20+ Tips to Make Your Mudroom Functional and Fabulous!

Get 20+ tips to make your mudroom functional and fabulous with hardwearing materials, smart organization solutions, easy decorating ideas and renovation tricks! Whether your mudroom is big or small, country or city, brimming with storage or hard-pressed to fit it all in, this video is jam packed with designer advice to help you make the most of your mudroom!
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About Sarah Richardson's Design Life
You love interior design, right? Me too!! I’m always renovating, building and designing lots of projects all at once, and now I’m sharing them with you in my Design Life video series exclusively on KZbin. It’s REAL LIFE, REAL DESIGN - a fresh, as-it-happens series that you can watch ANY TIME, from ANYWHERE in the world. So be a part of the action as it all unfolds and like, comment and come back for more awesome new design videos. SUBSCRIBE to my KZbin channel so you don't miss a thing!
About Sarah Richardson
An award-winning designer and television personality, Sarah Richardson is the host and co-producer of nine HGTV lifestyle series seen in over 100 countries. Sarah’s practical and inspiring approach to design teaches viewers how to turn ordinary spaces into magazine-worthy rooms! Pick up for her bestselling books: Sarah Style, At Home Sarah Style, and the Collected series, volumes 1-3.

[@MSusanna1959]

love that the chickens walk right into the house!

[@ExperimentsOfThought]

How long has it been since Sarah’s house season 3?! I STILL to this day dream of that mud room kitchen and dining room. Never new I liked white, yellow and red so much until this show.

[@khurddesign]

Minister of Exteriors’ dad jokes and chickens 😂 Love the humor he adds. And as always, beautiful designs by Sarah. ☺️

[@Mlinzon]

That chicken slipping on the shiny wooden floor and making a quick retreat to the tiled floor, well that just got me laughing. So Sarah now you need to design a wallpaper for mud rooms called Chicken Scratch! I love all your videos.

[@joannfagen4457]

Sarah, you definitely are blessed with the “creative gene.” Love your thought process, and wish I had some of it, but Your videos fill in the gap.

[@themoonlitfrog]

I had to laugh when you thought the red doors had a silly paint name, but in fact it's a pretty accurate description. Burnt Peanuts are a delicious candy coated peanut and they were one of my favorite treats when I would visit my mother's family in Quebec! Look them up, you'll have a good laugh at the very least!

[@sandiwalker761]

We have them in US , too. They were one of my favorite candies growing up. Sandi

[@juliettetuttobene9260]

Sarah, You are an excellent teacher. I have so much to take away and I just want to say thank you for all you do! Don't stop! 👍☺️

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Thank you so much Juliette! I greatly appreciate the wonderful compliment! 😊 I'm very happy to hear I've inspired you! Don't worry - I have no plans of stopping! 😊

[@user-rq5qz9di1m]

Love your shows! The red paint on your mud room doors is a nod to French Burnt Peanut candy! One of my favorite candy peanuts. Not to be confused with Boston Baked Beans, which are smooth coated and a deeper red. The Burnt Peanuts are bumpy. Google it! I'm old, so I remember that candy.

[@annemarievanstone1734]

Now if only I had a mudroom for all the clutter. Next house. Great tips, definitely going to bookmark this

[@dianagilbert8690]

I am so with you, Anne Marie. I have a split level (bi-level) so my entry sucks rocks 😒

[@helendevitt1252]

I've always liked the little cherry red farm-house mud room. Like you makes me smile.

[@jleighblue]

Peanut skins are red! It's actually quite a lovely color!

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Thank you for letting me know! I agree with you, its a wonderful colour!

[@Jaacck45]

A mudroom would be a gift - no go in a UK terrace - oh well great front entry and passage. 🏠

[@dinalander]

LOVE LOVE LOVE learning design from you, just amazing.

[@AMcD73]

I'm your biggest fan Sarah. Every interior design you do is perfection. Season 4 of Sarah's House main bathroom looks like heaven. And the huge artwork in the foyer=Brilliant!!

[@Traci_Carlson]

I LOVE your older designs the best. They are all so bright, cheery and happy. ❤️❤️. Not a fan of the current gray looks. Too dreary for my taste. I’m ready for the warmer colors to come back again.

[@janetwhite9046]

Sarah Richardson, thank you so much for injecting my life with your love for home.

[@lisatague305]

Love the blue quartz flooring . You always make things look easy!

