Just in Time....Steph's Mudroom is Progressing

I'm back from my lovely Colorado vacation (sigh). I spent some time out yesterday in the sunny, 85 degree fall weather (hey, it's Texas folks - this is fall!) purchasing my mums and pumpkins.I know that these gorgeous fall days will soon give way to the messy days of winter so it's time to revisit Steph's mudroom.
 

A quick recap; my friend Steph, who lives in the northeast, is adding a mudroom addition to her family's home - a 1700's school house - that will also serve as their entryway. Check out these posts to see some of the issues that we covered earlier as the mudroom planning got underway.

Check out the progress....

The initial concrete pour.

Framing, sheathing and the lovely Lucy!

The mudroom roof line takes shape...splurge for metal or stick to the budget and go with asphalt??

View from new mudroom door, original entry on the right, new walk-in closet straight ahead.

Sheetrock, new doors, slate floors!

Exterior in progress - matching the existing siding material...

Mudrooms can easily turn chaotic with the amount of "stuff" that gets dropped off. Corralling that stuff before it reaches other parts of the interior is the purpose of a mudroom anyway. Steph decided against locker type storage often seen in mudrooms and went for a walk in closet instead. In her words, "I am very sure that I want a door that will close, just in case SOMEBODY does not respect the integrity of the organizational system!" 

We'll take a look at options for outfitting the 6' by 5' walk-in closet in our next post and give Steph some other finishing options including a bench for seating and other storage tips for the space. Looking good Steph!

Accessorizing Shelves and Bookcases

Shelves are one of the best decorating opportunities that you have in your home. Unlike paint or furniture, you can change things up easily, be creative and corral your collections. 

Some quick tips on making the most of your shelves or bookcases:

• Showcase your treasured items. After you've edited your collections, display your favorites.
• Group like items together. This is especially true of smaller items. Scattering small items tends to look like clutter.
• Avoid symmetry. With few exceptions, symmetry can be boring.
• Vary heights. See symmetry above. Your eye should travel up and down as it scans your shelving.
• Vary textures. Ceramics, plants, book bindings, cowhide, baskets, gilded accents and pressed tin all add interest through their textures in the example above.
• Add shine and sparkle. Glass (even an apothecary jar filled with M&M's as above!), mirrored items, or anything with a reflective quality adds interest.
• Create layers. Elevating accessories on books, stands, whatever gives them an interesting platform.
• Group your books. My homeowner above had great collections of cookbooks and gardening books. We grouped them by both size and subject for an interesting display and easy access.

One last tip (I can already hear the groans from the blogosphere!), start from scratch. Pulling everything out of your shelves and sorting before you begin will give you a clean pallet to start with and you'll have a great display in no time!