When we first announced that we were ready to build our dream abode, we asked you all what you believed to be the ‘must haves’ in the family home. We were blown away with how many comments and direct messages we received. Thank you!
With the responses collated, we thought we’d put together a series of journals detailing the top responses. Let’s face it; the majority of these ‘must-haves’ are essentially true luxuries, BUT, if you’re ready to invest in your big renovation or build, you want to feel educated enough to know what you really want. The mud room was a big one! And I was keen to start with this area because I feel like the mud room is a relatively new concept in Australia.
For those who aren’t clear, the mud room is designed to be the day-to-day thoroughfare in and out of the house – a place to store dirty shoes, boots and bags before they make their way into the house. The minimalist in me LOVES the idea of being able to hide this away in a little room before you even enter the house. Guests still use the front door, and the mud room is essentially the ‘family’ entry into the home.
Woodside Residence via Enoki.com.au
I have this loose idea in my head of what I’m after in our own mud room and I love all the inspiration I’ve found to date, but the majority have come from the States so I’m excited to put our ‘Coastal Australian’ mud room together for Blue Lagoon Build.
In terms of planning the mud room, here are the top suggestions:
Include a toilet within the mud room or one is easily accessible from the garage and/or outside, depending on where you will be entering. This toilet will come in handy if you’re working outside in the garden and don’t want to trample dirt through the house, or for those mad dashes from the car to the bathroom with your two year old (can you tell I’m toilet training at the moment?!)
A toilet either within or just off the mud room
Ensure the mud room has plenty of storage for shoes and bags. The majority of swoon-worthy mud rooms have a combination of built in cabinetry and baskets – and you all know how much we love a basket!
When designing built in cabinetry, make sure you’re being really considered about what will be stored in each cupboard. For example, you may want one cupboard to house a broom, dustpan and a stick vacuum – in which case it would be really handy to have a power point for charging the vacuum inside the cupboard.
Also, think about the longevity of the storage you’re designing. For example, your cupboards may comfortably fit your kids pre-school bags now – but will they fit once your kids are in high school and the bags are twice the size?Same goes for shoes and jackets.
LEFT: A Dharma Door basket hanging beautifully. RIGHT: Mudroom designed by Julie Couch Interiors
Baskets from The Dharma Door
Image via elizabethstreetpost.com
Plan for room to hang coats, jackets and hats using hooks. Plenty of you also recommend a ‘drying rack’ or rail for anything that’s a bit wet. We used a drying rail in our Long Jetty Renovation laundry – so I’m thinking that if we do this again in the laundry, that I’ll stick to hooks alone in the mud room. Make sure that you consider what will actually be hung on the hooks, racks or rails and allow enough length for larger jackets.
Baskets for storage and a hanging rail for drying in the laundry of Long Jetty Renovation
You’ll hear us saying this about any room, but at risk of repeating myself I’ll say it again: when designing your room, mark out any cabinetry and walkways on the floor with masking tape before you build and make sure you’re happy with the scale. This is particularly important in small rooms like a mud room, as you need to make sure there’s enough circulation space for it to be practical.
On this point, if space allows, a bench seat is extremely practical for sitting to take shoes on and off. All you mums out there had another practical point: if there are babies in the house, consider where you’ll be storing your pram and/or capsule.
LEFT: Studio McGee Windsong Project. RIGHT: Studio McGee Modern Mountain Home.
If you’re going to invest in a rug or mat for this room, opt for an outdoor rug. There are some great options available that can be hosed down outside – which is perfect for what will hopefully be the muddiest room in the house!