Common Mistake To Avoid When Planning and Designing

For more information visit http://designingyourdreamhome.blogspot.com/2009/05/mud-room-mistake-to-avoid.html

 

Door

• direction of door swing
• adequate width of doorway for your needs
• doggy door attached to door
• adequate threshold height so door does not get hung up on floor mat or rug when opened

Floor

• non-slip surface
• water and stain resistant
• color or pattern that does not show every speck of dirt
• grout color that will not get dingy over time
• drain in floor if necessary
• height of actual drain lower than the floor surface

Plumbing

• faucet on the wall with sprayer for cleaning floor if necessary (great for sandy areas, farm/ranches, hunting areas, and rainy climates)
• sink in area for miscellaneous use
• dog bath area
• powder room off of mud room

Electrical outlets

• on shelf or in cubby to charge cell phone
• for automatic dog feeder
• for boot warmer or dryer
• for 5-gallon water dispenser
• for vacuum cleaner
• camera battery
• other items that need charging

Backing

• for support holding coat hooks
• for the built-in cubby holes and shelves to attached to the wall
• for a mirror (nice to have a mirror to take one quick look before you leave the house or to put on lipstick as you go out the door in a hurry)
• for other items that might be mounted on the wall

Lighting

• adequate lighting to see what is in a cubby hole or locker
• specific lighting fixture to use as a night light

Built-ins: lockers/shelves/cabinets/cubby holes/drawers

• correct size for tennis racquet to fit
• correct size for skis to fit
• correct size to hang jackets and coats
• adjustable shelves and cubby shelves
• ridge to keep balls from rolling off
• large enough area for dog bed
• area for cat litter box
• place for pet food and pet equipment
• place for dirty clothes basket
• place for dirty shoes box
• enough shelves, cabinets, and cubby holes to hold all items you plan to store (make a inventory list of what you want to store)
• enough drawers to hold all items you plan to place in a drawer (make a drawer inventory list)
• not enough lockers for all household members (don't forget live-in helpers, elderly relatives)

Hallway or Room

• wide enough for your built-ins to fit
• wide enough for your rug to fit
• wide enough for your door mat to fit
• long enough if you want a to locate a specialty room or powder room off of the mud room
• wide enough if you are adding a piece of furniture such as a bench or chair
• space to place an umbrella stand if you so desire
• a place designated for a bike if you keep your bike or bikes inside

Misc.

• not enough coat hooks for jackets, hats, etc.
• no place to sit down to put on and take off shoes
• not enough space for shoes and boots
• clothes drip area for clothes or umbrellas if you live in a rainy climate or run or bike outside even if it is raining
• drip area for waiters to dry if you are a duck hunter (I have seen a pulley system in a mud room that hoists the waiters up off the floor for drying)