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Best Mudroom

Haden Long of Ellecor was able to turn a cold, cramped, utilitarian space into a warm, inviting and useful one. This family now has a mudroom that feels just as much a part of the home as any other.

By Briley Rakow

Sep 2020

417 Home Design Awards 2020 Winner of Best Mudroom by Ellecor Springfield MO

Photo by Jeremy Mason McGraw, Global Image Creations and Colby KernWhat could be a bland mudroom where the homeowners throw dirty clothes and store shoes was transformed into a little extension of their home, with a welcoming look that doesn't skimp on utility.

WINNING DESIGNER: Haden Long, Ellecor

PROJECT GOAL: The owners wanted the limited space of their small laundry room to have as much utility as possible. It was also important for the room to reflect the aesthetic of the rest of their home, as well as serve as some extra storage space.

Making the most of limited space can be a challenge, but with a few innovative ideas, Haden Long of Ellecor added storage and style to a small laundry room. “She had several specifics,” Long says of the property’s owner. “She wanted to stack the washer and dryer, which was nice because that gave us a little more room [...] we went off colors that she likes to pick out the tile and the backsplash, and we did the woodgrain on the back of the mudroom just to give it a little more character and durability on that wall.”

Long used the opportunity to add an especially useful hatch next to where the washer and dryer would stack, leading directly into the bedroom closet so that clothes could just be dropped through. Open cubbies and a mudroom bench were added, and Long had the idea to replace one of the walls with a sliding door. “It was mostly to save space,” Long says. “We didn’t want to have that door swinging out into the hallway, and we didn’t want it swinging into the laundry room. It would just take up space no matter where it was.” The frosted glass that takes up most of the door was added because of a similar design in the home’s pantry, creating a consistency in the interior decor. “We remodeled the kitchen for her the year before, so we used the teal color that we did in the kitchen and carried it back to the laundry room.”

Photos by Jeremy Mason McGraw, Global Image Creations and Colby KernHaden Long was able to increase the storage space in the room with smart design.

Photos by Jeremy Mason McGraw, Global Image Creations and Colby KernWith space tight, Haden Long had the idea of using a sliding door to keep the door from having to swing out into the hallway or into the mudroom.

The frosted glass sliding door and the cool teal color add a sense of space, while the patterned tiles on the floor provide a way to draw the eye away from any dirt or mess dragged in from outside, according to Long. Accentuating the sense of space even more is the unique, block-shaped lantern surrounding the light hanging from the ceiling. Casting distinct, sharply angled shadows across the ceiling effectively makes it appear much higher than it is, which was unintentional, according to Long. “That was just a happy accident,” Long says. “Her husband is tall, so we had to be particular about how far down it hung for him not to be hitting his head on it. When we were mounting it up there it really cast that shadow up on the ceiling, which adds a little bit more fun to the room.”

With some smaller pieces of decor from around the home added to the laundry room, Long transformed what would be a cramped, cold and utilitarian spare room into something functional and stylish.

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