Every house needs a storage room (or a “mud room” as people across the pond call it) – a place to remove muddy coats and boots before crossing the threshold of the main house.
Most of us have a porch, hallway, or laundry room to deal with dripping raincoats, dirty Wellingtons, crying children, and muddy dogs.
But they’re often chaotic spaces filled with scruffy trainers, old newspapers, smelly dog towels, and unidentifiable keys.
That is why it is necessary to make the space you have functional and pleasing to the eye.
KEEP THE MUD OUT: Every house needs a place to get muddy coats and boots off before you step inside the main house.
The basics of boots
Make sure you have a boot brush and jack to brush off the worst of the dirt and remove shoes outside your front or back door.
Check out the reasonably priced cast iron classic from B&Q (£17.99). A doormat is crucial outside to catch the mud before you set foot inside, here’s a farmer’s buy: JVL Boston Scraper Door Mat (£14.99).
hit the ground
The main thing is the flooring, which should be durable and endlessly washable.
Tile flooring in country houses is perfect. Non-slip tiles can be practical and add personality, but why go to the expense when vinyl covers all the bases (from £11 per square metre, B&Q)?
And if money is tight, never underestimate linoleum or rubber flooring, which is even more durable.
If you only have a porch or hallway, rugs are your friend. Buy ‘Stripe 85’ made in Yorkshire from recycled cotton tufts which trap 95% of dirt, dust and mud and are machine washable at 30°C (from £45.99, Hug at Home).
Hang in there: Hallie Monogram Hook, (£16, Anthropologie)
On the walls
If you can, opt for panels as they are easy to clean and insulate a room. The English Paneling Company offers a range of options.
Weatherproof paint is another good option and if there’s a space where soggy coats won’t hang, create a pop of color with wallpaper.
Look at the exquisite Woodstock Meadows from House of Hackney (from £140 for a half-height 2m) and the Aquafleur made in Transylvania by Mind the Gap (£195 for three rolls, Dowsing and Reynolds) which will bring without effort the natural world, while brightening a dull wall or dark corner.
Clever storage
For rooms of handcrafted dream boots, visit howdens.com and artichoke-ltd.com for inspiration.
However, if bespoke joinery is out of the question, consider freestanding furniture like the Hidalgo Hall Tree with coat hooks, bench and shoe storage in one (£184.99, Wayfair).
Buy a bench with storage like the Chedworth Welly Locker (£330, Garden Trading) or the fabulous Chester Dove Gray Monks Bench (£650, Cotswold Company).
And for a splash of color, select The Yellow One Shoe & Boot Bench (from £471, Original Crate Furniture).
Add custom coat hooks with a hat rack, handcrafted in English oak (from £229, Make Me Something Special).
And above, a Scandinavian pine pulley drying rack with cast iron detailing (from £89.99, Pulley Maid).
To take a position
Store muddy boots on rubber stands. The inside out ones are good because they allow kids boots to dry out.
The Home and Gardens Extras Wellington Boot Rack has been designed to hold three pairs of adult Wellington boots on its taller posts, while the shorter posts can be used for walking boots or children’s wellies (47 £.99).
And the gorgeous OKA Isphahan umbrella stand – where you can also store crooks and thumb sticks – adds a classy note (£495).
You can never have too many boot jacks, so why not gift a personalized one to a family member? (£89, makemesomethingspecial.com) and store your shoe cleaning kit in a luxury leather storage box (£125, Life of Riley).
Canine Essentials
The Ruff and Tumble Dog Dryer Mitts (£24.95) should be on hand in every starter room.
The Le Chameau dog bed (available in various sizes) has a scratch-resistant outer shell (£80-£120).
Add details with a beautiful ceramic bowl for your beloved pet from William Morris At Home (£20, John Lewis)
Savings of the week: Artificial plants
Fake Swiss cheese factory costs £39.99 at Wayfair
Houseplants are the easiest way to breathe new life into an interior, but horticulture skills vary.
Some people cannot keep even the toughest plant alive. Others are more skilled “plant parents,” but still like to mix and match the real and the fake to produce luxurious displays of greenery.
Spring sales feature cheap “fake” plants that can barely be distinguished from the genuine item.
In Argos, for example, tall pampas grass in a woven basket has been reduced by a third to £15.
Monstera deliciosa, otherwise known as the Swiss cheese plant, continues to be in vogue.
You can find the fake version at Wayfair for £39.99, down from £42.99 (pictured).
At Marks & Spencer you can save £24.50 on a fake yucca in a blue pot which is now £21. Have fun creating your own inner jungle.
