How to Create a Mudroom in a Small Space

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Transform Your Home with Clever Storage Solutions

I always wanted a functional mudroom. You know, the ones you see on Pinterest with lots of storage, a place to sit, and somewhere to hang coats and put your muddy boots. What I didn’t have was the room for one.

 

My predicament was a peculiar space (seen below) near the back door, just 8” deep near the door and 12.5” deep at the kitchen entrance, with a modest 4’ width. This underutilized area demanded a solution, and after sitting in the breakfast room every morning for 3 years, starring at it, I thought of a unique way to turn it into a functional mudroom.

An underutilized space to be improved by building a small mudroom next to the breakfast nook in the sun room.

Totally underutilized space!

The Journey Begins

My quest for a solution led me to Second Chance in Baltimore a salvage warehouse filled with treasures. There we stumbled upon a captivating assortment of old trim, sparking the inspiration needed to tackle our mudroom project. Armed with ideas and a truckload of reclaimed materials, we embarked on transforming the space.

 

The Creative Process

The coat shelf you see is one that Dudley made. It was left over from the ones he made for holiday gift and was the catalyst that made this whole project come together.

Mudroom Creative Process show salvaged vintage materials arranged on the ground, to be used in the construction of a small mudroom.

This is one of the many layouts we did before finding the perfect solution.

 

You can see by the picture below how limited the space is. Removing the door trim to maximize the depth, we carefully transitioned from 8” at the back door to 12.5” at the kitchen opening by using the cabinet as the perfect transition piece, seamlessly blending the functionality with aesthetics.

 

The very beginning of assembling the vintage materials to create a small mudroom.

Tailoring to Our Needs

Our needs were to have room for hanging coats, a bench to sit on and to pile stuff needing to go to the barn or greenhouse, a closed cabinet with shelves for me to use for my purse, and baskets to put gloves, winter hats and miscellaneous stuff for gardening. I also wanted a place for Dudley’s winter gloves and other stuff that accumulates at the back door.

 

Beautiful vintage salvaged materials being used to construct a small mudroom that is almost completed.
Closeup of the vintage salvaged materials used to make the cabinet and bench components of this small mudroom.

We opted against enclosing the bench to maintain easy access to our shoes while accommodating our frequent trips in and out of the door.

 

The Final Product!

It looks like it has been here forever. I just love it!!! It is the smallest, yet most useful place in our home. Everything is neatly stashed and easily available. And a place to hang our bags to grab Saturday morning as we head out to our local Farmer’s Market.

The completed mudroom project shows how the gorgeous vintage salvaged materials were used  to create this unique mudroom. Vintage wooden boxes, an antique mirror adorn the finished project.

Note: We chose to keep all of the finishes as we found them. We wanted the patina to give the look of an original piece. So, we left the white piece of trim as is because it was so beautiful. That is the fun of recycling.

I hope this gives you some ideas for your entry way.

Keep in mind that this same idea can be used at any front or back door. It doesn’t have to be enclosed in a small space. You can build it along a wall as you come in the door.

And, you don’t have to use old material, but if you want it to look old, just find an old mirror, some old boxes and maybe an old shelf to tuck inside with some hooks on it.

Don’t need a mudroom? This project could even be used in a small bedroom by making one side with a full door for clothes storage and some shelves on the other side. Or maybe a small pantry in an unused space in your kitchen by adding more shelves, a sewing/craft room with a drop-down table, a home office with a Murphy bed, a baby’s room with a changing table, a family room with your tv hanging inside or for bathroom for storage.

 

Get creative and have fun! And send me pictures!

 

Hi! I'm Marion

Hi! I'm Marion

…a wife, mom, spatial designer, vegan recipe developer, Bohemian spirit, and a Master Gardner in training. I’m on a journey to live an abundant life filled with joy and want to surround myself with the beauty of cottage gardens, to grow organic vegetables and fruits for the table, to prepare healthy, delicious meals for my family and to create a home that soothes us after a long day. I believe that anyone can find joy in their surroundings if given the right tools to envision their dreams. I hope that along our journey, you will find the skills to create the vision you want for your life.