Read the full feature story in the January/February 2026 issue.
The best mudrooms streamline your daily routine. They offer dedicated storage solutions for placing outerwear, shoes, and accessories, all of which you can grab on the go or securely deposit after a long day. Furry friends even make their way in via dog showers and grooming stations, perfect for pampering your pooch and keeping dirt out of your home. Whatever your needs, a mudroom reflects — and impacts — how you live.
“Ample storage is the biggest consideration,” says John Diekhoff, part-owner of Popham Construction. Landing zones for backpacks and cubbies tall enough for hanging jackets are two go-to design choices. “The best cubbies also feature space above for winter hats and gloves,” he says. Ideally, below the cubbies, there are footlockers for rain boots, work boots, and winter shoes.
Speaking of shoes, Diekhoff says mudrooms also should have a bench for easy changing. If you are switching out house slippers or sandals for outer footwear like hiking shoes, designate a place to sit down and simply make the swap without any hassle.
Recent design trends feature a combination mudroom/laundry room. In these, the floor-to-ceiling cubbies typically are converted into shelves to hold laundry essentials. To further optimize your laundry needs, Diekhoff recommends adding a large basin for pre-soaking laundry, cabinets for steaming clothes, an ironing station, or pull-out drying systems.
Back to the dog showers. “I actually try to push these,” Diekhoff says. Showers come with a handheld shower head and are elevated so you don’t have to lean over as you would bathing your pup in a bathtub.
Most important is keeping the inevitable water that sneaks in at bay. “Regardless of whatever you use your mudroom for, I always encourage clients to choose tile or luxury vinyl flooring for their water resistance capabilities,” Diekhoff says. Avoid wood or wood-engineered flooring because they do not hold up to the elements. “But you can use wood in your cabinets and cubbies — many homeowners today prefer painted wood cabinets — but that is the preference of the homeowner,” Diekhoff says. “There is no right or wrong answer here.”
Keep Mess At Bay
Newburgh residents Jeff and Misty Bosse included pull-out stairs in their mudroom so their French bulldogs, Norm and Lulu, can easily trot up to the sink for a bath. “It’s a great concept,” Misty says. (Read more about their award-winning home.)
