In Praise of the Mudroom

A mudroom is a small room or corridor, usually between the kitchen and the outdoors, that serves as a transition before entering the home. It's a boon to any homemaker lucky enough to have one. Here is my friend Christina's mudroom, which is not only of high utilitarian value but is also beautiful. Here is the mudroom as seen from the porch going into the house,


and as seen from the house going out. The window on the right opens to the kitchen.


Like most mudrooms, this corridor is a catch-all for spillover from the outside:

garden gear and coats and jackets

Hats and egg crates (Christina and her family have chickens),

shoes, lined up on the shelf below, and baskets for use inside and out.

It also holds spillover from the kitchen. Since this room is unheated, in winter it serves as a second refrigerator--especially handy during Thanksgiving and the Christmas season. In all seasons, stored here are:

fruits and vegetables,



large kitchen equipment that is not used regularly, along with large pots for canning and a crock for making brandied fruit,

and treasures.


Right outside the door to the porch is a potting table,

now in full swing for spring.