7 mudroom ideas for a clean and welcoming space

Mudrooms are lifesavers for helping you keep your home clean. They serve as an informal entryway to your home where you can remove dirty (or muddy) clothing and shoes before entering the rest of your house. For some homes, the mudroom is a secondary entry point, and for others, it’s the same as the main entryway. Regardless of your floorplan, these mudroom ideas will help you carve out a space you’ll love. 

Thankfully, you don’t need tons of extra square footage to expand the storage space in your mudroom. Almost every home has space for a small mudroom area that’ll provide more functionality and storage space at the door. 

In this guide, we’ve collected our favorite mudroom ideas and tips to help you transform your space no matter how small it is. 

Mudroom drop zone basics 

Some modern mudrooms and entryways are referred to as the drop zone, and for good reason. Whether your mudroom is near your front door by the living room or off to the side or back of the house near your laundry room, it offers a place to take off (or put on) your shoes and store things when entering or leaving the house. 

Great mudroom design should offer enough storage space for necessities like keys, outerwear, shoes, and bags. Make room for the following basics in your mudroom space, no matter how small it is:

• Keys and bags: Your entryway should make it easy to store and find your keys, purse, backpack, and other bags. Proper storage solutions for keys and bags can make getting out the door in the morning less stressful. As such, have each family member put their keys and bags in a specified place before entering the rest of the house. That way, when it’s time to leave, everyone can easily find their keys and bags waiting at the door. 
• Shoes and coats: Outerwear items like shoes, coats, and scarves are more convenient when they’re by the front door (or wherever your mudroom entrance is located). You’ll also likely want somewhere to sit while you put on your shoes and something to catch any dirt that gets tracked in. Even if you’re short on space, it’s much more convenient to use this designated area for storing your shoes and coats than dispersing them around the rest of the house. 
• Various essentials: We all have multiple essentials for our personal routines. It might be your water bottle, headphones, umbrella, or your service dog’s vest. Each family member should have room to keep their various essentials by the door to make life easier. Pay attention to what you want when you leave or what you commonly walk in the door carrying. Doing so will help you identify the type of storage pieces you need. 

Mastering the basics in your entryway can be as simple as a single piece of multifunctional furniture like a coat closet with shelving or a hall tree. Or, if you have the space, you can put together a collection of furniture, like a coat rack, shoe rack, wall hooks, and console table with a bowl for keys.

7 mudroom ideas for your entryway 

Keeping the basics in mind, check out these mudroom ideas and pick a few to add extra storage and function to your space. Whether you’re looking for organization ideas, storage ideas, or styling tips, we have you covered. 

Remember to customize your mudroom based on how many family members regularly come in and out of the home. Get creative and, if you’re doing a DIY remodel, consider picking one built-in option to make the entryway even more convenient and efficient. 

1. Coat hooks or racks

Coat hooks, wall hooks, coat trees, and hall trees are popular in mudrooms because they’re excellent for storing and organizing keys, bags, coats, and scarves. Even a small space will have room for wall hooks. Well-placed hooks can help you make the most of your mudroom storage space because you’re relying on vertical space more than floor space. 

If you love DIY mudroom decorating ideas, coat hooks are a simple way to start. Consider a clever DIY coat rack that sets the mood for the rest of your house. For example, you might make a chalkboard coat rack with each family member’s name written over their hook(s). 

2. Storage cubbies and shelving

Cubbies, shelving, and cabinetry are stylish storage solutions for your mudroom. For example, you might use built-in cubbies beneath a mudroom bench as shoe storage, like this three-drawer storage bench. Likewise, you could create a wall of cubbies with baskets for each family member to store their various essentials. You might also want to label cubbies based on what goes in them. This can help everyone get on board with your new organization system. 

Shelving is another great option to add above wall hooks, a washer and dryer, or a mudroom bench. You could also look for shelves with hooks installed beneath them for space-saving efficiency. Alternatively, mudroom lockers or personal accent cabinets work well for big families, ensuring everyone has a spot to keep their things neatly stowed away. Locker-style storage can work with or without locker doors, and though it does require more square footage, it should cover all of your bases. 

3. Accent wall 

Even a tiny mudroom will come to life with an accent wall. Whether you want to do chalkboard walls behind your mudroom storage bench, paint a bright color on one wall, or create a shiplap wall behind your coat rack, go for it. Accent walls are a fun way to enhance your home decor and showcase your household’s personality. 

For example, if your home has a modern farmhouse or Shaker style, you could do an accent wall of reclaimed pallet wood.

4. Entryway tables 

Entryway tables come in several forms, including accent cabinets, console tables, and sofa tables. Accent cabinets like this two-door cabinet with a geometric pattern usually feature storage drawers or shelves, which are perfect for small drop zone items. Meanwhile, console tables and sofa tables often have less storage and more table space. Some also have room underneath for shoes, if needed.

Along with being functional, an entryway table can add serious flair and showcase your interior decor. For example, you might place a table lamp on either side of a console table, framing a large piece of artwork hung on the wall behind it. The remaining space on the table, as well as any drawers, can catch your daily essentials, keys, and even bags. 

5. Shoe storage wall 

If your home sees lots of foot traffic, a shoe storage wall might be the answer to your mudroom woes. Instead of keeping just a few pairs of shoes in your entryway rack and more in your closet, a shoe storage wall can keep everything in one place. You might create your wall with built-in cubbies by placing multiple shoe racks side-by-side, or with a large shoe rack like this four-shelf metal shoe rack. 

Even if you don’t need an entire shoe storage wall, you’ll still want a spot for footwear. Consider the shoes and boots you regularly wear throughout the year and pick a rack to accommodate them. For example, if you often wear high boots for the wet season, look for a rack that allows you to store them upright instead of folded or tipped over. Like everything else in the entryway, the perfect option comes down to your personal needs. 

6. Multitasking mudroom bench 

Entryway benches come in many forms, and if you have room to include one, we recommend it. A bench gives you, your family, and your guests somewhere to sit when they put their shoes on and take them off. You can also use your bench as an impromptu table, plus stash shoes underneath it if it has a shelf like this slatted accent bench. 

Storage benches are your most versatile option. Many feature a built-in shoe rack or built-in cubbies. Others feature hidden storage, perfect for stashing your cold-weather gear like coats, gloves, hats, and leg warmers. Look for a multitasking mudroom bench that fits as many of your needs as possible. 

7. Stylized makeover 

Even if your mudroom is functional, it’s not complete until it’s also fashionable. Giving your entryway a stylized makeover can help set the right tone for the rest of your home. Hang some artwork, repaint the walls, pick a new mudroom rug, and add a few decor pieces to complete your mudroom design. 

Whether you love transitional, chic, boho, rustic, or mid-century modern decor, a stylized makeover can do wonders for your space. Just pick a few colors and accents that epitomize your preferred style, remove any outdated pieces, and your mudroom design can come together quickly. 

Show your mudroom some love 

Once you put some of these mudroom ideas into practice, you’ll have an entryway that’s functional and fashionable. And what better way to make a good impression on your guests? Just remember to customize everything to your family’s needs and home decor preferences.

For more ideas, check out Coaster Furniture’s full selection of entryway and mudroom furniture. Then use our store locator to find convenient locations near you when you’re ready to buy.

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