While I do live vicariously through my clients…..

…..not all of us can be as lucky as Buddy – who’s got his own custom mudroom to lounge in…..

….. but a lot of my clients want to know how to handle the storage overflow, ongoing kid traffic and other clutter that accumulate as you enter the kitchen…..

Well,  you can create variations on the “mudroom” theme without breaking the bank or adding on an addition…..

…..such as…..

…..building storage cubbies below a bench and floor-to-ceiling, which you can fill with baskets of your choosing.  Notice how this “mudroom” actually is one side of a kitchen/breakfast room.  Like that.

Or for those tight spaces, you can stick this perfect piece of furniture just inside your back door…..

…..it has all the basics:  a storage bench, beadboard and mirrored back for ambience, and coat/umbrella hooks along the top.  Available through homedecorators.com.

Another twist on the idea is lockers for the kids to personalize their own storage…..

The idea behind this is that it encourages kids to use their space…..

Or just do the bench, add some hooks above, and say you’re done…..

And lest you say, nah, I can’t afford any of that right now…..Here’s what the dynamic designer-architect Guilbeau-Baird duo have in their home…..

That’s right – Ikea storage cubbies, plastic bins for recycling, and David-designed Ikea pot-rack-turned-coat-hooks (the rod with the hooks that hang off it and slide around).

And here’s another sneak peak…..

…..aaahhhhh, storage…..lots and lots of storage…..in the form of…..Ikea cabinets…..

But here’s what I want for my house addition…..

…..someday…..

- marcelle

1. via Marcelle’s shapshot of our clients’ Nashville West Meade residence during final construction

2,3,4,5.  via coastalliving.com

6,7. Marcelle Guilbeau and David Baird’s Nashville residence, Brannon Segroves photographer

8. Via coastalliving.com