Mud Room Makeover

Do you have a place in your home for all your shoes, coats, hats and bags? For the modern family with lots of “gear,” a well-designed mud room can be a time and sanity saver! Just ask Excel client Gillian Wagar of Hummelstown.

“We decided to create a combination laundry room and mud room because we needed an organized place for our four kids to take off their shoes when they came in from outside, with plenty of storage for their boots, coats and backpacks. Prior to our mud room, we were always tripping over something in the entryway.”

Gillian worked with Excel Design Team Member, Brian Miller. “Brian is a great designer, he was able to maximize the space and functionality of the room so that it works for us. We have now worked together on several remodeling projects throughout our home, and I am always pleased with the professionalism of Excel. They stick to their project timelines, and they have a great attention to detail.”

A few design features that the Wagar family especially enjoys in their laundry and mud room space are the black granite countertop over the washer and dryer in the laundry area for folding clothes, and the upper storage space in the cubbies that they use for seasonal items. For the front of the cubbies, Gillian utilizes dry erase stickers to write notes to the kids or post schedule reminders. What an innovative communication idea!

 Here are some other great tips when you’re thinking about a mud room space for your home:

• Think about the flooring – stone and tile both work well because they are durable and easy to clean.
• Take inventory of all the items you want to store in the space so that you can work with your designer on the layout that will work best for your family.
• If you have the space, consider a utility sink. It’s a great addition to any laundry space and it’s a convenient place to clean up from household projects (washing tools and paintbrshes, etc.)
• Incorporate a work surface – share with your designer the types of activities you would ideally like to do in the space to appropriately plan for a place to sort, fold, or even craft in your mud room.
• Don’t forget your four-legged family members! If you have pets, incorporate a storage space for leashes and toys, a water station, or even a clever and cozy place to nap.