What is the purpose of a mudroom?

At its core, a mudroom is designed to be a transition space between the exterior of your home and the rest of your living spaces, giving you a place to shed any outer layers and take off your shoes before entering your home. While the room primarily began as a utilitarian space, it has taken on many other iterations in modern design, also acting as a place to indulge in hobbies, organize sports equipment, and more.

Why is a mudroom called a mudroom?

The phrase mudroom is an Americanized term used to describe an entry room to your home. It got its start as an apt description for a space where mud (and all other forms of dirt and grime) can be trekked into your home. In the United States and other countries, it may also be referred to as a vestibule, utility room, or boot room.

Is it worth it to add a mudroom to your home?

Mudrooms can be a worthy addition to many homes, particularly if you have children or pets that you share your space with. They’re also useful in multi-season climates that may experience inclement weather year-round and, thus, could use a stopgap for water, snow, and mud attempting to enter the home.

How much does it cost to build a mudroom?

The cost to build a mudroom can depend on a variety of factors, including whether or not you’re creating the space out of existing square footage, what finishes you choose, and the size of the room. Overall, the cost of building a mudroom can range from $1,000 for simple aesthetic and functional changes to over $10,000 for brand-new additions.

Where is the best place for a mudroom?

When deciding where to locate your mudroom, it’s important to consider where you enter and exit your home. You want the space to reside in a spot that gets the most foot traffic and somewhere where you’ll be able to easily access the rest of your house upon entering. Most typically, mudrooms are located right off of the front door or garage entrance to a home.

16 Mudrooms That Are Stunning and Ultra-Functional

Choose a Durable Floor

Blue mudroom — Jake Shea for Becky Shea Design

Mudrooms are high-traffic areas, so any finish you use in them needs to be able to withstand lots of wear and tear. When it comes to choosing the right type of flooring for your mudroom, look for options that will hold their own against elements like dirt, water, and salt, as well as frequent foot traffic. In this project, designer Becky Shea outfitted her client’s mudroom with a durable brick floor for a space that will only improve with age.

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Add Thoughtful Storage

Gray mudroom — Jen Holt Photography for Brooks & Falotico

Your mudroom is going to acquire a lot of stuff, so it’s a good idea to focus on diverse storage solutions that can help you hide it all away (not to mention keep it organized and easy to find). In this dynamic space designed by architecture firm Brooks & Falotico, three different methods of storage are at play for choose-your-own-adventure organization. Cubbies outfitted with coat hooks offer a spot to hang outerwear, while upper cabinets keep seasonal extras out of the way and floor baskets act as a place to stash shoes.

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Paint a Happy Hue

Small rooms offer up an excuse to have a bit more fun with design, so feel free to incorporate a playful palette or charming details into your decor. After all, your mudroom is your home’s first impression, so you want to make it a good one. In this happy home, designer Molly Basile paired a soft blue hue with energetic wallpaper for a vibrant welcome to a family abode. For a similar paint color, try Benjamin Moore’s Blue Hydrangea.

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Focus on Utility

Beige mudroom — Jared Kuzia for Kristina Crestin Design

Mudrooms are never just mudrooms. They’re locker rooms for your kids’ sports equipment; they’re a mini gardening center where you can care for your favorite potted greenies; they’re a laundry room for all those loads. The point is, the more function and utility you can pack into your available space, the better. A perfect example? This do-it-all zone by designer Kristina Crestin. To make the most of a family’s farmhouse mudroom, she included function-first additions like a bench, peg rail, laundry machines, and even a (very chic) “slop sink,” all aimed at keeping the interior of the home clear of chaos.

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Include a Mini “Desk”

Spots for coats and shoes aren’t the only thing you need to worry about when dreaming up your mudroom’s design. Extra counter space will never go to waste, especially when it’s as functional as this idea from designer Emilee Winland. In addition to built-in storage, she designed a slim but useful “desk” area where the family can house various tools and junk-drawer items, plus a spot to stash daily mail or packages.

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Make Room for a Bench

There is nothing worse than trying to (wobblingly) put on a pair of shoes as you’re rushing out the door, which is why a bench is a mudroom design essential. Our advice? Make room for one however—and wherever—you can. In her family home, creator Kelly Page made the most of an awkward angled wall by adding a slim but functional bench, complete with shoe storage beneath.

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Go in a Dramatic Direction

While it may be tempting (and even seem logical) to blend your mudroom in with the exterior of your home, you don’t have to feel beholden to familiar design elements—or safe paint hues—when designing your space. Case in point? This dramatic dump zone by the team at Morris Lane Interior Design, which relies on a jaw-dropping moody paint hue (Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore) to bring a welcome dose of drama.

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Don’t Forget Window Treatments

White mudroom — Margaret Wright for Molly Basile Interiors

When it comes to designing utilitarian spaces, it can be easy to forgo aesthetics in the name of function—but these are often the rooms that need a few design-forward touches the most. Don’t forget to add something purely pretty to your mudroom space, whether that’s a plush pillow on a bench or a one-of-a-kind vintage rug. Here, designer Molly Basile paired a simple yet functional space with a patterned Roman shade for a little extra personality.

