They say that first impressions last. While they’re definitely referring to people here, this same adage holds true for your home. As the transition from the outside in, your entryway sets the tone for the rest of your home. Whether it’s your main foyer or your rear mudroom, we want to cultivate a welcoming atmosphere and create a lasting impact.

But how do we do this? Especially if one only has a small space to work with. A simple and easy way we can elevate your entryway is through custom cabinetry. A little bit of detail and some organization here and there is a great way to enhance your home’s entryways.

Why Should You Get Custom Entryway & Mudroom Cabinets?

Before we get started with any project, we must first ask ourselves why. Why should we have custom entryway cabinets? It’s certainly not just the looks. Choosing custom cabinets has both aesthetic and functional purpose.

1. Making a Good First Impression

   As we mentioned at the beginning, your home’s entryway is the first thing a guest will see when they enter your home. It sets the tone and expectation of what’s to come with the rest of your spaces.

   Imagine yourself in your guest’s shoes, entering your home for the first time. Does it look warm and inviting? Is there a convenient place to hang your snow-covered coat? What about a spot for muddy boots? Through a few careful design choices, you can make guests feel like you thought about them and make them feel welcome.

2. Matching the Rest of the Home

   Another option for enhancing your space is buying stock cabinetry or individual furniture pieces. While there’s nothing wrong with these, it does have some disadvantages compared to fully customized pieces. Because they’re made to your home’s specifications, bespoke entryway cabinets will always feel more purposeful. It will feel like they’re truly part of your home. Custom work will often fully maximize your available space, both horizontally and vertically. Base trims and crown moldings will perfectly match those found throughout your home. Cabinet finishes will either match or complement already existing ones. These little things will make your entryway cabinets feel unified and cohesive with the rest of your home.

3. Keeping Things Organized

   Of course, we mustn't forget the primary use for cabinets –storage! For a high-traffic area like the entryway, it’s easy for it to look like a hurricane of stuff passed through. It’s often overlooked and quickly becomes a mess if we don’t stay on top of things. The last thing we want to welcome us and our guests into our home is a mess! With a well designed custom cabinet, you can give everything its own place –a landing space for keys, hooks to hang coats, and cubbies to store shoes.

4. Meeting Your Specific Needs

   While certain stock or semi-stock options can help you keep organized, a custom solution will cater to your specific wants and needs. Every family is different, therefore, every family’s storage and organization needs are going to be different. A large family with three kids won’t have the same requirements as a couple who just moved into their first home. Those with small children may appreciate lowered coat hooks and cubbies. Those taking care of elderly parents may want more seating space to easily put on and take off shoes. Is there anyone in your family into sports? Then you’re going to need a dedicated space for equipment like tennis rackets, bicycle helmets, or baseball bats. If you have pets, you’re going to want a dedicated space for all their gear.

Key Considerations for Custom Entryway & Mudroom Cabinets

So you’ve decided to get custom cabinets for your entryway or mudroom. But what should it have? How big should things be? Don’t fret, as we’ve listed a few key considerations for you to ponder over. While reading the following list, think about how you and your family go about their day. Consider everyone’s habits when leaving and coming home, then see which of these items will fit your needs best.

1. Everyday Storage

   For things we use every single day, it’s definitely important to give them a designated location at your entryway. This can be as simple as a few hooks for your keys, a few open cubbies for everyday shoes, or just a small surface to place the mail. Think about your family’s daily habits. What are the things you always bring with you when going out? Make sure there’s sufficient space for all of these to keep things neat and organized. The last thing you want when rushing out first thing in the morning is not being able to find your car keys.

2. Seasonal Storage

   When you have a large enough mudroom, it’s common for it to also serve as storage for seasonal items. Winter gear like those puffy down jackets and thick boots take up a lot of space. Upper cabinets are perfect for these bulky seasonal gear, as these are less convenient to use day-to-day. If your home has high ceilings, a fully custom floor-to-ceiling mudroom cabinet is a great way to maximize the amount of seasonal gear you can store.

3. Specialized Storage

   The last kind of storage we need to consider is specialized storage. A few cabinets, shelves, and hooks are applicable enough to the majority of American families. However, a custom entryway or mudroom cabinet is supposed to meet your needs. This is especially important for any large or oddly shaped hobby or sports equipment.

   Even if you and your family aren’t the active sort, there might be other unwieldy items for you to store. Mudrooms are a great spot to store lengthy cleaning equipment like brooms, mops, and vacuum cleaners. It’s also a great spot to store pet gear such as a leash, a flashlight, waste bags, and whatnot.

4. Seating

   Our entryways are busy high-traffic areas. It’s where we put on shoes, coats, hats, and do last minute checks to see if we brought everything we need. It can get pretty hectic, we know. One way to make it all less stressful is by adding seating. Whether it’s a built-in bench or a few loose chairs, having somewhere to sit is always appreciated. It can also serve as a quick spot to set down bags, packages, or groceries, while you’re taking off your jacket. Also, no more awkward balancing acts trying to put on or take off long boots!

5. Sink & Laundry

   As the name suggests, a mudroom can get quite muddy, so to speak. It’s where the family takes off soiled footwear and stores outdoor equipment. So it makes sense to have a sink nearby, or even right in the mudroom itself! It’s great for washing hands and freshening up a bit before going to the main areas of your home.

   If you have enough space for it, another great addition is having the laundry space at or near your mudroom. This prevents any particularly soiled and smelly clothing from reaching the rest of your home –a great choice for outdoor sports lovers and those with active children.

Being a transitional space, we only spend a few moments at our entry foyers and mudrooms. However, it’s the first and last thing we experience when we come in or go out of our homes. We all want to be greeted by a pleasant and welcoming environment, not the mess and chaos of all our stuff.

No matter how large or how small the space you have, every family deserves to have a beautiful and orderly home. We at Wood & Co. can help you design and build custom cabinetry for your entryway or mudroom. Get in touch with us, and let’s work together to enhance your home.