Drop zone

Each family member has a cabinet for hanging coats and bags. Drawers beneath store shoes and gloves.

Q

Locker door faces offer another fun idea for chalkboard paint: Family members can write lists or reminders to each other as they come and go.

Q

Another modern take on mud room components shows gorgeous minimalist detailing. Just look at that bench silouette and how it joins with the frosted glass window.

Q

Built-ins around a window create a pretty, light and airy mudroom.

Q

Family tip: Use kid-height storage. Installing a low hanging rod of a few hooks within reach of the smallest family members is easy, and can make a big difference when it comes to keeping wee coats off the floor. Wall hooks are easiest for very little children to use; older kids can handle putting their coats on hangers.

Q

Seating. We’re often seeing bench space in mudrooms with pretty upholstered cushions, encouraging people to take off their shoes before they tread all over the house in their muddy boots. This light-colored upholstery would get very dirty in my house; decorate your space according to your needs and how your family lives.

Q

Find Space for a MudroomAdapt your entry. If you’re not lucky enough to have a dedicated entryway, look closely at your home and see if there’s a space that could be turned into a functional area to organize that transition between outside and in. It’s really all about practicality, but if it’s the immediate entrance into your home, you may want to plan for pretty elements as well as practical ones. Make it bright and appealing, but also think of ways to help your family keep it organized. You could even have a color-coded basket for each member of the family if you think that might make them more tidy or more inclined to put their things away.

Q

What Is a Mudroom, Anyway?A mudroom is a small room or entryway in a house where wet or muddy footwear and clothing can be removed. But it can be so much more.Mudrooms are traditional in country homes, where it is necessary to clean up after coming in from fields covered in mud. They can be a secondary entrance or a back entrance. Some mudrooms might have a sink, a spare toilet or even a shower for cleanup. When I talk about a mudroom, I really mean any space between outdoors and in where you can take off your shoes, bags, hats and scarves, and deposit mud and dirt, keeping mess from the main part of the house.

Q

Arielle Weedman of Weedman Design Partners says one of her favorite mudroom designs is also her smallest. “Sometimes you just have to work with the space you are given,” she says. “This couple wanted a mudroom but had no room for it.” Weedman solved the problem with a custom-designed, wall-hung shoe shelf and rows of hooks. She calls it an easy drop point where the family can leave their belongings upon entering the house.

Q