[@awalker5195]

Sarah's House 3 is my absolute fav!

[@deirdrecerasa3932]

The Season 3 mudroom has LwYs been my favorite! So happy to see it again!

[@SueV123]

Sarah is the "Queen of Mud Rooms!" ...all are so beautiful and uniquely different. Luv them all.😊💗

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Thank you Snoozy! Im so happy you loved the episode! Which mudroom was your favourite though? Please let me know!

[@SueV123]

@@SarahRichardsonDsgn so hard to pick one! The barn board one sticks out as a favorite. ( but the Scandanavian styled one was a close second!)

[@marlanebraun5635]

so glad he asked about "slipperyosity". that always concerned me...thanks for your answer.

[@jennibunny5719]

I laughed out loud when that hen slipped and turned around quickly 😂

[@marlanebraun5635]

@@jennibunny5719 poor little henny penny! it was cute.

[@c.wright3750]

I love the house that you put barn wood in the mud room.

[@2Sugarbears]

I just love your style.

[@sandrakayhayes5776]

I saw this when you first did it and I too still love it!! Have been a fan since Room Service along with my daughter who has Down Syndrome, love everything you do!! Have love seeing you all these years, and your family is fabulous also!!! Keep going, you're amazing!!!

[@michellelucarelli8899]

I’m rewatching these episodes while not so patiently waiting for your next episode! All of these mud rooms are gorgeous. It makes me want an episode on Laundry Rooms 🧺 I’m tackling mine in a few weeks and I rewatch these episodes trying to soak up all the fabulous SR ideas!!

[@paigerosner8574]

Thanks, this is great inspiration! Love the tips on door colour!

[@mariawilding1221]

Thank you for all the helpful information Sarah! Love all these spaces.

[@susieqmartin2746]

As always your Awesome love the painted doors!

[@terrytt2932]

this gave me soooo much inspiration. My mud room is also my laundry room that the previous owner used as a sewing/quilting room. It simply didn't work for me for that even as a quilter, not the right light. I now have at least the slightest inkling on how to make it super cool and functional. THANKS so very much!!!

[@deettekearns9092]

My favorite mudroom was in Sarah's House 1. The khaki or as Sarah called it, "the color of dirt," was just divine.

[@laureneharrison8897]

Perfect timing....I’m working on my mud room right now! Thanks for the great tips 👍🏻😀

[@valeriej291]

Such great content and tips! Materials education is super helpful. Thank you 😊

[@tommyetaylor]

Thank you, like all the idles

[@Calgary27]

Loved this!! Really appreciate the format, to work in our place, we can adapt an idea or two - definitely got the creative juices going ❤️🇨🇦❤️

[@graceclermont2592]

Excellent ideas love them all thank you so much.💞 for sharing

[@bhudd154]

You are such a breath of fresh air, no matter the weather! Wonderful tips and ideas......loved the added features of Daisy and the chickens! They match everything! 😊

[@nadiajan7535]

Great 💡 ideas for mudroom

[@amywright2243]

The colors are so refreshing! And great tip about the flat kilim rug!

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Thank you Amy! I'm so glad you enjoyed the episode! I've got a lot more great tips on the way so please stay tuned!

[@DarrinsDaffs]

Having my AM bev with Sarah is THE best way to start my Saturday!!☕️☕️☕️ When you have the option of installing the floor, do you ever include under floor heating? A floor covering is certainly pretty and can bring a room together, but a bear to clean! I'd opt for nothing or an indoor/outdoor rug that can be hosed off or tossed ... LOL Burnt Peanut is a winner!!!

[@jot4336]

Still not sure, yes chickens in the house? No? Maybe 🐔 I love the colored doors look. I think once I finally paint my cabinets, I'm going to paint the interior side of the entry door the same color which is a very pale blue💕❤

[@TheBookofanswers]

😍🙌👏 Absolutely love every room you touch. I need you're help renovating my home 🏘️ I think with both of our incredible designer eyes working together would create an absolute work of art. You are my favorite Canadian designer🇨🇦❣️

[@michaelratcliffe7559]

