A mudroom is a hard worker in your home. It handles the dirt and grime from outdoors, corrals your clutter, and gives your entryway a spotless appearance. It has the power to increase the value of your property.
The mudroom can even serve double-duty as a laundry room or storage area if it has the right features. Modern mudrooms are full of organizing systems and storage options to make them as useful as possible.
What would help your mudroom feel customized and personalized? Here are our top picks for must-have features in mudroom custom built-ins.
A Spacious and Organized Coat Closet
Although many older homes don’t have coat closets, surprisingly, many new homes don’t either. This space is often sacrificed for a sprawling, luxurious entryway free of doors and other obstacles. As a result, the mudroom has become more important than ever.
A roomy mudroom coat closet is the perfect place to hang coats, jackets, hats, and everything else you hang quickly when you come in from outside. Make sure the closet is customized to work for everyone in your household, no matter their age or height. Include low and high hooks, sets of rods at various levels, and heavy-duty hangers for big coats.
Floor-Level Sliding Drawers
Stow shoes and boots in slide-out drawers at floor level. Ideally, these drawers are located under a built-in bench where it’s easy to sit and remove your footwear before walking into the house.
One of the best features for a mudroom drawer is a built-in drip mat. It catches the water and mud from shoes and keeps daily messes under control.
Mudroom drawers should be constructed of something tough and durable, like melamine. We recommend melamine for mudrooms because it’s moisture-resistant, warp-resistant, and comes in designer colors with a long-lasting coating to keep it looking fresh for decades.
Open Shelves With Bins and Baskets
Give your mudroom a designer look with a row or two of open shelves. Place bins or baskets along the shelves to look stylish while collecting the clutter of daily life, like hats, scarves, and sunglasses.
This is also a great spot for pet supplies like leashes and toys. When your pet’s favorite things are tucked away in a woven basket, they’re easy to grab—but they’ll stay out of sight until then.
Fold-Out Drying Racks
What happens when people tumble into your home, covered in snow or rain from the changing weather? Now you need a drying rack. It’s easy to install one in your mudroom.
Drying racks can pull down from the ceiling, pop out of a hidden nook, or fold out of a closet or cabinet. The key is to have them custom-designed to fit perfectly in the space without rubbing against your walls or getting in the way while clothes are drying.
Washer, Dryer, and Folding Table
Your mudroom is a good place for a washer and dryer to deal with soiled clothing. We recommend installing a built-in shelving system around your washer/dryer with a long folding table on top or nearby.
If needed, hire an electrician to install plugs and wiring for washing equipment. The average household outlet isn’t designed to handle the power load.
Hidden Storage Features
The mudroom presents an opportunity to create extra hidden storage in your home. Here are some ideas to get you started on mudroom custom built-ins.
- Install slim storage drawers around the perimeter of the ceiling or along one wall.
- Hide a fold-down ironing board in a wall nook or behind a door.
- Create a hidden charging station for your phones and devices.
- Keep shoes or accessories in cubbyholes behind a closet door.
- Add a secret safe for valuables.
Hooks, Hangers, and Hardware
The hardware in your mudroom makes a big difference in its daily utility. Hooks and hangers hold your belongings securely. Closet rods take on heavy loads, especially when they’re full of thick sweaters and coats.
Select your hardware carefully to match the look and style of your home. High-quality hardware will give your mudroom an upscale look, making it feel like an integrated part of your interior decor.
Durable All-Weather Flooring
Tough, moisture-resistant flooring is a must in the mudroom. The floors should be slip-resistant to prevent falls as people come indoors wet and muddy.
Rubber, PVC, polyurethane, and silicon carbide are some of the most slip-resistant materials commonly used in high-traffic flooring. While many of these materials were only for commercial buildings in the past, there are many attractive residential options today. Other options include textured ceramic, textured wood, and high-quality textured laminate flooring.
Cheerful, Bright Lighting
Top off your mudroom with bright lighting to welcome everyone inside and provide good visibility. A luxurious light fixture or chandelier ensures your mudroom will be as beautiful as it is functional.
Create Mudroom Custom Built-Ins With Diplomat Closet Design
Ready to design your new mudroom custom built-ins? See your options in our showroom in Downingtown, PA. Click below to schedule your mudroom design appointment today!
