Hello there, me again! It's been a while. I did not fall into a vat of wine.
I've received emails from some very nice readers who are contemplating adding on a mudroom & wondered how it's working out for us. It's been about a year since the walls went up in this space & a few months since its reveal. Verdict? Love it. We don't know how we ever lived without it (neither of us grew up with a mudroom). While the new addition wasn't exactly cheap, it didn't break the bank either. As a reminder, our former stoop was essentially enclosed to create the mudroom. Our home is on the smaller side at 1,680 sq ft; the mudroom addition has brought it to 1730 sq ft.....not much by way of size but SO much by way of quality of life. Is that too dramatic for me to say? #firstworldproblems
Clutter makes me queasy, but clutter is bound to happen. Our mudroom is part dumping ground/part seasonal control center. I suppose a fairly empty, clean mudroom defeats the whole purpose of uh, it, but the no-coats season we're in is pretty sweet. I recently gave the whole room a scrub-down....before the muddy season descends upon us....I don't know why, it just made sense in my head....if we had a cleaning lady, I'd probably clean the house before she came over to clean it because it's who I am.....and I don't know, stop asking me questions ok?!
I hid some things in the cabinets for these photos because I'm a dreamer & I pretend it's always this clean.
I also bought myself flowers. I yell at the Mr. for wasting money on flowers for me but then when he doesn't, I get moody & well......those flowers aren't going to buy themselves so I bought some.
How come my chalkboard never looks like the ones on Pinterest?
What do they have against feminine hygiene products?
We purchased this rad mirror at Bixby & Ball when we were in Solana Beach.
Also, mini horse shoes for a little luck.
We're very happy with the finished room. There are a just few things we'd do differently:
* Radiant floor heating would be nice, especially on those cold winter days. We skipped HVAC work in this space & though the ceiling/walls are insulated, the tiled floor does get chilly. Oh well. Any excuse to wear thick, cushy socks/slippers, I guess?
* Built-in shoe cubbies under the bench is something that we might tackle down the road. Right now, shoes get kicked off & left haphazardly all over the mudroom. Which I suppose is the whole point of a mudroom, but you know me. Clutter. Lack of order. Queasy.
* We should've ripped out the metal threshold (formerly the front door) leading into the house & replaced it with something more conducive to an interior doorway. Quinn also likes to perch there so a smoother surface for the bum (& toes) would be nice. I've probably stubbed my toes on it too many times.
Just little cosmetic things. Overall, I think we did well in the planning stages to ensure that this room fit the way we live our lives. *golf clap*
Thanks for stopping by! Hope your Labor Day weekend was a nice one!
How are we bidding farewell to summer already?!
Still love it. Oh, and that threshold...spray paint it!! I do not know why I never thought to do this before, but when we recently had our entire exterior painted our painters painted all of our nasty silver stained metal thresholds the most glorious oil rubbed bronze to match our hardware. Super easy and dirt cheap!!!
ReplyDeleteNow that's an idea! Would seriously up the aesthetic appeal! Ok any ideas on how to NOT stub my toe on it?! #Imclumsy ;-)
DeleteI don't think the chalkboards on Pinterest ever include "tampons"!!
ReplyDeleteI know! They always say 'champagne, croissants, Perrier'.....who lives like that?! Gimme my tampons ;-)
DeleteHa! The tampons making the list cracked me up lady! Thanks for so boldly reminding me that tampons (post pregnancy, albeit) are a hell of a lot more likely to make my chalkboard list than the oh-so-pinteresty lists of peonies and pellegrino we often see ;) LOVE the mudroom. You guys hit this one out of the park. Way to go!
Deleteoh yes it was very refreshing,uhum, no pun intended..bahaha..like you said champagne,croissants,even FRESH MILK,oh wish...aah pari'...i love your attitude and well Freckles i have been whining to get my entry way to the batten board!!!!! Love it, you did a great job...i wouldn change a thing..if your OCD like me well those muddy shoe cubbies will drive you INSANE....i took mine out leaving the big bench same length as my wall and just placed with dividers adding trim to look tidy.. Not as neat but way cleaner.. like you if i had a maid i would clean before she came too..
