Inspired By: 8 Great Mudrooms

As pet-loving people who live in a part of the country renowned for its lengthy mud and snow seasons, we’ve become connoisseurs of the well-designed mudroom. We did some searching around the blogosphere, and came up with these eight great examples of mudrooms. But what, exactly, makes them so special?

A great mudroom has:

• Lots of storage options for shoes, coats, purses, pet accessories, and more. We’re talking wall hooks, shelves, benches with drawers, countertops, or any combination of these. We especially like a mix of hooks and cubbies, which allow us to maximize storage space vertically and horizontally along a wall. Bonus points for mudroom designs that keep unsightly old mittens, dog collars, and shoe brushes out of sight in cabinets or baskets.
• Visual interest on the walls, in the form of a great paint color, fun wallpaper, architectural element, or wall treatment, or on the floor.
• Easy-care rugs. There’s no sense spending money on a rug that can’t stand up to tons of foot traffic. When it comes to the mudroom, think indoor/outdoor rugs and woven cotton area rugs and runners. We’re partial to a bright color or eye-catching pattern, but even a neutral area rug in a textural indoor/outdoor or jute weave will liven up the simplest of mudrooms.
• Dedicated space for every member of the family. It’s at least a hundred times easier to get out of the door and to the office in the morning when we know our keys, bags, and scarves will always be in the same spot, day in and day out.
• Great accents, whether a fun splash of color, woven or metal baskets, painted crates, bright pillows, or unusual lighting. Think functional with a bit of fab tossed in.