While you're festooning the house with garlands, don't forget the mudroom. Here's a small spot to hang guests' coats (just a few hooks and a bench) with holiday cheer.
The narrow quarters, which we spied in a back issue of Kinfolk, manage to feel expansive with a few simple furnishings of the right proportions. Here's how to recreate the welcoming look in a tight spot by a front door or on a porch:
Above: Photograph by Parker Fitzgerald.
To create a spot to welcome guests from the cold, all you need are hooks for coats and a comfortable spot to sit while taking off boots. Adding a stack of towels to dry off the dog is optional.
Above: Push a narrow bench against a wall to avoid creating a traffic jam. Measure the width of your entryway; in an ideal world you'll allot 30 inches of open space for struggling out of outerwear. You can order an Andover Bench "by the inch" in custom depths and lengths and heights, and in five finishes (including Maple, as shown). A 15-inch deep Andover Bench that's 45 inches long and 18 inches high, for example, is $749 from Room & Board.
Above: Proportions matter. A peg rail for coats that's roughly the same length as the bench will make the space feel thought out and pulled together. A handmade Vintage Style Pine Coat Rack is available in custom lengths ranging from 9 to 36 inches, at prices from $24.10 to $64.30 from Captains Craftworks via Etsy.
Above: For white walls, pick a paint color from our list of favorites. See 10 Easy Pieces: Architects' White Exterior Paint Picks.
Above: Measure and cut a bough to hang above the bench. Michigan-based Wilson Evergreens delivers via Fed Ex ground shipping three varieties of freshly cut garlands from the state's northern forests. Each garland of Cedar Pine ($46.95), White Pine ($38), or Balsam ($36) is 18 feet long.
Above: Add artwork to make a small space feel like a distinct destination. Frame a vintage family photo or a print inexpensively with a store-bought frame in a standard size. A Walnut 5x7 Box Frame is $49.95 from CB2, and comes with a mat in off-white engineered wood.
Above: Hint at the roaring fire inside, with a firewood log carrier. A Canvas & Leather Log Carrier from Steele Canvas is on sale for $100 at Rejuvenation. For more options, see 10 Easy Pieces: Firewood Log Carriers.
Above: A Boot Box, like this Zinc Boot Tray with Liner, $39.95 from Crate and Barrel, will fit neatly under the bench.
For more ways to add style to a small entry, see:
- 10 Favorites: Entryway Storage Ideas
- 10 Easy Pieces: Sturdy Mudroom Hooks
- DIY: Rolling Boot Tray for a Mini Mudroom
More Stories from Gardenista