The Renovation - Mudroom Reveal

Wow, so it's been a while since I've posted a blog and I think I've almost forgotten how to do it! :)  This year has certainly been a whirlwind, some good, some not so good. However, I'll leave that for another time... I do have a mudroom reveal for you!  

Working on this renovation has give me so many emotions.  Happy, excited, tired (actually exhausted), anxious, sad and most of all determined.  I'm a fairly determined person to begin with and once I have something in my mind I really love to see it come to fruition.  This is no exception.  

In general our house was a dump.  We have (or should I say had) a 1950's rancher (a style of house I actually hate).  Although we're still in the process of turning this rancher into a french country house from the outside, things are completely different inside.  We bought this house from the original owner which is both good and bad.  Good because we know WHO owned the house since the house was built.  Bad because I'm not sure they did much to the house in the almost 70 years they owned it.  And much of what they did for "improvements" were really not improvements at all, but rather awful half  *ss jobs.

The mudroom in the beginning was like an addition to the kitchen that had a second sink, carpeted floor (which they ripped up when the put the house on the market), and just a very odd layout.  Honestly after we closed, came directly to the house and I started a plan with my contractor I had a huge wave of anxiety (which I do not typically get).  WHAT. HAD. WE. DONE...!  Yikes, this was a project like I had never taken on before and there was SO much to do.

One of the reasons I chose to complete the mudroom (and the powder room which I'll blog about next) first is because they are the smallest rooms.  I have also finished both the kids bath and guest bath, which I'll post soon also.  The mudroom was one of the easiest rooms to renovate.  I really didn't change the layout too much other than taking out cabinets and the sink.  Since it's directly off the kitchen and on the way to the powder room which guests will use, I definitely wanted a "pretty" mudroom.  Many people have commented that they could never have a glass paneled door from their kitchen to the mudroom/laundry but I'm sort of a neat freak so it doesn't bother me much.  

Now the pictures here are staged and I don't want you to think my mudroom/laundry looks like this all the time.  That would be crazy.  I am also planning a second phase, adding some artwork and a washer/dryer base.  My husband built one several years ago that we actually left for the new owners and it was awesome.  It will raise up the w/d enough to slide my baskets under it.  In addition it will be nice not to have to bend down to pull the laundry out which tends to hurt my back.  So let's get on with it!

We gutted this room completely.  My husband demo'd the cabinets, sink and that crazy half brick wall.  I designed a wall from the new kitchen to the new mudroom so there would be designated spaces.  My contractor built the wall, created the frame and hung the amazing antique door, relocated plumbing and updated all the electric, and screwed down hardy backer board so I could tile later.  My hubby did a great job with the floor, door and window trim!

The new space.  I've linked and added all products below.

Taking out the cabinets under the sink and creating a wall gave us more space to add cabinets to the new kitchen.  This door is AHmazing.  I loved it when I saw them.  They are actually a pair and the other door goes to our pantry.  The bench is a necessity when you have young kids to hide shoes, boots, hats and whatnot.  This is a large bench perfect to hide all of it!  The hooks are perfect so my kiddos quickly hang up their coats because if you momma's know, kids cannot take the time to hang up their coats with a hanger.  That just takes too long... (la sigh...).  I like to have a place to hang shirts, pants and other delicate items as they come out of the dryer directly because it prevents wrinkles.  I had a ladder in mind and wanted to hang it from the ceiling (crazy right?).  I think it turned out so great and I LOVE the patina on it.  The blue blends so beautifully with the door to the garage and the color of the mudroom.