space the framed glass doors make the space feel open and welcoming by extending the viewpoints of the room and allowing more light to flow into the room. Immediately you feel welcomed into the living space that you can see just beyond the door.
2. Move water heaters out.
Placing water heaters in these spaces is common in older home construction. We relocated the water heater to the garage and updated it to a tankless system. If relocating your water heater is not an option consider switching to a tankless system to save space. This gives you a little more room— in your room!
3. Create a drop zone and beverage center.
Here, in place of the water heater, I was able to designate a drop zone and beverage center— a major improvement! Adding the beverage center gives a refreshing upgrade to a once-underutilized space. Create a relaxing experience, by simply giving purpose to this space. Anyone who enters is able to let go of physical baggage and replace their once overloaded hands with a cool beverage and ice.
4. Create a solid surface across the top of the washer and dryer.
I was intentional with the design of this surface. It remains consistent with the surfaces used on the cabinets of the house’s bathroom spaces. I used white quartz for its clean aesthetic and superior durability. The clean lines add to the open, airy aesthetic of this smaller space and create a great folding surface for laundry. One thing I love about the minimalist design in this is that it is easy to clean!
5. Add cabinetry.
The cabinetry is also consistent with existing cabinets inside the home. Similar cabinetry connects your garage, mudroom, and laundry room with the rest of the home — making the area feel like an extension of your living space. Paying attention to details like this allows the positive emotions of calm, safety, and being home to begin upon your entry.
Ultimately, remember when elevating your mudrooms entryways, you don’t always need a new room! Not all additions add value. Whether you rent or own, rethink your ordinary. Identify the hidden or unused spaces near your entryways. In this room, we didn’t knock down any walls but instead found ways to add purpose to the corners and spaces that lacked a little design and order.
Remember, before you dive into designing a room or doing any demo work, plan your space.
Challenge yourself to create a design that helps your space function best for who is using it.
Stay Connected
Want more home ideas that will elevate your space and bring joy? Never miss a post by entering your email below. Follow @cokobostudio on Facebook and Instagram for photos, videos, and inspiration you can use in your home. Don’t forget to post your own space and tag us— we can’t wait to see what you’re working on.
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