On the blog, I’ve affectionately referred to this room as the “everything room” but in real life we usually just call it the mudroom. Here’s what it looked like when we bought the house…

There was an A/C unit in the window and an ominous ceiling fan. We thought the laundry closet was cumbersome. The dryer vented directly into the attic! Ugly tile and a remnant of green shag carpet completed the mess. We did like that this room served as a pause when entering from the backyard through the sliders (on the left) and from the garage via the man door (on the right).

Out of necessity we assigned this room multiple purposes: mudroom, dining room, craft room, game room and laundry room. Knowing the room would receive abuse on a daily basis, we opted for durable, dirt-colored tile on the floor and a forgiving tongue-and-groove wainscoting on the walls. (The tongue and groove is a repeated element also seen on the vaulted ceiling, planked TV wall and kitchen desk backsplash.) We were in need of closed storage for seasonal outerwear, reusable shopping bags, a broom, crafting supplies and a small collection of home accessories. We added a pair of freestanding wardrobes to serve as closets. One is customized with hanging rods at different heights (for outerwear) while the other is full of deep shelving (for crafting supplies and home accessories) and even a hidden litter box!

In an effort to optimize wasted space under the window, I commissioned a local woodworker to create a custom wood bench out of Douglas fir. We hung sconces above the bench on side panels of each wardrobe to create a cozy nook without actually changing the structure of the room. It’s a great place to read, play a game of Uno or watch the kids get on / off the bus. The bench is surprisingly large!

A long, farmhouse-like table is perfect for dining, crafting, sewing or enjoying family game night. I chose a lighter wood tone to avoid overpowering the space. A mix of knockoff tulip and wishbone chairs surround the table for a laid-back vibe. I had the tulip chair seat cushions covered in a vinyl leather-lookalike. They are so kid-friendly! The iron pendant is industrial and beautiful all at once – which is fitting for a mudroom-slash-dining-room. We DIY’d a fauxdenza to house board games and incoming mail. The sleek profile and floating installation free up precious floor space. Cleaning underneath it is a breeze.

I painted the walls THREE TIMES before falling hard for the velvety black. It’s a great contrast to the slick surfaces and oodles of white. A gallery wall of family photos and art dress up the space so when we eat in here it doesn’t feel like we’re eating in a mudroom.

We had the original sliders replaced with french doors. This room is our main entrance / exit on a daily basis and, for us, the doors are easier to open and close. Not to mention, they look better.

A small bench just inside the door gives the kids a place to put on / remove their shoes. A felt basket and a trio of hooks corral shoes, bags, jackets, backpacks and hats. We try to keep only the items we’re currently wearing or using out in the open. The rest is stashed in a wardrobe.

We nixed the laundry closet in favor of a laundry nook. (And the dryer now vents to the outside.) Discovering a recessed dryer vent box at Home Depot was like winning the lottery. It allows the dryer to hug the back wall. We built the wood countertop using boards we found in the attic during renovations. A small “lid” opens to reveal the washer controls and detergent dispenser. In a perfect world, I would have a dryer with a flat top and controls near the front so the countertop could extend all the way to the back wall. But I have never lived in a perfect world so until my current dryer konks out, I’m stuck with a raised control panel on the back of the dryer and, consequently, a tiered, shallow shelf above the countertop. For fun, we added a metal strip along the shelf to display family photos held in place by magnets.

Fabric panels hang from curtain wire to conceal the washer and dryer while still allowing easy access. I also keep a rolling cart and small ironing board hidden behind the curtains. Two upper cabinets hold laundry essentials, instruction manuals and lightbulbs. A leaning mirror bounces light around the dark corner.

The idea behind the laundry nook was that it could function as a serving area / bar when we entertain. I’d love for it to pull double duty as a dry bar someday. And who said doing laundry wasn’t fun?!

Admittedly, we eat most of our meals at the kitchen island but it’s nice having a designated dining table for special occasions and entertaining – even if, technically, it is in a mudroom. I never have liked formal dining rooms that are only used once or twice a year anyway. The small laundry nook forces me to fold and put away clean laundry as soon as it’s dry. That might seem like a disadvantage but it’s super effective and keeps me honest. This (unusual) setup totally works for our family and we’re happy we aren’t wasting money on unused space. It’s such a hardworking room!

Resources of note:

wainscoting & trim paint – Benjamin white dove, semigloss finish
wall paint – Ace Paints besalt mixed in the Clark + Kensington line, flat finish (I LOVE this paint.)
pendant – Crate & Barrel Hoyne pendant
pendant lightbulb – Bulbs.com
dining table – West Elm Boerum table in natural
succulent centerpiece – DIY
vintage kilim rug – etsy
tulip chairs – Overstock, reupholstered by Springboro Upholstery
wishbone chairs – Home Emporium
wardrobes – Pax units, Bergsbo doors; both from Ikea
hardware – Värde handles from Ikea, spray painted black
sconces – Jonathan Adler Havana wall sconce
woven shade – petite rustique from Overstock
wood bench – custom (I found the woodworker via craigslist.)
Hmong pillow – OrientalTribe11 on etsy
ochre throw – Target
sheepskin – Ikea
woven basket under bench – Wayfair
fauxdenza – DIY featuring Ikea’s Akurum wall cabinets
fauxdenza hardware – Home Depot
faux horns – Home Emporium
wood sculpture on fauxdenza – thrifted
white picture frames – Ikea
metal picture frames – West Elm
wood picture frames – Target
art – various DIY, Clare Elsaesser, Amelia Kay (The baby pointillism piece is Steve’s work.)
saddler bench – Wayfair
wall hooks – Home Depot
felt basket – Target
laundry cabinets – Ikea Lidingö wall cabinets
laundry countertop – DIY
magnetic strip – Home Depot
laundry nook mirror – Feiss Cleo mirror via Wayfair
curtain wire – Ikea
curtains – Ikea Aina panels, hemmed

