Grey and Blue Mudroom
I’m not sure how this slipped by me, but the other day, I had a reader ask me about our mudroom, and I realized that I never officially blogged about it! I’ve shared glimpses here and there when talking about chores and organizing (see more about that here), but today I’ll finally get to all the details.
This space is right off our garage so the kids can come right in and dump their stuff. It also acts as a hall to our laundry room and 1/2 bath. Bringing the groceries in is easy with access to the kitchen around the corner as well.
I knew in this house I wanted all hidden storage. Those beautiful open style lockers and cubbies are so tempting because I love the look, but man they are so not practical with kids. We had open lockers at the last house and they looked like a hot mess all the time. You all know I’m kind of a neat freak, but unfortunately, my kids did not inherit this trait. Especially as they have gotten older, there is just more and more stuff. Backpacks, soccer bags, basketball uniforms, piano books, church stuff, shoes, papers, etc. They all need a place to go, preferably where I don’t have to look at them!
This time around, I knew I wanted a simple design of a locker for each of us (the Mr. has just as much work stuff and books that he is constantly bringing home too).
We chose cabinets on the top for seasonal items we may not be using that often and baskets below for easy to reach “what we need now” items.
Once spring hits (or really hits despite what the calendar says), all the snow clothes will move up to the upper cabinets and the flip flops, soccer cleats, etc. will move down to the bottom baskets.
I talked in this post here about how swapping out baskets instead of drawers not only saved a lot of money, but added so much more character and texture to this space. Plus, they are actually easier to pull all the way out and search for mittens if need be. After this winter, we are down to approximately 3 left mittens and a bright pink right one that no one will claim.
One tip I did this time around was putting in low and high hooks in my kids’ lockers. They were constantly climbing in the cubbies at the last house because they couldn’t reach the hooks to hang up their stuff. They have no excuse here! They look really clean at the moment because my kids were at school when I shot this, so half of their stuff isn’t in here right now.
I also have their school schedules, chore charts, and activities taped in here so they know what’s going on without me having to remind them constantly (you can read more about that here).
This window seat over here was originally supposed to be a set of drawers too, but I decided the open space to move around in here was better than more storage.
The seat is a great spot to tie shoes in the morning or take a nap while you wait for your little brother to finally finish his cheerios. This seat has such a pretty view when the ice is melted on the lake and that tree is full of leaves.
Charlie’s toys stay in this basket over here, which he routinely tips over and scatters everywhere – he is definitely the messiest kid in the house!
We went with slate tile in here that carries through to the laundry room and bathroom. I have had a few questions about whether this shows dirt more than a lighter tile, and I’d say in the winter it does, but it’s still worth it to me because I love the classic look.
The transom detail was a fun touch to add both here and above our master bedroom doors. They aren’t actual windows – the trim guys built casings for them and inserted the glass.
There you go, one more room down! I think the last room I have to share is my son’s bathroom? Which maybe I’ll finish one of these days.
SOURCE LIST – (contains affiliate links)
Montauk Blue Slate Floor – BuildDirect
Rug – Wayfair, but it’s sold out
Wall Paint Color – Boothbay Gray by Benjamin Moore
Trim and Cabinet Color – Extra White by Sherwin Williams
Baskets – my local grocery store Meijer
Laundry and bath wallpaper – Here
Pillow – Here
Toy Basket – I’ve had it for 15 years, no clue!
Light fixture – here
I love your laundry and mud room! I also really like the wallpaper you used from Serena & Lily for the laundry and powder room. I am going to copy it but I wanted to know is it the kind you have to glue on or just get wet with a sponge?
Hey Alex we hired that project out so I’m actually not sure what kind it is, I’m guessing their customer service could help?
Is the armoire one piece or did you custom build it with individual cabinets? Where is that unit from? Can you give me a little bit more information about the cabinets?
These were all custom built by a local guy thanks!
Hi – just discovered your page & love it! We are currently in the beginning stages of building a custom home & have found your posts helpful! One question….how did you decide to go with tile in that area? We will have a similar set up…come in from garage into mudroom that is off kitchen…with a pool bath & laundry off mudroom. I’m struggling with cutting the wood floor off at that door from kitchen. If I keep wood should I do same tile in laundry & pool bath? Don’t want it to look choppy anywhere.
Love this tile and how it flows from the hardwood! Thanks for sharing sources! Do you recall the grout color (and brand) you used? I think that may be key in making the dark flooring feel so soft! Grout choices are so hard ? thanks so much!! Love this!
I don’t remember, unfortunately. It was a mid-blue-gray tone if that helps – sorry!
Hi,
May I know what color paint you used for the ceilings please? Love your mudroom!!!
Thanks
I think it’s just ceiling white paint? THanks
Hello. Could you please tell me what kind of hardwood flooring you used? I love it!
Hi! I love this whole space. Your inspiring our mudroom lockers and I’m just curious what the dimensions of areas with the baskets are?
What color of paint did you use on the ceiling? Excellent paint job I must say.
Hi there your style is such an inspiration! I am looking for similar light fixtures but your link took me to a website no longer available. Can you tell me where you got them? Thank you in advance and for sharing your beautiful home!
Hey they are from Wayfair but they don’t carry the exact ones anymore. They do have similar styles!
Hi, having a mudroom storage locker built and looking for handle pulls and hooks. Can you pass along where you got them or brand. Thanks! Love it all!
Do you have the dimensions of the whole space? I am building a mudroom addition and this looks perfect !
I think it’s about 18 ft long and maybe 9 ft wide? It’s sort of a long skinny hall on the back of our house.
Hi Kelly,
You mention the lockers are 8ft tall. Do you know how tall the basket area, locker area, and cabinet area are? Sorry if that’s a loaded question. Just trying to get my contractor to replicate accurately!
I love love this mudroom! Using it for inspo in mine. Curious of you’ve had any issues with the slate floor or if you consider it high maintenance. I much prefer the look of slate but have found a porcelain that looks similar and is supposedly more durable. What’s your experience with the slate?
Hey we haven’t had any issues with ours! It was sealed with a matte sealer when we moved it but it cleans up really easily for me!
What color grout did you choose for the blue slate tile?
It’s a blueish – gray color not sure on the name!
Hi Kelly! I just love your mudroom! Everything is perfect! Do you have the dimensions of the cubbies on the bottom as well as the measurements if the baskets? You have a great eye for decorating. I LOVE how organized and neat you are!
I love the gray slate flooring! It looks perfect with the blue feather wallpaper and gray painted walls! Blue, gray and white is the color scheme for my future beach house, so I will be following your blog for more inspiration! Thanks!
Thanks so much Brenda I love blues and greys – so calming!
Your mudroom is amazing! We are planning cabinets for ours right now. You mentioned the cabs are 15 inches deep… do you mind sharing how wide each cabinet is? They look like the perfect size. Thank you!!
They are 22 inches wide thanks!
Your home is fantastic. Not many can have such a setting or even the home itself. But within any home, many of your ideas are doable. It’s really true that all our activities require different bags of stuff. How handy to have it all tidily stashed for easy entries and exits. Our home has the tiniest laundry room and no mud room. Relocating the laundry room isn’t an option either. Your blog really got me thinking…
Hey Charleen thanks for your thoughtful comment! I’m so glad my blog post got your wheels turning :)
I love it! Can I ask what color white is on the walls in the dining room?
Extra White by Sherwin Williams thanks!
Serene and lovely.
Thanks Nancy!
Love your style. What is the name of that paint used and where did you buy? Thanks
It’s Sherwin Williams Boothbay Gray.
Hi Kelly, Thanks for sharing this space. Yu put a lot of thought into its design, and it shows. Love the argument for closed storage. You converted me if we ever decide to put in cabinets in ours. Plus, it is beautiful! Question on slate – I have same tile. Agreed it shows so much dirt & grit in winter. Were yours sealed? Mine weren’t (long story of no-show tilers, just getting grout done was acfeat). How do you keep clean?
Hey Julie, yes our slate was sealed. They recommend doing it every few years or so, so I’ll probably be doing it again soon. I just vacuum it and use a Norwex wet mop with just plain old water. Thanks!
Hi Kelly,
I just got a mud room and I love it all closed storage and dark floors. I then move my laundry room upstairs and it’s so nice to have everything so close. I would highly recommend it for anyone thinking of doing this. Thanks again for sharing your home.
Thanks Jony, that is nice to have an upstairs laundry room!