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Cater to Your Hobbies

Good design is all about melding your lifestyle with your aesthetics, and that ethos extends right into your mudroom as well. If you have the space, the functional room can be a great opportunity to play into a favorite hobby or pastime, like pickleball, golf, or gardening. Here, the team behind Cloth & Kind turned an underutilized mudroom corner into a mini potting station, complete with a deep sink, extra pots, and even a place to stash garden boots.

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Incorporate Pet-Friendly Perks

Mudroom with pet accessories — Christopher Lee for Courtney Thomas Design

Don’t forget Fido! Incorporate your beloved family fur baby into your mudroom design by including a special spot dedicated to their care, whether that means room for their many frisbees and tennis balls or hooks to hang their harness and leash. In this luxe space by designer Courtney Thomas, a lucky pup gets its own wash station, complete with easy-to-clean tile and thematic artwork. Bonus: With a solution this smart, you won’t have to worry about cleaning their fur out of your primary bathroom drain anymore.

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Choose a Funky Wallpaper

Teal mudroom — Brantley Photography for Ellen Kavanaugh Interiors

When it doubt, add pattern! Whether you choose to echo the exterior with a nature-inspired botanical print or bring the funk with a graphic geometric style, wallpaper is a great way to add personality and a playful attitude to your mudroom. In this Florida bungalow, designer Ellen Kavanaugh complimented gorgeous emerald built-ins with a whimsical watercolor patterned paper by Rebecca Atwood.

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Take a Cue From Locker Rooms

If utility and versatility are your goals, look to commercial spaces that bottle those same intentions when dreaming up your mudroom design. In this New York apartment, designer Jennifer Hunter utilized many elements commonly seen in fitness-focused locker rooms—like breathable mesh-front cabinetry and plenty of shoe storage—to create a sleek and stylish family mudroom that goes all-in on function.

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Work in Bespoke Details

You know the saying—the beauty is in the details. To elevate your mudroom from ho-hum to a room you’re actually proud of (and want to spend time in!), look for opportunities for subtle upgrades when it comes to your finishes. To lend a bespoke feel to a client’s function-first mudroom, designer Michelle Berwick incorporated thoughtful details like luxe leather cabinet pulls and vintage-inspired vented cabinet doors.

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Pick a Playful Tile

Mudroom — Nicole Franzen for Bunsa Studio

Between taking on and off your shoes, wiping your feet as you come and go, and any other number of tasks, you’re bound to spend a lot of time staring at your mudroom floors—so you might as well make them pretty to look at! To achieve that very goal, designer Jennifer Bunsa turned to colorful and durable concrete tiles from Popham Design to add playful personality to a beach house mudroom.

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Hang Extra Coat Storage

One thing that mudrooms are almost always overflownig with? Coats! Whether you live in a four-season climate and need to prepare for all weather possibilities or just find yourself collecting outerwear, it’s always a good idea to include more coat storage than you think you need in your mudroom. To make the most of an empty swath of wall space in this lakehouse mudroom, designer Bria Hammel included plenty of extra hooks—in a nautical-inspired motif, of course—to create room for jackets, towels, active gear, and more.

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Install Floor-to-Ceiling Tile

Pink mudroom — Paul Dyer for Marea Clark Interiors

If you consider yourselves a pretty messy household, you may want to pay extra close attention to the durability—and wipeability—of your mudroom. To make it easy to clean up any dirt or grime that finds its way indoors, take a page out of designer Marea Clark’s book and cover your mudroom in floor-to-ceiling tile. In this space, she relied on handmade zellige tile from Clé Tile to up the durability of the mudroom while maintaining an airy, almost iridescent, aesthetic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of a mudroom?

At its core, a mudroom is designed to be a transition space between the exterior of your home and the rest of your living spaces, giving you a place to shed any outer layers and take off your shoes before entering your home. While the room primarily began as a utilitarian space, it has taken on many other iterations in modern design, also acting as a place to indulge in hobbies, organize sports equipment, and more.
Why is a mudroom called a mudroom?

The phrase mudroom is an Americanized term used to describe an entry room to your home. It got its start as an apt description for a space where mud (and all other forms of dirt and grime) can be trekked into your home. In the United States and other countries, it may also be referred to as a vestibule, utility room, or boot room.
Is it worth it to add a mudroom to your home?

Mudrooms can be a worthy addition to many homes, particularly if you have children or pets that you share your space with. They’re also useful in multi-season climates that may experience inclement weather year-round and, thus, could use a stopgap for water, snow, and mud attempting to enter the home.
How much does it cost to build a mudroom?

The cost to build a mudroom can depend on a variety of factors, including whether or not you’re creating the space out of existing square footage, what finishes you choose, and the size of the room. Overall, the cost of building a mudroom can range from $1,000 for simple aesthetic and functional changes to over $10,000 for brand-new additions.
Where is the best place for a mudroom?

When deciding where to locate your mudroom, it’s important to consider where you enter and exit your home. You want the space to reside in a spot that gets the most foot traffic and somewhere where you’ll be able to easily access the rest of your house upon entering. Most typically, mudrooms are located right off of the front door or garage entrance to a home.