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.