Monday, January 12, 2015

Mud/Utility Room



There are so many things that we're working on at the house at the moment that it's hard to pick just one (moderately interesting) thing to talk about. We purchased some salvage windows for the mud/utility room this past weekend, so I thought perhaps it was time to show what we've been up to in there.

Here is a photo of the room when we bought the house. It was one large open space with multiple uses - workshop, laundry, storage, etc.

We (I) knew that one thing was for certain - I needed the laundry to have its own room.

Here it is now...

The large space has now been divided into three rooms, with two new rooms to the right (in the new framing). One of the new rooms will be a laundry, while the other will be a workshop for Mike.  

The other side of the space is the largest room of the three and will be the mudroom. At the right of the photo is a cedar-lined closet which we kept intact for hanging coats, and storing hats, mittens and shoes. 

The two windows that you see will be replaced with taller picture windows.


We found the windows for the space at a local architectural salvage store. We're repurposing a double hung window, with each sash serving as one of the two new picture windows. 

Originally, we had planned on replacing the windows with six over six double hung windows to match those on the other side of the existing room. But once the cork walls were demolished, a large support timber was revealed that limited options to lower the bottom elevation of the existing windows. The new picture windows will be one light taller than what's there now, so they will offer more light. 


Here is another before photo of the future mudroom from the other end, looking towards the door that comes from the barn. Now it looks like this...

This will be the most used everyday entrance into the house.

As far as what we'll do with the rest of the space in this room - we'll probably add a nice bench or sofa to sit on while one puts on and takes off shoes. 

Here is the new laundry room. We gave each new room a window so that all of the separate spaces will have natural light coming in. 

The washer and dryer will be stacked and will go where the metal heater is in the photo. A utility sink will go to the left of that, next to the window. 

For finishes, the walls will be painted the same color as the rest of the house. The floors will be simple pine boards that we can get from our local lumber yard. Not sure yet if we'll paint or top coat those with a clear finish. 

Will that day ever come? Hmmm, seems so far off but we are getting there. 


Here's Mr. Handy himself. He absolutely cringes when I ask him to stand still to take a photo but I feel he must be documented as part of the whole process. 

He's working very hard to get us moved in there. 


26 comments:

  1. It is all coming together. How wonderful! What a great laundry room space and mudroom. My mudroom is so small. That's going to be wonderful when the kids are teens and coming in with friends on snowy or rainy days. Perfect to stop mud in it's tracks!
    Mike looks great but I know he hates it. Hee hee
    xoxo
    Lisa

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  2. Sounds fabulous! Especially the attention to natural light. Makes chores so much more pleasant. Have you seen the kid/pet washing stations on Pinterest for laundry rooms? Brilliant notion.

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    1. Hi Viki, I don't think I have but sounds wonderful!

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  3. Yay! I love seeing your pictures! The mud room will be awesome, I wish we had a large area where we can collect coats, shoes, etc. Thanks for sharing with is:)

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  4. Mike appears taller than his door jam??!!!!

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    1. Indeed he is, he is six foot four inches tall so he has to duck quite a bit. There's only one doorway in the main house that he has to duck through, which is a luxury for him. I never think of 'fitting' being only 5 foot 7! Best, Catherine

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  5. Happy New Year! So happy you posted. What a blessing to have so much space and it's great what you are doing with it. Can't wait to see the end result. linda r (phila burbs)

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  6. I can't wait to see the finished area. I love seeing the mudroom and laundry, but I love all you do and I am always happy when I see a new post!!

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  7. It's going to be a wonderful addition to your living life in country style, never can have to much organized storage and to do it right is a dream. Your Mr. handy is a tall guy he need 8 ft entry's and tell him he should pose more often it suits him, not only handy but good looking.
    Well I am getting excited to see the finished project and all the design around it.
    See you soon, I have added you to my side bar of inspiration.

    Xx
    Dore

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    1. I try and capture him as much as possible but unfortunately, his expression of pure and utter misery. He is the hardest person I've ever had to photograph!

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  8. Have you seen the dryer vent boxes that contain the dryer hose? They allow the dryer to fit flush to the wall without smashing the hose. They were probably around during your last reno but are new to me. Just an FYI in case you missed them. Looks like y'all are making progress whoopee!

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    1. I will have to pass this on the handy man, sounds like a great improvement!

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  9. Oh, I'm so envious of a whole room devoted to laundry! And a decent-sized mudroom. And I'm sure my husband would be envious of having a workshop too. It must be nice to have a large home with space. Even though I love our little bungalow, living in such a small space is challenging. I look forward to seeing more progress, Catherine. Love the before & after shots!
    Claudia

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  10. When you say "barn" are you meaning garage? Looks lovely.

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    1. Yes, originally a barn for livestock, but in this modern day, is now a garage (for cars, etc.). Best, Catherine

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  11. You have the sweetest family...so excited to see all of your ideas come together in this new old house! Thank you for sharing it.

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  12. Having a beautiful light filled space for working is the best…can't wait to see more!

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  13. I don't know if I asked this before so if I did, forgive me. Was this house used previously for some purpose other than residential? Some of the spaces you've shown like the kitchen and this area have a vibe like it was a Moose lodge or VFW or something. And do you know how old the house is? It looks like post and beam which should make it earlier than 1840s I would guess.

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    1. Hi Steve, From what I've learned from the locals, it has been a residential home from the start. There is a great deal of history in the area in regards to ship building, so probably began as a sea captain's home. MLS listing said 1824 I think but our historic renovation contractor and others, think it's older than that. When the dust settles, I'd like to do more research on the house, it will be wonderful to learn more about it. That's one of the things I love about an old house, it's amazing history. xoCatherine

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  14. It's going to be the perfect house for your family. I cannot wait to see the completion. Will it be featured in Country Living?

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  15. Wow, you guys are going to town! It is going to be so nice! Since you buy older homes have you ever had to worry about mold? Actually our house is only 14 y.o. and we are dealing with mold in the attic. : - ((((

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    1. It was in the inspection list of things to look for and thankfully, no mold. Good luck, I'm sure there's so many ways in which one can remove it these days. Best, Catherine

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  16. Very nice! I even liked the before pictures. I can't wait to see the finished rooms! Great job Mr. Handy!
    Blessings,
    Julie

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  17. Knowing the two of you, this space will be both practical and pretty. Looking forward to what the new year will bring. Wishing you both, peace, patience, strong hands, and a soft place for the four of you to land!

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  18. Looks like the renovations are coming along beautifully. Best of luck.

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Thank you for leaving your thoughts. Kind regards, Catherine