11 Ways to Create a Modern Mudroom in Your Home
Deciding to have a mudroom in your home could be one of the most important decisions you make, especially if you have a busy family or waves of guests coming in and out.
In fact, this functional area can play two roles—one that's all about organizing and one that provides a welcoming entrance to your home.
Often strewn with jackets, boots, umbrellas, and whatever else is immediately dropped at the door, mudrooms are catch-alls that help the rest of the home remain clutter-free. Take a look at these examples that show multiple interpretations of the mudroom—whether it's a dedicated space that's blocked off from the rest of the home, or just a makeshift corner that gets the job done with just a few organizational elements.
Copper-Lined Trough for Wet Ski Equipment
A cobalt blue door leads directly into a small entryway that’s lined with custom cabinets for the family’s skis, hats, boots, and jackets. Also created by David Amble Cabinetry, the trough is lined with copper so that the family can put their wet skis inside.
Photo: Kat Alves
Interior designer: Vicki Simon, Location: Lake Tahoe, California
Vicki Simon led the renovations of this 912-foot vacation loft for a family that wanted a clean, modern, and bright-blue space. To maximize the small area, Simon included plenty of built-in storage, including a setup in the mudroom. A cobalt blue door leads directly into a small entryway that’s lined with custom cabinets for the family’s skis, hats, boots, and jackets. Created by David Amble Cabinetry, the trough is lined with copper so that the family can put their wet skis inside.
Exposing Raw Materials and Celebrating Imperfections
Mudrooms aren't seen too often in Florida homes but they make for an ideal transition space at the family's main entrance, from the courtyard. The Young home is meant to be lived in, which means that everyone's books, toys and piles are welcome, but it sure helps to have a place upon entering to leave, and keep organized, each person's belongings.
Photo: Stephen Allen
Architect: Ryan Young, Location: Orlando, Florida
From the architect: "This four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath, 4,000-square-foot home is located in downtown Orlando on land that once housed a mission-revival style-Catholic monastery. While designing his family’s home, architect Ryan Young’s introspection developed into a modern experiment with materials: exposed steel beams and raw steel accents, polished concrete floors complete with natural cracks, beautiful walnut and cherry woods not covered with stain but left natural with exposed knots and imperfections, coquina (shell) features indigenous to Florida and to the original monastery structure, and a few signature accents of Cor-Ten steel—which is a curiosity to watch as it changes and patinas to a beautiful earthen amber."
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Blu Dot Splash Coat Rack
Who says utility can’t be attractive? This stylish coat rack crafted out of powder-coated steel and solid walnut makes a nice addition to any entryway. Dress it up or keep it bare, either way it remains easy on the eyes.
ShopNelson Platform Bench - Metal Leg
George Nelson’s Platform Bench (1946) is one of the great icons of midcentury modernism. For Herman Miller’s influential design director, utility was as important as beauty, and his spare rectangular bench is the result of this belief. It serves equally well as table, platform base or seating, depending on need and situation. No wonder it’s been called timeless; something this functional never dates. The chrome legs have a slender profile; also available with wood legs. Ships with legs unattached; simple assembly required. This is the authentic Nelson Bench produced by Herman Miller. Made in U.S.A.
ShopJust off an internal courtyard, a mudroom provides a prime place to keep sneakers. Each family member has their own shelf, backlit by windows that illuminate every pair.
Photo: Jason Schmidt
Architect: Omer Arbel Office, Location: Vancouver, Canada
23.3 House was designed by Omer Arbel Office to highlight its location in the rural landscape outside Vancouver. The home's dramatic angles are mimicked in the mudroom, where each family member is allocated her and his own backlit shelf for shoes.
Storage With Views of the Grand Teton Mountains
A utilitarian mudroom features built-in storage, ski boot warmers, and a solid wood bench.
Photo: David Agnello
Architect: Abramson Teiger Architects, Location: Jackson, Wyoming
This home takes full advantage of the view of the Grand Teton mountain range and is built so that the residents can enjoy the landscape. The views aren't forgotten in the mudroom, which includes a large window above a solid wood bench, built-in storage, ski boot warmers, and concrete floors.