For me, the perfect mudroom would certainly be attached to and provide entry to the home, but would not actually be a part of the decorated home. As you like to put it so practically it’s a.”Mud” room that is going to find itself abused by muddy boots and shoes and sports equipment for all seasons and a lot of wet muck that will eventually become various grades of sandy grit are going to get on practically every surface below the shins and possibly higher if it happens to also be on children’s hands. My mudroom would be a waterproof space best if it was just made out of highly durable plastic something something like that that could be moulded and shaped into walls and floors and benches and cabinets for holding clothing and footwear when it needs to be tucked away that would all slope down to central drain. Included in the mudroom there would be hot and cold running water on a wall attached to an outlet where a hose of necessary length could be attached and when it came time to clean the mudroom, everything could be banged and beaten, and have the most of the crap on. It knocked off, stored away in the cupboards and then the room totally hosed down and everything cleaned way down that central drain. Tap turned off fan turned on, room allowed to dry and then carry on until the end of the week or the end of the month when you decide it’s time to hose it all down again. I see absolutely no reason why anyone would spend any kind of money trying to decorate a mud room to try to incorporate its look and design into the rest of the home that you have spent a lot of money on and are trying to keep free from all that crap that gets captured in a mudroom. Mudroom is a mudroom. Make it a mudroom make it simple to clean, close the door and forget it’s there and until you have to come in or out again. That would be a dream mudroom for me. I don’t have that, but what I do have is a garage level entry into my home and I keep all my crap and my dogs crap out there. And I can tell you I’m not decorating my garage. It’s a garage. Other than that, you are definitely definitely my all-time favourite decorator. I love watching your shows. I love how you take such a practical approach to creating a great design yet keeping the cost down by mixing and matching costly design elements with less costly ones, especially those that recycle or cycle. I have not watched 100% of what you’ve done, but I have certainly followed you since the early days of your career and I’ve watched most of what you’ve done and I could always live with any of it and know that I would be very, very happy mudroom aside your fab.

[@clairecar9390]

Those spaces are all so pretty. My little entryway now houses hooks for fabric face masks and a basket with the paper ones. Also an easy to use hand sanitizer in a pretty hand soap pump as well as sanitizer wipes. 😔 Hopefully it won’t be this way for much longer. 🤞🏻

[@sarahmarti141]

Gorgeous rooms

[@cindymusselman5084]

Love your jacket and sweater!

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Thank you so much Cindy! That was very kind!

[@JacquiGiesbrecht]

I love all of these mudroom spaces! I'm always trying to figure out a better more functional way to organize our entrance/mudroom on a budget. Colour revamp might be in order soon!

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Hey Jacqui! Adding some new colour to a space ALWAYS makes the space feel brand new again! I would highly recommend it!

[@tinalynch3260]

Another fantastic informative video.. you always give us a plethora of great ideas and information.. so happy I found your channel .. love the mud rooms 😊

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Thank you Tina! I'm happy you found the video informative! Welcome to the channel Tina! There's more on the way so please stay tuned! 🤗

[@anajackson5390]

I love the chickens they adorable

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

They can be a real handful Ana but I agree! 🐓🐓🐓

[@scaredofmice8658]

Beautiful as always thanks

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Thank you so much 🤗 I hope you enjoyed the episode! There's more on the way!

[@doanetriggs6254]

Outstanding instruction and wonderful to see your clever and striking implementation! Your talent never ceases to amaze.

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Thank you very much Doane 😊! You're very kind! What was your favourite tip from this episode? I hope you stay tuned as I've got a ton more content on the way!

[@alexispacey2864]

Excellent post, showing a variety of materials, colours and styles.

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Thank you Alexis! If you ever want to find a particular tip from one of the mudrooms feel free to check out my website! you can find all those tips here: sarahrichardsondesign.com/get-inspired/tips/2021/02/12/functional-fabulous-mudroom-ideas

[@amywiseman3246]

SÖ SÖ SÖ inspiring!! Love how YOU do colour!! Would love have you design our 2bedroom apt reno in our shop for a ‘grannie’ suite😉

[@FGIII83]

Awesome!!! Regards from Chile!

[@mihailpolkanov3607]

Good aftenoon Sarah , great furniture modernization and beautiful decor , what about cleanliness in your home - it's up to you , to keep the surfaces in your home clean or not , good health to you Sarah and your family .

[@placruise]

Virginia Red skin peanuts??? lol love these tips!!

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

I'm glad you enjoyed the episode Paulette! 😊 If you ever wanted to go back and get those tips again please check out the article for this episode on my website! sarahrichardsondesign.com/get-inspired/tips/2021/02/12/functional-fabulous-mudroom-ideas

[@juliewhite820]

Sarah, when will we see more episodes on the Alpine Farmhouse? Can't wait to see it done!!

