If you have young kids, I’m sure you know just how great a mudroom is! Our previous floor plan did not have a proper mudroom, so there were always coats and shoes filling the small back hall that led into the basement. When I was reworking the layout, I was looking to include an official mudroom where the kids could come in from outside to drop off their things. As nice as the home office was, we found ourself working more in our living room or at the kitchen table when home, so it was a no brainer to rework that space! (If you missed our kitchen plans you can see them here!)
the Befores
Here are the realtor images from when we bought the home. The room was a good size, however the window and large sliding door took up some valuable wall space for storage. Since our main floor also did not include a powder room, I wanted to squeeze one in!
the Plans
Here was the existing layout.
And heres how we changed it.
To maximize the storage, we removed the window completely and replaced the large sliding doors with a single swing door. I know it seems like the wrong decision to remove a window, however in this case, it looked into our neighbours home. Removing it actually gave us more privacy and the back door would sill make the space feel bright and airy. We were also able to fit in a narrow powder room!
For the wall of built-ins, I designed it so everyone in our family had their own ‘locker’ and then there was enough room to fit one extra spot for all my cleaning supplies. I love how customizable the PAX inserts are from IKEA, and loved the idea of being able to easily change the format around as our kids got bigger. We used their narrower cabinet, and then went with custom doors and filler pieces along the top, bottom and both sides. I designed the doors to have a white oak shiplap front which would give a really casual and inviting feel into our back hall.
the Design Boards
Here’s a look at the design board for the mudroom. Not all the accent products are set in stone, but definitely the overall direction we are headed. For the tile, we chose a grey limestone. Its a bit softer then slate and comes in a larger format. We already have the tiles installed with an off white grout, and the white oak shiplap millwork. (I have so many images pinned of Belgium farmhouses, which really inspired this look!) For the hardware on the built-in doors, we went with an oval matte black knob, and we also chose some brass wall hooks for some extra storage. Currently we just have potlights, but I am throwing around the idea of using a flush mount to give a bit more detail. I’m also planning on adding some seating, and love the idea of mixing wood tones. I might go with a chair, or a narrow bench along the wall that leads to the kitchen.
In the powder room, I didn’t have too much space to work with. I chose to do a wall mounted sink that wouldn’t crowd up the room. The large basin and backsplash make it perfect for the kids to wash their hands after playing outside. I designed the sink to be a farmhouse style, and made out of soapstone with a fluted front. (It’s one of my favourite detail from our entire design!) The faucet is wall mounted and will sit on the backsplash. It has a bit of an industrial design and is in a polished brass. While picking out the toilet, I was keeping in mind that its not a huge space at all, and chose something that would take up as little room as possible. I love that it has a lower height than a typical toilet, and the simplistic design. For the walls, we went with an 8″ shiplap, which is a bit wider than what is usually used. I’ve actually started painting it, and can’t wait to share the colour I decided on.
Product Sources
Custom Sink by Great Mountain Soapstone
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