As we muddle through the winter season we often must deal with less than ideal weather conditions. If there is one place in our home where the ramifications of poor weather affects us most, it is in the mudroom. Working out of Los Gatos, Ca, we don’t see too many cold weather months, but we do see our share of rain and mud from the mountainous terrain.  We have worked with homeowners in Lake Tahoe, Napa, and outside of California, and the conditions can get more acute in other parts of the country. If you are located in an area where dirt, mud, salt or snow is prevalent than it is best to be smart about the design of this space. 

Consider taking the five steps that we’ve outlined below:

  1. Strategic Flooring Selection

    Your floors will take a beating in this location so consider a durable surface that can stand the test of time. (See our articles on Selecting Flooring Materials Part 1 & Part 2). Select a color and texture that make sense for your geographic region. For instance, the white remnants of salty footsteps will show up clearly on a dark floor while clay soil will contrast strongly against a light surface. No matter what type of flooring you choose, a durable walk-off mat is a necessity in order to avoid tracking dirt, salt and moisture into your home.

  2. Storage

    There is also a great deal of gear that is associated with this season. In addition to a traditional coat closet, we find that many people, especially those with young children like to have hooks and ideally cubbies in their mudroom to help organize seasonal gear. Provide shelves or trays for boots and outdoor shoes and allocate an area for boot warmers if applicable. Baskets and drawers are a necessity for small items such as hats, gloves and scarves.

  3. Seating

    While it may provide comedic relief to watch somebody balance on one foot while attempting to remove galoshes, lets instead plan on providing some sort of bench or perch for this purpose.

  4. Extra Outlets

    If you are starting from scratch or remodeling consider providing outlets and charging stations for all of your handheld devices. In cold climates you may want to provide power for boot or glove warmers as well.

  5. Mirror

    We’ve all walked out the door with our hat on backwards at some point. (Oh wait, is that just us?) At any rate, providing a mirror for one last peek before you exit is simply a nice touch.

See some of our previous design work:


Creating Interior-Exterior Space   |   Interior Finish Palettes   |   Flooring Material Design Choices   |  Outdoor Kitchen Design
 

Los Gatos Interior Design

 

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