DeleteI just knew we are related. I get clutter queasy too and I would also clean before the cleaning lady came over. Oh wait I wouldn't even pay a cleaning lady because she wouldn't do it how I want it anyways. I know it's so wrong.
ReplyDeleteAnd love that mirror too. Your mudroom is awesome.
The universe is telling us we need to hang out, seriously. Love you more #girlcrush #soulsisters
Deletexoxo
Your mudroom is stunning!! The offer for decor for wine is still on the table ;) ... also, I've missed your posts!
ReplyDeleteYou're the best, friend. And any excuse to drink wine with you is all the encouragement I need!
Deletexoxo
Ahhh hahahaha!!! Omg I love you :D This is still one of my favorite mud rooms. It has given me so much inspiration for our laundry room (if I ever get around to it).
ReplyDeleteThank you!! Our laundry room is a scary little nook. I run in there, throw the clothes in, run out, whimpering "Check my hair for spiders, they're on me, they're on me". I'll be pulling inspiration from you when you do yours!
DeleteLove you more #girlcrush
Love every inch of it. You are good girlfriend. And those thresholds, I've got a few that are on my mind too.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, girlfriend! And are we just gals with a low threshold for ugly thresholds? We're so good about tolerating it #sobrave
Deletexo
This is still one of my fav spaces on the internets my friend! Women...such moody little creatures, just cant please em, I swear. I love the mirror and could totally see why radiant heating would be awesome in there. CO winters are not so warm at all.
ReplyDeleteWomen folk are moody & so complex. I can't even figure myself out sometimes ;-)
DeleteThanks so much, my friend!!
Love it, love it! Does classy clutter make you queasy? don't come to my house! It is in chaos with too many thing going on ;) Love your mudroom :)
ReplyDeleteGirl, you can class up my clutter any time ;-) I can imagine the chaos you have going on, what with moving back in & jumping right back into projects. Can you please bottle some of that motivation of yours & send me some?
Deletexoxo
Looks great! I have to ask where is that leather tote bag from? I am looking for something like that...thx
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Kerry! The leather tote is by Lucky Brand from a couple seasons ago :-)
DeleteHmm, just posted but don't know why it didn't go through... (boo hiss) Was just saying I loved your mudroom! Styled perfectly but still real (sometimes you just need some tampons!). Would you mind sharing where you got those adorable mini horseshoes? Were they from Bixby & Ball as well? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHaha, no worries, Rachel! Thanks for the kind words (& for understanding about feminine hygiene) ;-) The mini horseshoes are from Crate & Barrel (available online & in store). They're pretty tiny & I think are meant to be used as paper weights or to top off a gift. I just cut 3M command strips to fit the back of the horseshoes. They've been holding up nicely!
DeleteYay, thanks! :)
DeleteI love this addition to your home. You have such great style. It looks crisp/clean and clutter free already :) I like how you 'keep it real' with the market list. Ha. Where is your bag from. It's exactly what I've been looking for. It looks monogrammed. So cute!!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your kind words, friend! And you can always count on me to over share ;-)
DeleteMy leather bag is from Lucky Brand a couple seasons ago. It's my bag/kid stuff tote. There might be crushed up goldfish crackers & an old sippy cup buried in its depths but I'm too afraid to go excavating for them. Ha! ;-)
xo
I've had the exact same feeling all summer about our mudroom - that I love how clear it is of STUFF. Winter is just a cluster**** of down coats and ginormous boots and I am soooooo glad to not have that all tossed in a pile by the front door like our old house, but I still like it best when the mudroom is clear of it all. The irony.
ReplyDeleteI know! Amen to all that. Is it too much to ask to have a clean mudroom?! Can't people line their shoes up neatly & not bring their coats over?!
DeleteI love this room so so much. One of my only non-negotiobles when we were planning our house plan was a mudroom with plenty of storage for all the stuff you have to have in the winter (and summer, for that matter). Yours is just beautiful and is such an inspiration to me.
ReplyDeleteThank you, friend! I never really cared for board & batten until I saw all the gorgeous moulding & millwork in your 2nd house. So I think I owe it all to you & R. I should've named my firstborn after y'all (Kimyan?)