Filled With Custom Furniture and Natural Light
"The entire house is unified with oak flooring with a custom warm gray stain. This material is repeated on the stair and atrium handrails," Walker said. The entryway’s bench has a custom Tabu Caleidolegno veneered wood base. The upholstered bench seat, which uses black Kravet fabric, was designed by Ruhl Walker Architects and made by Herrick & White.
Photo: Michael J. Lee
Architect: Ruhl Walker Architects, Location: Boston, Massachusetts
This apartment in the Back Bay area had fallen into disrepair and needed substantial work before the new owner could move in. He called upon Ruhl Walker Architects to lead renovations, which included building a new atrium that would flood the entire apartment with light, including the lower mudroom. The architects also designed the custom furniture throughout the home, including the bench seen here.
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Skagerak Cutter Bench
In the 1990s, Danish designer Niels Hvass became a leader in the Nordic design scene by creating furniture that earned him awards and recognitions from Bo Bedre, Georg Jensen and The Design Foundation. He designed his teak Cutter Collection to challenge overly nostalgic wooden outdoor furnishings, bringing elegance and simplicity to outdoor spaces, as well as interior ones. Originally intended for gardens and patios, the Cutter Bench (2008) is also fitting for kitchens and bathrooms. This piece features specially engineered mortise-and-tenon joints and metal rail inlays for durability. Like all teak products, it will develop a rich, silvery patina over time, or it can be treated with teak oil to maintain its original luster. Like all teak products, it will develop a rich, silvery patina over time, or it can be treated with teak oil to maintain its original luster. Please note: At first, the wood will be lighter than what’s shown in photos. Made in Thailand.
ShopGubi Matégot Coatrack
The Mategot Coat Rack may seem alien upon first sight, but it becomes quite the compelling and eye catching wall furnishing once mounted. Composed of a conical center that supports and holds extension arms that ends with a plated dot, the rack provides a dual decorative and space saving ability while in use or not in use. Enjoy an aesthetically pleasing coat rack as it holds up your jackets. Photo Courtesy of Finnish Design Shop
ShopHerman Miller Nelson Platform Bench
For Herman Miller's influential design director George Nelson, utility was as important as beauty. Originally designed for his own office, where Nelson hoped the slatted top would discourage visitors from sitting too long, the Platform Bench (1946) is both timeless and functional. Available with finger-jointed wood base or slender chromed metal legs for superior strength. This is the authentic Nelson Bench produced by Herman Miller. Made in U.S.A.
ShopA traditional genkan (a Japanese entryway) was part of the architectural program early on. Shoes are removed before entering the main living space, which is elevated six inches above the floor level of the entryway. The blonde wood is rift-cut white oak.
Photo: Joe Fletcher
Architect: Cass Calder Smith, Location: Palo Alto, California
Architect Cass Calder Smith was inspired by traditional Japanese entryways (called genkans) when designing this mudroom. The entryway is sunken slightly from the floor of the main living space, prompting visitors to remove and store their shoes before entering.
Sustainably-Sourced and Wood-Paneled
The 4,400-square-foot residence is designed for aging in place. A ground-floor bedroom suite enables extended stays from grandparents. Low- and no-VOC finishes create healthy indoor air quality.
Photo: Eric Roth
Architect: ZeroEnergy Design, Location: Lexington, Massachusetts
This family residence was designed by ZeroEnergy Design with sustainability in mind—the home uses local materials and "consumes approximately 85-percent less energy than a comparable home built to the current energy code," says Stephanie T Horowitz, AIA Managing Director. The wood-paneled mudroom seen here connects to a spare bedroom for visiting family members.