[@KadilakHomes]

Amazing ideas! Love the chickens🤣

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Thank you! 😊 We love them too! 🐓🐓🐓🐓

[@themagicalherbvegetablegar9077]

Beautiful. And I love your chickens lol

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Thank you so much! We love the chickens too! 🐓😊

[@suemount6042]

There are times I wish houses in the uk had mud rooms and laundry rooms most houses here just have entryways

[@kathryngalajda3553]

One thing I hate is a mudroom/laundry room combo. Makes no sense to me so we’ve moved our laundry away from the garage entrance in two houses we built. Gotta make it work for our lifestyle. People think we are crazy but it’s our house and not reselling for many years. Loved the inspiration maybe we’ll add some more colour.

[@WellMyDogsLoveMe]

Do you have a good resource on balance & sizing of living room furniture? Or, will you go more in depth on these subjects?

[@GW-tw8gd]

Love the red doors and the curtians! What is the curtain fabric in that mudroom.

[@lindaortolano7837]

Hey Sarah! Great ideas! Definitely going to use the double door idea!! Also, could you please tell me what breed of dog Daisy is? She is so cute!! Thank you and have a great day! :)

[@StephanieJarman]

the chickens cracked me up :)!

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Oh the chickens 🐔! They crack me up too! Was that an "egg" pun though Stephanie? 😉

[@StephanieJarman]

@@SarahRichardsonDsgn Yes Sarah, it is!

[@patriciaswart8537]

I wish I had a place for a mud room. I have a basement garage. Maybe there ?

[@dougwilhelm850]

Sarah, Love the episode on mudrooms, very informative. In the last section, can you comment on the manufacturer of the grey chair? Love the look and would like to find the chair. Thank you.

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Hey Doug! I'm glad you loved the episode, thanks for watching! I assume you mean the chair thats behind me? The chair itself comes from www.elleandeve.ca/ and the fabric was from www.tonicliving.ca/.

[@anamahler2896]

I remember that episode, you add a half bathroom too.

[@monicamalone6445]

Beautiful hardworking rooms! Question about the dark doors or color doors … In the case of the red doors, aqua, or beautiful blue … which doors or how many to paint in that color? Exterior doors, inside and outside, in a beautiful cranberry or deep blue: no problem. If you have 8 interior doors, in addition to the exterior doors, all on the main floor, do you paint them all? How much is too much? Better to just do all the doors in the whole house the same?

[@carmenparsons5744]

Well if feel better now that I'm not the only one who loves mudrooms! I took my laundry room out and made it a walk in mudroom for by large family and my winter coat collection! lol But now I have 3 large boys to men and we need to redo the room from kid storage to adult storage! Any suggestions on it?

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

Hey Carmen 😊 How can someone NOT love mudrooms?! I would love to help out with your mudroom however I really would need to see it before I can really comment. If you're able, increasing the storage space always helps! There are a ton of great tips here in this article that I'm sure will be a great help! sarahrichardsondesign.com/get-inspired/tips/2021/02/12/functional-fabulous-mudroom-ideas

[@caroline-brisbane8577]

💕

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

🤗🤗🤗

[@caroline-brisbane8577]

@@SarahRichardsonDsgn in Brisbane Australia we don't have Mud rooms. But love all that you do

[@mamajoe1239]

It looks great but the shelves are so high and you would have to use a stool to get down baskets and go through everything in the basket to get what you need .

[@paigerosner8574]

Any tips on flooring for a mud room that is unheated? Existing flooring is cement pad with peel and stick tiles, but they peel up in places in the winter for obvious reasons (Canadian cold). Actually, my front porch mud room is also unheated but with wood floors. Either way, good flooring for unheated spaces?

[@janemontgomery7571]

We used frost proof tile, it’s hard fired. Used it in an entry from a garage.

[@DarrinsDaffs]

Our house is also on a slab. When we renovated the master bath, we installed under floor heating and then tile over it. It is heaven! and not expensive....

[@paigerosner8574]

Rad, thanks! I’ll have to look into frost proof tile!

[@s7johnso]

What do you think of a durable LVP flooring in the mud room?

[@merrywalsh2809]

We have it throughout our house. It is a beautiful designer chosen, matte hickory look with a very subtle scraped surface, key word subtle. It looks so good & is worry free.

