Designing a Stylish and Functional Mudroom
/A Fresh Take on Mudroom Design: Color, Storage, and Modern Touches
When we were house hunting, we landed on two that we particularly liked. The determining factor? The one we chose had an AWESOME mudroom! And while it wasn’t our style, we realized it was full of potential.
We’ll, we’ve lived in our house for over 5 years now, and the mudroom STILL hasn’t been renovated. Now it’s time for that to change. Join me as I share my design plans for creating a gorgeous and functional mudroom.
As an Amazon Associate, and partner with other brands, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive commissions for purchases made through those links at no cost to you.
The Slowest Renovation Ever
Before I get too far ahead of myself, I’d like to point out that we had intentions of renovating this room early on. But then so many other spaces became the priority. That’s not to say we haven’t done ANY work in here. Let me catch you up.
We used the mudroom, more or less, in the same state we bought it in for a couple of years but never put much effort into beautifying it because we knew a larger makeover was just around the corner… or so we thought.
A few years ago, we started our renovations by removing the closet that jutted into the room, the overly ornate light fixtures, and even the rickety staircase - and then we got distracted with other areas of the house.
About a year later, we got around to patching the drywall.
Eventually, I primed the walls. And last winter, when we replaced the flooring throughout the first floor, this room got an upgrade, too!
Finally, it’s time to kick this renovation into overdrive and get. it. done! And, as usual, I’m bursting with ideas.
Inspiration
I took inspiration from countless sources - in some, I was drawn to the structure of the lockers, others took me down a bold color journey, and quite a few made me seriously consider installing a bold patterned tile floor.
One thing was clear: I knew I wanted to make a statement. Though this room is just off the living room, it’s separate enough to be its own “moment”—so why not lean in?
Initially, I considered the mid-tone and dark blue-gray shades I’d seen in countless other mudrooms. But since our main floor color palette already leans cool, I wanted contrast. That’s when I realized what a perfect callback it would be to echo the deep red vanity from our half-bath renovation.
Then I stumbled upon this design by Banda Studio, and it solidified I was on the right track…
Seeing this rich hue against flooring similar in tone to my own reassured me they’d work together. I also love how the rubber tree’s green leaves and the green upholstery on the chairs add depth, while the cane chairs and abstract artwork create contrast.
Beyond color, the balance of modern and traditional elements really drew me in. The ornate molding playing against the geometric light fixture over the dining table is that perfect mix of old and new that makes a space feel dynamic.
So how do all these elements translate to my space? I’m glad you asked!
Mudroom Design Plans
As noted above, the wall color will reflect the inspo image—you can even spot my paint samples in the last mudroom photo. As for the exact color: I’ve landed on Dark Auburn by Sherwin Williams, and I’m not just painting the walls—I’m painting everything. Hard to believe this will be my first fully color-drenched room!
To address the elephant in the room, yes, we’re replacing the staircase! We’ve lived here longer without one than with one (definitely removed it too soon—whoops).
The new design introduces matte black elements, which you’ll see repeated throughout the room, has much smaller baluster gaps (huge win for my anxious mom brain), and the contrast of black, wood treads, and auburn walls? Chef’s kiss.
Another large design element in this room is building out shoe, coat, and backpack storage. To be honest, I’ve been dreaming this part up for years. The long, empty wall on the left is exactly where that will go.
I know my family—and how messy they are. My goal is to make this space the epitome of easy organization, and this inspo image by blancmarineliving hits all the right notes:
- Shoe cubbies for each of us, with a shelf for double the storage. I’m even planning to make the bottom level with the floor for easy “kick your shoes right into the cubby” accessibility.
- Plenty of hooks on an open-backed panel. No individually divided lockers for us! (Let’s be real, we both know they’ll always be left open.)
- Cabinets or cubbies above for extra storage - because who doesn’t need extra storage?
As for the finish, I’m torn between painting it or leaving the wood exposed. I’d love to keep the wood, but I’m not sure my craftsmanship is quite there. Then again, I thought the same about the playroom built-ins, and those turned out great!
On the opposite wall, I’m beyond ready to replace the tiny kid’s table that’s been holding our internet gear for years. I’m on the hunt for an Art Deco buffet with waterfall edges to add some traditional charm—or maybe a burlwood or tiled console table for extra visual interest. But I could also be swayed toward an even more modern look like this or this.
The wall above the buffet/console table is the perfect (and only) spot in this room for a fun statement piece. I’m considering one of these two paintings in a large-scale format.
I love the quirkiness of the print on the left, and the colors would go amazingly well with the wall color. But the picture on the right would be unexpected and could brighten up the room slightly.
As for lighting, several years ago, we replaced the pendant light in the lofted portion of the mudroom with the light fixture on the left. For the other part of the mudroom, I’ve been swooning over the modern light fixture on the right for this space for quite a while.
As for the green accents, I already have a few plants in this room and I fully plan on keeping them in here. The mudroom actually gets really great light so not only will the plants add a fantastic pop of color, they’ll continue to thrive in this space.
Final Thoughts
This is already quite the lengthy post so I’ll stop here - but just know there are even more details rolling around in my head that I haven’t even shared yet. Keep following along to see how this mudroom renovation unfolds!