If you feel like reading more about this multipurpose room, here are a bunch of links documenting its evolution:

MUDROOM RENOVATION

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2011/09/13/behind-the-walls-i-mean-scenes/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2011/10/07/mudroomdining-room-flooring/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2012/05/11/planking-in-the-mudroom/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2012/11/05/honest-mondays-repainting/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2014/02/10/our-biggest-renovation-regret/

ORGANIZATION

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2012/05/22/storage-in-the-mudroom-laundry-nook/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2012/06/22/wardrobe-function/

*http://www.wayfair.com/IdeaLounge/Tips-for-Winterizing-the-Mudroom-E878

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/01/15/diy-fauxdenza/

*http://www.wayfair.com/IdeaLounge/Create-His-and-Her-Charging-Stations-E877

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/11/14/making-the-most-of-small-closets-mudroom-part-i/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/11/22/making-the-most-of-small-closets-mudroom-part-ii/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2015/01/28/lots-of-little-things/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2015/03/12/diy-hidden-litter-box/

DECOR

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2011/11/15/hand-me-down-dining-table/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2012/11/09/stenciling-the-laundry-nook/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2012/12/27/updates/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/01/23/a-last-minute-gallery-wall/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/02/21/the-everything-room-repainted/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/02/28/a-mini-gallery/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/03/01/easy-frame-hanging-no-nails-or-tape-measure-required/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/09/25/dining-room-progress-plans/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/09/26/two-quick-easy-projects/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/10/16/for-herdog/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/10/23/wayfair-in-the-house-a-cozy-nook/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2013/10/29/new-art-a-lightbulb/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2014/06/09/8-reasons-why-you-should-consider-vintage-rugs/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2014/11/13/a-simple-diy-thanksgiving-tablescape/

*https://www.housetweaking.com/2016/02/03/diy-wood-bead-styling-strand/

You can access this mudroom / dining room tour via the “See My House” link in the side bar along with a general house tour and tours of individual rooms. Thanks for reading!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

From a renovation standpoint, we aren’t completely finished with this house. We have another bathroom to tackle. The garage is a mess. We’d love to do more outside: new driveway, more landscaping, a small kitchen garden, new garage door and mailbox upgrade. Among other things. But the light at the end of the tunnel is getting a little closer and brighter every day. It feels good.

Still, we can’t help thinking about the things we would have done differently knowing what we know now. Fortunately, there aren’t too many things we would change if we had the chance to do it all over. Can you guess our biggest renovation regret?

It has something to do with this room.

Any ideas?

Give up?

Okay. I’ll tell you.

We wish we would have installed radiant floor heating under the tile in the mudroom / dining room / laundry room.

At the time, we were feeling the pressure to finish things up so we could move out of our interim apartment and into the house before our third baby was born. We seriously considered installing an electric radiant floor heating system in this room but, in our haste, decided against it. HUGE REGRET.

We didn’t move into the house until baby #3 was two months old so taking the extra time to install this upgrade wouldn’t have been that big of a deal in the whole scheme of things. If you’ve ever survived a full-on renovation, you are probably familiar with the pressure to get things done in a timely manner. Every added project pushes subsequent projects out on the already lengthened schedule. Sometimes you make decisions in the heat of the moment that aren’t the best decisions long-term. Choosing to forego radiant heating in the mudroom was one of those decisions for us.

The wall on the left is a cinder block wall. On the other side of it is the original garage. It’s one of the few walls we didn’t insulate during renovation. Thus, on cold days the tile in here is frigid. Seeing as how this winter is one that will go down in history (crazy cold, tons of snow), we are realizing the consequences of our hasty renovation decision for sure. Our piggies are freezing whenever we step (bare)foot in this room!

I guess if you want to look on the bright side, the cool tile feels refreshing in the summer?

We’ve resorted to using a small space heater in the room when we spend longer periods of time eating meals or playing board games at the table. It’s actually a very affordable, effective lil’ heater with many nice features (remote control, programmable thermostat, timer, oscillation, small footprint, overheat protection, etc.) and if you’re in the market for one, we’d highly recommend it. It’s quiet and heats the room quickly and evenly. But, of course, radiant heating would have been the better solution here.

Yeah, we’re kicking ourselves.

One thing we don’t regret is the tile floor. From a design standpoint, I was on the fence about using tile in this room. We have engineered hardwood throughout the rest of the house and I was afraid that having a tiled room (besides the bathrooms) would look out of place or feel less cohesive. But I can’t imagine having anything else.

We normally enter / exit through this room and it’s a dumping ground for shoes, coats and bags. It sees the bulk of dirt, mud and snow that our house is privy to. The travertine is the perfect “dirt” color and super easy to clean. The light gray grout still looks new two years later. No regrets there.

Keepin’ it real so you can fully appreciate how hard this tile works…

…complete with tennis shoes, un-hung coats, un-zipped backpacks, laundry in-progress and library books stacked in the laundry nook waiting to be returned. #lifewithkids

So there you go. Our biggest renovation regret. Maybe you can learn from our mistake. We have. Next time (ha!), we’ll install radiant floor heating. Or we’ll move to New Zealand.

What is your #1 renovation or home improvement regret?

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking