From Closet to Mudroom
OLD HOUSES NOTORIOUSLY LACK STORAGE SPACE
Finding past inspiration to address a lack of storage space.
Like old-fashioned pantries, the modern mudroom is essentially a large closet
for specialized storage. If yours is an old house, you can borrow storage ideas and details from the past to inform the design of mudrooms and closets. Traditional options look to such precedents as farmhouse boot rooms, freestanding cabinets, built- in cupboards and benches, and original kitchens and pantries. Closets are rare in old houses, but the “mud area” has long been a necessity in rural areas. Often just a vestibule or back hall off the kitchen, the mudroom was a buffer between the dirt of outdoors and indoor cleanliness, a place to leave boots and umbrellas; it may have had a utility sink. In houses built since the 1980s, the mudroom is a dedicated space, often located between the garage and the kitchen.
M UDROOMS, BOOT ROOMS, AND BACK HALLS
I first heard the word “mudroom” when I moved to New England. It’s so familiar now, but I remember once finding the word indelicate. In my grandparents’ day, the out-of-sight entry was called the back hall. No matter whether it was off the front door or behind the kitchen, that’s what it was called, and it wasn’t for public view. This is where boots came off, laundry was sorted (and often washed), flowers were cut, and where folded paper bags and the big roasting pan were stored. The only givens were a tough floor— brick or linoleum—and some shelves or bins. All very utilitarian.
We have much more stuff today, and the modern mudroom often demands as much design attention as the kitchen. Built-in drawers, compartments, and open “lockers” organize everything from shoes, coats, and hats to lacrosse sticks and beach towels.
In an old house, though, the functions of the modern mudroom may be better split up among several different areas. At the entry, provide a bench or seat, a tabletop or shelf, and a few hooks. Store most outerwear
in a separate clothes closet nearby. Create a sports center in the basement or garage. Realize that no matter how big and well thought-out, the mudroom can never accommodate all of a family’s daily dropoffs, all of our things and hobbies. Seasonal reorganization is always needed, and probably so is out-of-sight storage.
New Hampshire-based designer Amy Mitchell solved the storage problem in her own 1790 house by creating a brick-floored landing space near the kitchen entry, and combining pantry and laundry in a separate room. She calls her mudroom a boot room—the British term for a more unfitted, make-do version. No obsessive organization into custom cubbies here, just an indoor-outdoor floor, clothes pegs, a vintage piece or two, and a closet with doors that hide the rest.
If you have the luxury of designing a separate, good-size mudroom, look to such historical precedents as pantries, built-ins, and even old-fashioned carrels (as in libraries and telephone banks). Simple is better than fussy; adaptable is better than over-specialized. (Those lacrosse sticks too soon are outgrown!)
Flooring might be stone, brick (or brick-look porcelain tile), sealed ceramic tile, or linoleum. Area rugs should be washable and faderesistant. Lighting is important, if you want to find that matching mitten in the basket—use a mix of overhead, under-cabinet, and taskspecific fixtures. Add a small mirror. Other materials and construction details should be cued by those already in the house.