Hi! Loveyour mud room and every other room I your house too! Do you know where your cabinet door pulls are from?
Thanks!
Rachel
West Seattle, WA
Hey Rachel they were from a local store here in Grand Rapids sorry that’s not helpful in WA – thanks!
Beautiful job as usual! Was getting to the end of the post and hadn’t seen a pic of Charlie! But he didn’t disappoint and photo bombed toward the end. ??
Haha of course!
This space is so beautiful and functional! Do you have a link for the hardware on the lockers? I’ve been looking everywhere for rustic black knobs and pulls and these are perfect! Thanks!
I don’t I’m sorry they were from a local store and they just came in a box with no brand name on them – thanks!
Kelly, you’re an incredible designer! This wing of your home is just as gorgeous as the rest and so well thought out. But I must ask… did you plan the mudroom cubbies to fit the baskets OR did you do a happy dance at Meijer when you found them? You are so kind to share all of your sources.
Have a wonderful day!
Hahaha such a happy accident! I couldn’t believe my luck :)
Beautiful especially the window seat!!!
Thanks Doreen, it’s a nice spot to tie your shoes :)
Love it! I’ve been wondering about your mudroom and so I’m glad you posted full details! I’m thinking of redoing mine, and this is super helpful.
Sorry to keep you waiting! I can’t believe I didn’t cover this before ha.
What a great space! Your choices are perfect and what a great way to teach your children organization. Children thrive on routine and you have made this functional and beautiful all at the same time. I just love everything about your home!
Thanks, Jil, we are trying! My kids definitely do better with a routine that’s for sure.
As I’ve said before, I love every inch of your home. The mudroom is to die for!! So beautiful. I think I would spend a lot of time in that window seat – with Charlie!
Thank you! Charlie does love to hang out up there and stalk the geese and swans.
Thank you for a complete share of this space. Mud rooms/laundry are right up there with kitchens and baths for important functional rooms that are fun to design.
Have loved the barn lights since you first built. Are yours black or bronze? Do they provide enough light for the hall and laundry?
Your home is beauty and function combined so well.
Yes I’m with you it was important to hit on function in here for sure! The lights are black and they are nice and bright for our space.
It is unbelievable to me how well you think through each detail in every single corner! You have a beautiful home that I fully enjoy gawking at every pass ?
Oh thanks Nancy! I spent a long time dreaming up this house and obsessing over every inch :)
I am very interested in the lockers. Where did you purchase them
Hey my cabinet builder custom built them – thanks!
What a gorgeous mudroom! We don’t have an official mudroom – just an area of our small laundry room. I would love to have all this space and I love the way you decorated it!
Shelley
Hey Shelley, our last house was the first one with a mudroom and it is so nice to have!
Do you have plans for the lockers? We are putting in a mud room and my husband is going to build lockers. love yours!
I don’t have plans for them I just sketched them up for my cabinet builder. They are 15 inches deep and 8 ft high if that helps.
Love these!! I want to build something similar *in* our garage and need doors to keep out pollen and spiders! Curious – how wide (side to side) is each cubby inside, and the overall width of the unit? I’ll be doing 4 “lockers” as well.
Hey thanks! They are 22 inches inside and 90 inches overall – thanks!
So smart to put in built in with doors! I love the look of the open cubbies too but know they just aren’t practical, even with adults. Just love your home and all the colors throughout, so peaceful.
Thanks Kelly! I was pretty proud of myself for being practical for once in a space ha ;)
What a beautiful space. Large, lots of light, love the slate floor with grey walls/lwhite trim. Oh, and you just need to train Charlie to pick up his toys when he pulls them out and return them to the basket. A great “job” for him, he’s so cute.
I’ll work on that with Charlie, he will probably just roll his eyes at me!
Wow. What a beautiful mud room! I love the view out that window! Looks like a picture.
Thanks Kim, the ice melted off the lake this week and it’s so pretty to see the water out there again.
Beautifully done!! It is so airy and classic.
I am using the same slate tiles for my bath, and having a difficult time to decide on the grout color. Would you mind sharing which color you chose? Thank you!
I’m not sure on the exact color it’s a blueish gray tone. thanks!
Hi , may I know what color paint you use for the ceilings please? Thanks