The modern mudroom

There’s no reason mudrooms, entranceways and laundry rooms shouldn’t get the same designer treatment as any other room in your home.

Incorporating a mudroom into your home if you don’t already have one may seem like an unnecessary luxury, but they have their benefits. Not only can they add to the overall aesthetic of your home, but they serve a practical purpose. Best of all, a mudroom can feel incredibly luxurious and welcoming with a simple splash of colour on the floor and walls. They don’t need to be complex spaces. Colours like Resene Tino Pai and Resene Stepping Stone sing with sophistication.

A mudroom is a designated space in your home that serves as a transitional area between the outdoors and the rest of your home. It's typically located near the main entrance of the house and is used to store things like shoes, coats, rain jackets and umbrellas. By having a designated space for outdoor gear, you can keep your home clean and organised. A mudroom simply is a convenient place for your family and guests to remove their shoes and store their outdoor gear. This helps to keep dirt and mud from being tracked throughout the rest of your home.

They’ve become a desirable feature for home-buyers due their functionality. If you have kids, it’ll also save a lot of time and energy by making it easier to find and store outdoor gear. No more searching for a pesky lost shoe or coats. With a mudroom, everything should have a designated spot, making it easier to grab what you need and go.

The trick is making your mudroom look chic. Just because a mudroom serves a practical purpose doesn't mean it can't look elegant and stylish. Think about your flooring – it should be durable and easy to clean. The colours you choose should also be a darker shade that won’t draw attention to dirt.

Colour plays a crucial role in creating a chic and inviting space. Resene Tino Pai and Resene Stepping Stone are both neutral colours that provide a clean, fresh look. They are dark enough, however, that some dirt and dust accumulating won’t be an issue. Resene Tino Pai is a soft beige colour with a warm undertone (a ‘greige’), while Resene Stepping Stone is a light grey hue with a cool undertone. The combination of these two colours creates a sophisticated look that's both modern and timeless. We painted our floor in Resene Tino Pai using Resene Foundation and Resene FX Paint Effects Medium to create a faded ceramic look. Resene Stepping Stone on the walls provides a subtle contrast to the floor, creating an interesting look and cohesive feel.

Storage is key in a mudroom. Consider adding cabinets, shelves and hooks to keep everything organised. A built-in bench with storage underneath is also a great addition. Not only does it provide a place to sit and put on shoes, but it also offers additional storage space. Or try large chests that double as storage. We painted ours in the deep Resene Seaweed, a perfect complementary tone to the grey of Stepping Stone. Our cubby is painted in Resene Tino Pai and a strip across the wall in the same hue frames our hooks in Resene Stepping Stone. A horizontal line across the wall creates a more dynamic feel and breaks up the busier lower half of the room.

Good lighting is also essential in a mudroom. Consider adding a pendant light or a sconce to brighten up the space. If your mudroom doesn't have a window, you could add a skylight or a mirror to reflect natural light.

A mudroom like we have designed will work in a home with and without children. With kids, make sure the hooks and shelves in your mudroom are at a height that's easily accessible for children and provide plenty of storage. If you don't have children or want to create an adult-only space, you can take a different approach to your mudroom design. You could opt for a more sophisticated look, and experiment with lighter colours. For the walls, you could pair colours like Resene Half Gravel and Resene Alabaster to create a crisp look. Consider adding a statement piece of abstract artwork in complementary colours Resene Seaweed, Resene Boris and Resene Domino. This will add visual interest to the space.

Colours and products mentioned in this article

Styling by Kate Alexander. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2022