[@valeryahyrne3016]

What was the tile pattern? A carpet pattern?

[@ritahealy6757]

How do you keep the grout in the mudroom clean? Grout is evil.

[@juliewhite820]

It is evil!! I used a product from Home Depot called Polyblend Grout Renew. It's a grout stain & sealer in one. Basically they have a bunch of colors & you can make any grout any color you choose by applying this product. Mop water had stained my white grout, so I used the white Grout Renew & my grout looked brand new. It cleans so easy with this product on & I've only had to reapply it once about 5 years after the first application.

[@ritahealy6757]

@@juliewhite820 Thank you

[@ritahealy6757]

Thank you

[@cbboyle5117]

The skin of canned Spanish peanuts is red!

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

I had no idea! Maybe that's where the name comes from? 🤔 Thanks for the info!

[@cbboyle5117]

@@SarahRichardsonDsgn regardless of where the name originated, that’s a beautiful color!

[@Gigi-fv9ky]

Your spaces are always wonderful. My mudroom is also the laundry, incl sink. It's a teeny, tiny narrow rectangle , with door to garage and door to kitchen opposite each other on one end, sink in the middle and washer and dryer on the other end, with cabinets above them that I can't reach. Somehow I would like to add shelving to store cases of cat food, a place for boxes of cat litter, a place to store broom, mop, bucket, and vacuum because there's no closet for those things, either. Would be important to find an adequate place for the cat litter box itself because you definitely don't want to know where it is now, lol. A place to put unwashed laundry and sit grocery bags as they are brought in would also be a bonus, but that's out of the question. It feels hopeless and the area is always a disaster.

[@shannonstark8837]

What if your small mudroom is also your laundry room?

[@tiwantiwaabibiman2603]

I'm siding with the Minister of Finance on letting the chickens in the mudroom/kitchen!!! The chickens are actually "blessing" your house and - and they will be more relaxed when they can get a feel for and peep at where their eggs (and eventually) some of them will end up. Just sayin... LOL! Our long horn steer were always trying to get into our house when we lived on our farm years ago. The funniest/weirdest thing to see. Thank goodness their horns were too wide to get through to doors. So chickens in the mudroom/kitchen is quite apropos and funny! Way to go Min of Finance! LOL!!!

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

A Long horn steer!? My goodness! The chickens can sometimes be a little troublesome but I can't imagine dealing with a steer trying to get in! Thank you for sharing your story! By the way it's the minister of exteriors, not finance 😊

[@tiwantiwaabibiman2603]

@@SarahRichardsonDsgn DOINK!!!!! I knew that... : / I've been working on budgets for grant applications so much I didn't even realize I wrote "finance" instead of Exteriors. Of course that makes more sense that the Minister of Exteriors has chickens in the mudroom! LOL!

[@suecooper9262]

Just realised that Peanut skins are Red when raw!

[@SarahRichardsonDsgn]

That's right Sue! You wouldn't think it but it's true!

[@jekku4688]

Sarah. Those ARE NOT MUDROOMS. Those are fancy schmancy oh so too neat & tidy, totally glammy, "don't you dare add a spot mud in here!" rooms! I mean, who would WANT to mess those rooms up when they all look SO dang gorgeous??? Cute cute cute!

[@jessicacanigiani9624]

Am I crazy or is the deep male voice at the beginning new? 🤣

[@nanabusterd]

Marble floors aren’t affordable for your average young family.

[@denisedonlon1496]

Some really good ideas. But where is Tommy? Why doesn't anybody speak and tell me after all the years you were with him where is Tommy? Why isn't he hanging with you and being your sidekick. Sorry, I want Tommy over your husband any freaking day. Let's bring back Tommy why isn't he a part of this, talk about them invite him back what's going on?

[@SuperCheeseUs]

TOM Interior Design Studio (won't let me add link, google it)

[@denisedonlon1496]

@@SuperCheeseUs do you know the reason why he's not working with her anymore?

[@sandiwalker761]

Tommy instead of Minister of Exteriors???? No. I like Tommy but pretty sure MOE has seniority and takes precedence.!! Sandi

[@sandiwalker761]

He started his own design business. Sandi

[@juliewhite820]

Sneak Peek Inside Tommy Smythe’s New Home | HOUSEBOUND Ep.8