If ever a room could be considered the workhorse of the home, it’s the mudroom. Meant to catch the dirt, mud and grime of winter before it’s tracked throughout the rest of the home, the room takes a beating over the seasons.
If your mud room has seen better days, October is the perfect time to whip it into shape. And, if you don’t have a mudroom, consider creating one. Even small spaces can be transformed into an area that keeps the outdoors out of the rest of the home.
The two rules for mudrooms, at least according to design and décor experts, is to locate it near a door to the exterior of the home and, unless you’re going all out on the décor, keep it out-of-sight of guests.
This means, if you’ll be going the sparse route, create the mudroom near the backdoor. If you’ll be pulling out all the stops in furnishing it, you can safely locate it near the front entrance.
A new trend in built homes is to combine the laundry/utility and mudrooms. Soiled clothing can be tossed right into the dirty laundry bin.
The key to a brilliant mudroom makeover is ensuring the end product doesn’t pile on more work for you. While making it attractive may be important to you, you’ll thank yourself for ensuring that the beating it takes is easily fixed.
If there’s carpet underfoot, get rid of it. Choose replacement flooring that is tough, water-resistant, slip-proof and easy to clean. Consider the luxury vinyl plank flooring. Some brands are completely waterproof and come in attractive wood-look styles. Then, layer on the floor mats and doormats to make it even easier on yourself.
If you’ll be painting, choose flat paint that cleans up easily. Vinyl wallpaper will also work hard, adding color as well as easy, wipe-away cleaning.
