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DESIGN TRENDS: The Winter-Ready Mudroom

November 2, 2017
Custom Mudroom

Custom Mudroom

In snowy locales, a hard-working mudroom is a must have for keeping salt, slush, and wet gear at bay. For our homeowners in this snowy part of the country, being winter-ready means owning a variety of outerwear and boots to handle the fluctuations of the season – which can go from sub-zero temperatures to thaw conditions seemingly overnight. A well-designed mudroom gives homeowners a place to quickly grab the right coat or boot option to match the weather conditions. Living in the Chicago area you might need a full-length down parka one day and a light jacket the next, so most people have a pretty extensive outerwear wardrobe. Lots of hooks in a mudroom entry so homeowners can have the coats and jackets they wear most in sight and in easy reach is necessary. CL Design-Build also adds a closet for coats that aren’t in the regular rotation, but what’s nice is they’re all still in one place so you can quickly look at all your options.

It also nice to have plenty of mudroom storage for winter outerwear is equally valuable in the off-season. Once it warms up, homeowners appreciate having a place to store their collection of cold-weather coats, footwear and accessories until they’re needed the next year. That’s why we design our mudrooms with extra storage, including a large closet where bulky winter gear can be packed away to make room for in-season items. While we design our homes and mudrooms to fit the lifestyle of our clients, most of our Mudrooms are complete with individual cubbies as well as large closets. The mudroom ensures every hat, glove, flip flop and rain coat has a place no matter what the season. One of the greatest benefits of the mudroom for Midwesterners is the buffer zone, which is created from the outside world during winter weather. This space helps keep the main floors clean from what residents and their pets track in.

With a well-placed mudroom, all of the slush, dirt and salt associated with snowy and wet weather stays in the mudroom, as opposed to being tracked throughout the house. This creates a space great for dropping off wet boots or collecting kids’ snow pants, and wiping pets’ paws after they’ve been out in the snow or mud. Another great option to consider is a heated floor, which helps warm those cold, wet boots.

Of course there are so many options to personalize the designated mudroom space in our homes, and our expert designers are on hand to make sure the room meets the buyer’s specific needs and wants – from doggie zones to wet-clothes-only areas. During a snowy winter, boots, snow pants, hats, and gloves can become a daily uniform, and a mudroom serves the important purpose of “drop zone” for all extra outerwear. Nearly all of our homes feature an oversized mudroom off the garage, with plenty of space for individual cubbies for each member of the household, as well as bins and hooks to help with organization.

“As a mom, I know how difficult it can be to keep track of everything when kids are hauling snow gear to and from school every day for outdoor recess, or simply getting themselves ready to play in the snow,” says Cheryl Lee, president of CL Design-Build. “It’s a huge help to have a designated place for all that gear to be stowed and organized when everyone arrives home from school or comes in from outside, so you’re not running around looking for that misplaced glove or mitten before leaving the house the next day.”

Thinking about building your next home?  Go to www.CLDesignBuild.com to get some ideas or email us at [email protected] to set up a complimentary meeting to discuss your ideas for your custom home.


While Bob and I have worked with CL Design Build, the experience has been positive, professional, and one we would pursue again. Our dream home was creatively designed balancing practicality and cost. Cheryl’s attention to detail will make our home a focal point of the neighborhood. Thanks to all at CL Design Build!

~ Bob and Ann Elwood

We met with 5 different local builders when we started this custom build adventure. Cheryl Lee, hands down, left the best impression. She was knowledgeable, open to and interested in our ideas. They were always timely and attentive to any and all questions that we had and patient and informative when we were chewing over a decision. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience than working with the CL Design-Build team! Danielle Brown

~ Danielle Brown

We enjoyed working with CL Design Build to build our 100% custom dream home. Starting with a blank piece of paper, we were able to build our home from bottom to top using our own ideas and concepts. We are really enjoying our home today.

~ Doug and Cinda Coyne

That teamwork between Brad and Cheryl ensured that we received the best that is available. There is a trust and bond between CL Design-Build and their clients that gave us peace of mind. The numerous compliments that we receive on our beautiful home are tremendous!

~ Richard and Kristine Christie