Deletexoxo
Your mudroom is gorgeous! I just adore your style! And I love that you bought yourself flowers--I think the same thing about my hubby--why would you waste money on flowers...are you kidding that you never buy me flowers?! I want my cake and to eat it too. Obviously. Your chalkboard cracked me up!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes we just have to take matters into our own hands. Why can't we have it all?!? ;-) Thank you kindly for your sweet words & encouragement, gal!
DeleteLove your black coat hooks...where did you find?
ReplyDeleteThank you! They're from a local Boulder hardware store called McGuckin & I think are only sold in-store :-(
DeleteI just wanted to pipe up and tell you that I LOVE your front door and when we make our way to updating ours, I will likely be copy-cating you! Beautiful mudroom! (I am jealous!)
ReplyDeleteThank you!! We're very happy with it! Hope you love it, too :-)
Deletecome on. stop it. how did you make it even cuter?
ReplyDeleteYou stop! And you're cuter ;-)
Deletexoxo
loved everything! you've got great style as well :D ...and clutter gets me super antsy to where i'm queasy too.
ReplyDeleteWhy, thank you so much! Clutter phobic people unite :-)
DeleteIt has been a bit since I've been able to check in on your blog - wow, this turned out fabulous! Congratulations on such a nice utility space. What about some vintage wire baskets for holding shoes? Or boot trays? We use copper ones (super snowy Japanese winters, like 200+ inches!) and they work so nicely.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I love love love your mudroom. The board and batten, planked ceiling, tile floor, and that built in bench, all so gorgeous!!!
ReplyDeleteDo you remember where you got your mail holder? I have been searching for something like that. Love it!
ReplyDeleteThe mail holder was from Target! They might still carry it! :-)
DeleteHi! Love your mud room!! Do you know what type of wood your bench is? Thank you! ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! It's 2 maple slabs we pieced together from Home Depot. Hope this helps!
DeleteXoxo
Thanks so much! It's 2 maple slabs we pieced together from Home Depot. Hope this helps!
DeleteXoxo
Hi! beautiful room,you have amazing taste,love the floor, what tile is that?
ReplyDeleteHi!
DeleteThank you! More info on the mudroom tiles in this post:
http://freckleschick.blogspot.com/2014/01/mini-mudroom-tiled-benched.html
xo
Hello – In process of a similar mudroom (I think we are style-sisters!) :) I love the color of the wood – do you remember what you used to stain it? Any tips appreciated - to the finishing stages (so close!)
ReplyDeleteHi there!
DeleteHere's more info on the bench stain, etc in this post:
http://freckleschick.blogspot.com/2014/01/mini-mudroom-tiled-benched.html
Best wishes with your mudroom, so exciting! Feel free to email me if you have any specific questions :-)
xo
Absolutely LOVE this! Could you tell me what size your tile is? Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!! The tile is 6x24 plank tiles from Lowes (couple years ago). More info in this post:
Deletehttp://freckleschick.blogspot.com/2014/01/mini-mudroom-tiled-benched.html
Hope this helps :-)
Hey lady! I was looking at stains on mudroom benches on Pinterest and look where I ended up. I couldn't love your entry enough and have total mudroom envy. Ours is this quirky little room added into our garage by the last owner and although I LOVE it, it's not the prettiest so I'm gussying up the girl a bit. Love all the choices you made in here! And your chalkboard cracked me up. Love you, always keeping this crazy social media world real!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't see any of your pictures 🙁 it says that "3rd party hosting has been temporarily disabled." Do I need to download something to see them?
ReplyDeleteHi Beth,
DeleteI'm sorry the photos on my older posts aren't showing up! It happened to all of the longtime bloggers who used Photobucket to host their photos; Photobucket changed their system over to a ridiculously priced option to host blog photos & we didn't have a choice before they made our photos unviewable.
Is there something specific you're looking for? Also, most of my mudroom photos can be viewed here on Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=mini%20mudroom%20freckles%20chick&rs=typed&term_meta[]=mini%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=mudroom%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=freckles%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=chick%7Ctyped
Hope this helps!