The client was planning a complete home remodel, and this laundry/mudroom combination was designed to fit seamlessly with the new contemporary aesthetic installed throughout the home. The new theme for this previously traditional home was modern and European in flavor. Light wood furniture, trim and doors with frosted glass inserts were used throughout the remodel, lending a light, minimalist feeling to the space. Mudrooms function as the convenient “drop zone” located at the back door and this one was no exception. As a major part of the morning and evening ritual, this mudroom/laundry room design needed to keep the clients effortlessly organized, even as they rushed in and out during their daily routines. It also needed to blend with the rest of the home’s new aesthetic, presenting a clean, bright, modern feeling — despite the lack of exterior windows to let in the sun.
Because the space was relatively small and the clients are relatively tall, we decided to build all the way to the ceiling to maximize storage potential. Crown molding was used to hide the uneven ceiling and walls. While the clients planned to change coats and jackets seasonally, they wanted space for all of their footwear and handbags in the mudroom. We maximized the amount of storage for purses and shoes by building shelves vertically on either side of the coat hooks. The shelves under the seating are large enough to store the shoes two deep. Overflow is kept in the upper cabinets behind closed doors. We built a matching cabinet next to the washer and dryer to enclose the laundry sink. The upper cabinets were built with quarter inch of space on either side to accommodate uneven walls.