A Mudroom Makeover
Make Your Everyday Entry Work for You & Your Family
Historically, the mudroom is a home’s second point of entry and the hub of organized chaos. But in recent years, it has taken center stage — playing the roles of elegant foyer and at-home locker room, pet grooming station and off-season storage — through a combination of smart design and stylish accessories.
Whether you are renovating an existing mudroom, creating a new one from scratch, or just looking to give your current space a facelift, planning is key. To help in this process, we have put together a handy checklist of items that will ensure your mudroom works hard and looks good for you and your entire family.
You can never have too many hooks in a mudroom! The epitome of stylish functionality, they hold everything from coats and scarves, to backpacks and sporting equipment. Go with large multi-prong hooks to maximize your storage, adding small single hooks for light-duty items like keys and pet leashes. With options in brass, iron and wire, there’s a solution for every space.
Open shelving is a great way to add extra storage without taking up the same visual space as traditional upper cabinets. Far from being utilitarian, shelf brackets can be one of the most distinctive design elements of your mudroom. Brackets can add cottage charm, Victorian elegance, or industrial chic! Choose from brass, iron and wood, in dozens of styles, sizes and finishes.
As small as they are, knobs & pulls help define the character of your mudroom. Choose from sleek or sparkling, rustic or refined, traditional or modern - the options are endless. To help navigate your choices in style, finish, size and material, we’ve created a handy primer on choosing knobs & pulls.
While many newer cabinets feature concealed Euro-style hinges, visible hinges add visual interest, as well as traditional charm to your mudroom. Choose butt or olive-knuckle styles for a more understated look, or go with decorative butterfly or strap surface hinges for a more bold vintage statement.
Once a necessity on file cabinets and pantry cupboards, label holders are again proving their usefulness throughout the home. In the mudroom, you can identify the contents of bins, hooks, shelves, and drawers with period panache. Some styles are equipped with a finger grip and also act as a drawer pull.
Up and out of the way from the bustle of daily activities, flush mount lights are a practical solution for most mudroom entries. Providing bright and even illumination from above, they also offer a bold dash of style. Unlike utility room lights of yesteryear, modern flush-mounts offer an endless array of design and finish options.
If your mudroom has a sink or bench by a window or a central worktable, pendant lights are a great option. Ideal for adding targeted illumination, they also have a significant design impact. Pendants can also be shortened to use in lieu of flush mounts throughout the room.
Switch Plates & Light Switches
Switch plates are the simplest way to add an extra dash of style to your mudroom. With designs ranging from ornate to understated. You can coordinate with your cabinet hardware, your lighting, or the era of your home. When choosing switches and outlets, don’t be bound by plain white - consider vintage options such as black, brown and gray, as well as period mother-of-pearl push-buttons.
Most mudrooms have a door or two leading to the kitchen, garage, basement, or porch. If the knobs on your doors are tired and worn, or simply a style that isn’t yours, it might be time for a change. Given their heavy day-to-day use they should be as durable as they are attractive. In the mudroom coordinate your door sets with the style and finish of your cabinet hardware to give your space a cohesive look.
Worn, rusted and painted-over hinges can be an eyesore. If restoring them is out of the question, upgrading to new butt hinges will transform the look of your doors. Choose from plain or decorative styles, with finishes to match every type of door set.
Spring-loaded hinges are a necessity on doors leading from your mudroom into the garage. Required by fire codes in many areas, their self-closing feature will be much appreciated when carrying in loads of groceries from the car!
Making your exterior mudroom door secure is a top priority. Whether or not you are updating your door set, a new deadbolt adds peace of mind. Unlike the dull designs of years past, today’s deadbolts come in a wide range of styles and finishes to coordinate with any decor. For extra security, consider adding locks to your basement and garage doors as well.
As inconspicuous as they may seem, doorstops are an essential item in the mudroom. Mounted on the floor, baseboard, wall, or hinge pin, they protect your walls and cabinets from damage by a swinging door. See our handy doorstop shopping guide to find just the right solutions for your space.
In many cases, the mudroom serves as the de facto main entry to a home. Whether it’s family, friends or guests making their way through this door, the handle set should be one to be proud of. Depending on the age and design of your door, you may need a vintage-style mortise lock set or a modern tubular latch set - both come in a wide range of styles, sizes and finishes to suit any home.
Floor registers may be the last but not the least important design choice you make for your mudroom. Although they live underfoot, their presence can delight the eyes. Upgrade from boring builder styles to something that ties in with other hardware and shows off your design savvy.
If you have original sash-over-sash (double-hung) windows, you’ll find that the locks and lifts have lost their looks with time. Replacing them with new brass hardware with a gleaming finish will brighten your windows in an instant. If you are going the extra mile and undertaking a complete window restoration, you’ll find pulleys in matching finishes, as well as cord, chain, and weights.
Try this old-school way of keeping floors clean. Mounted outside your mudroom door, these handy scrapers clear dirt and debris from boots, shoes, and cleats before entering your home. The rugged iron designs add a touch of vintage charm to boot!
Shop House of Antique Hardware for Mudroom Update Ideas & Inspiration
Have questions about your mudroom update or need more information about our products? Our Hardware Specialists are here to help - call 888-223-2545.