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Knoll Wassily Chair
Some designs never age, and the Wassily Chair by Knoll is the perfect case study in this brand of timelessness. Framed in tubular steel, it's a characteristic creation of designer Marcel Breuer, who became intrigued with this material after purchasing his first bicycle. Leather strips stretched between the tubes give the chair its distinctive angles, creating a comfortable and stylish space to sit and relax. Photo Courtesy of Lumens
ShopErcol Von Bench with Leather Seat Pad
Iceland native Hlynur Atlason was a political science major when he was invited to attend an open house at Parsons Paris, a branch of the New York school. “There were all these people doing these really interesting things in art,” he recalls. “I switched paths right there.” To pursue a career in product design, he transferred to Parsons in New York, where he still resides today. Handcrafted from solid wood, the Von Bench (2018) was inspired by a chair by Lucian Ercolani, who founded the British furniture company Ercol in 1920. Topped with a Kalahari leather seat pad, this half-seat, half-table solution is suitable for entryways, living rooms and meeting areas. Made in the U.K Photo Courtesy of Design Within Reach
ShopMASHstudios LAX Storage Bench
Forged in MASHstudios Founder Bernard Brucha’s modern, clean aesthetic, the Storage Bench combines Solid English walnut construction with a charcoal grey sliding felt seat. The Storage Bench is a perfect welcome piece for any home or office design. Finished with natural oil, the Bench continues MASH’s commitment to sustainability and producing furniture built to last a lifetime.  The seat cover: A reinforced double stitch seals the edge of a sliding felt seat, designed for accessing the storage box below. With ample storage for those things you’d like to keep out of sight and two shelves for footwear, this storage bench will contribute to keeping your place in perfect order. Photo Courtesy of HORNE
ShopTsutsui continued the Oregon pine from the floor to the steel-reinforced cantilevered staircase, which appears to float above the floor.
Photo: Iwan Baan
Architect: Koji Tsutsui, Location: Tokyo, Japan
Another under-the-stairs mudroom, this home was designed for the client by his friend and architect Koji Tsutsui. The small house consists of a series of cantilevered concrete boxes, starting at the ground level with the minimal entryway with storage that leads up to the main living space.
Boxed-Off and Minimal
The semi-closed entryway contains a white cabinet for storing coats and scarves. The LED ceiling lights are from Contrast Lighting.
Photo: Adrien Williams
Architect: Anne Sophie Goneau, Location: Montreal, Quebec
The new owner of this 1887 apartment hired Anne Sophie Goneau to overhaul the space, which was dark and musty. During demolition, Goneau uncovered architectural features worth keeping and highlighting, including brick walls, overhead beams, and hemlock wood walls. The minimal mudroom is partly separated from the main living space and hides ample storage behind white cabinets.
Shielded Entryway Storage
On the opposite side of the veneer wall, a coat closet helps act as a space divider, while defining the entryway. Frequent collaborators, MWAI describes their relationship with INTERIOR-iD as "more fun than work." The architecture team treated the home’s custom pieces as "building blocks" to help define and partition space, while serving critical and specific functions.
Photo: Alexander James
Architect: MWAI Architects, Location: London, United Kingdom
MWAI Architects revamped this 100-year-old Victorian flat into a modern home that retains some classic design elements—a nod to the home's history. The renovation included a complete reconfiguration of the floor plan into an open-concept living space. However, the architects still kept the small entryway separate from the rest of the home, shielding the open storage and providing a small dresser as landing strip for mail and keys.
No Shortage of Hooks
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Photo: Chad Holder
Architect: CityDeskStudio, Location: Minong, Wisconsin
This rural family retreat included three log cabins when the current owners purchased it, but with no place to paint, they enlisted CityDeskStudio to design a new, 2,200-square-foot artist studio and residence. The structure has a modern feel, but blends in nicely with the surrounding landscape, while the use of timber creates a strong relationship with the nearby original buildings. The mudroom is flooded with natural light and includes plenty of hooks for the large family and their frequent guests.
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Blu Dot Wook Wall Hook
The Wook can be mounted freely to hold what you need, where you need it. Let it hang solo or form a super group of storage with multiples. Ample enough to hold bags and hefty coats, the smooth solid wood hook faces upward to help keep items in place.
ShopMuuto Coatrack Dots
Lars Tornøe are passionate about separating the necessary from the unnecessary, and in the case of Coatrack Dots (2007), they’ve distilled the common coatrack to its most basic element. Made of solid oak, walnut, or ash, each features round edges to treat your clothes with the greatest care. Sold individually or as a set of three, these dots can be displayed solo, set in a straight line, or arranged as a constellation. Made in Slovenia.
ShopKohler Purist Robe Hook
Purist accessories combine architectural forms with sensual design lines for a modern, minimalist look. With a round profile, this robe hook offers a simple silhouette and convenient place to hang your robe, towel, or clothing in the bathroom.
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