Welcome to Week One of the $100 Room Challenge!!
I’m so fired up for this challenge, the brainchild of Erin at Lemons, Lavender & Laundry!!! As you might have guessed 🙂 the idea is to complete a space makeover in a month’s time with a wee budget of $100. Erin has completed several rooms in her home this way, and inspired a whole bunch of bloggers to join the challenge with her!
I’ll be sharing with you the makeover of my mudroom, which is really a glorified closet/utility room/dumping spot for ALL THE THINGS. Isn’t it lovely??
The quick backstory on this space if you’re new here.
When our kids were 6, 8 and 10 we downsized from a big, young house with lots of bells and whistles to this 80s fixer upper, a basic colonial that needed a lot of updating. One of the quirky things about this house was a utility room built into the 2 car garage.
Underneath the room was a storage space. We had to take the doors off of this for Mark to be able to pull his car in.
As soon as we moved in, Mark wanted to rip this crazy overhanging utility room thing out.
UMMMM – 3 kids? Winter in Massachusetts? Jackets, boots, hats, mittens?
IT WAS THE MUDROOM OF MY DREAMS!!
Well, almost. Let’s just say I could see it’s potential.
Check out the sweet lighting.
It wasn’t very pretty, but after a whole lot of primer, paint, beadboard wallpaper and organization…..
it became not only a dropping zone for all of our outdoor gear, but also the spot for our dog’s bowls and leash, a wrapping station, a recycle center, and a place for me to clean up from all the home improvement projects that have ensued since we moved here.
Wrapping paper & ribbon storage
Hands down the hardest room ever to photograph by the way.
I also had an electrician add a ceiling light so we could say goodbye to the clip-on lights that were previously gracing this space #classy and painted the grubby stairs coming up from the garage (twice).
They currently look like this…..
“Welcome” stairs | Green stairs
The flat door leading into the house got some trim and the wall between this door and the door to the mudroom got a floor-to-ceiling bulletin board (made out of styrofoam I had on hand).
Adding trim to flat door | Floor-to-ceiling bulletin board
So why makeover this space for the $100 Room Challenge????
Welllll…….
Our mudroom started out so strong once I painted and organized it, and it did function really well for us for a long time. Almost 7 years have gone by now, and our little munchkins are all in high school.
The cute little mudroom slowly became a dumping ground while real life took over, and this winter it officially morphed into THE ROOM OF INSANITY.
I know. I’m actually putting these pictures out into the internet. I have no pride. We should be on Hoarders. But hey! Cute wrapping paper right?!!
Did I mention the sink pipe burst and it hasn’t been fixed in over a year? Yeah. We’ve got issues people.
SOOOOO – it’s clearly time to rethink this utility room/mudroom of ours and make it more functional and attractive.
THE HITLIST
• Plumber, plumber, anyone know a plumber? (Oh – I do! Heyyyyyyy brother…love ya lots…)
• Build boot and shoe storage
• Repurpose the wrapping paper area into a super awesome space for this DIY momma
• Figure out how to hide all the things we need to store in here that make my eyeballs hurt (build doors for shelves?)
• Give the floors a fresh coat of paint and sealer
Shouldn’t be too hard for $100, right? 🙂
I’m still working through all the thoughts swirling in my head about this space so I didn’t make a design board, but if you need some gorgeous mudroom inspiration check out my Mudroom Pinterest board (because this is all the pretty I can offer you today)!
I’ll be back each Wednesday of March with my progress on this quirky little space, and ways to make any entry, utility room or mudroom a little more functional!
Don’t miss all the other room challenges being taken on today – you will be amazed what these bloggers accomplish with $100 and a month’s time!!
Pam @ Simple Details says
Oh my gosh, you totally crack me up!!!! I was thinking the wrapping paper was cute, too! Love this fun idea, can’t wait to see what you do!
Lisa says
Maybe I should wallpaper the room with the hot pink leopard wrapping paper?????
Jennifer Griffin says
Oh wow, I never realized your space was built into the garage like that! How nice to have it, but what a challenge! Can’t wait to see what you do!
Lisa says
I appreciate having the space but it’s definitely a strange design. It’s sooooo nice having a place for my kids and all the kids that frequent our house to kick off their shoes but it’s tough to look at day in day out!
STACY says
I’m excited to see the end result! I know it’s going to be awesome…
Lisa says
Pray for me Stacy……did you see the astronomical amount of junk in that room?! I hope it make it back out! 🙂
Nicki says
I love those green stairs! And I noticed the beadboard wallpaper 😉 This room already has great bones, so I am sure the end result will be fabulous!
Lisa says
Hopefully Nicki, if I can get to the bottom of all the junk in there!! 🙂
Stacy says
I have faith in you Lisa!!! 🙂
Morgan McBride says
wow! I love that you are re-assessing the space to meet your changing needs. Can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Lisa says
I find that in a house with kids the reassessing of spaces needs to happen frequently. This one is long overdue! Looking forward to following your room too Morgan.
Colleen says
There is so much going on that I love! The green door, the Nate Berkus fabric! I upholstered a pair of midcentury chairs in that fabric, and smile every time I see it! This will be a great space when you’re done!
Lisa says
Colleen I can imagine that modern pattern on midcentury chairs is really fun! Pam @ Simple Details used it in her kitchen too….so versatile! Thanks for your encouragement and for stopping by!
jessica says
Wow! You got a lot finish for week 1! I like it so far and those stairs are jaw dropping. Love it!
Lisa says
Thanks Jess! The stairs made a big difference to our garage entry that we use all the time!
Erin @ Lemons, Lavender, & Laundry says
Thank you for sharing “real life”. Under it all, it looks like you have an absolutely gorgeous space. And lucky you for having a plumber in the family 🙂
Lisa says
Oh we’ve got a lot of real life spaces going on here Erin! 🙂 I am so motivated by your challenge to redeem this space to it’s former glory! Thanks so much for getting the ball rolling for me!
Sarah says
I hear you about the mudroom and winter gear! I live in Montreal, Canada so we need room for outdoor gear… But have none! I can’t wait to see what you do with this space.
Lisa says
Sarah I think that’s why the previous owners built this out into the garage. It’s really awkward but I must admit it’s my favorite room in the house – I love having a place for all the mess to live! Hopefully I’ll be able to locate the floor during this challenge and restore a bit of order 🙂
Tracy says
You are so funny! My laundry room is a dumping ground! It’s going to be amazing when you’re done!
Lisa says
Anything will be an improvement to this space! Thanks so much Tracy for stopping by!
Jillian says
I am so excited you are joining the challenge this month! You are gonna rock this space. I kinda love your wrapping station but I understand that it isn’t practical for what you need the space to do. I am so excited to see your plans come to life!
Natalie says
What a neat space! I don’t think I could tear it down either! I can’t wait to see how it turns out!