www.trbuilt.com

Main	(203) 664-1303
Cell	(203) 733-1540
Fax	(203) 861-7975
email	tdrury@trbuilt.com

28 Vitti Street

New Canaan, CT

lic. no 0619425

In case you missed it, click here to read about TR Building & Remodeling's feature in the Amazing Transformations issue of East Coast Home + Design.

Click here to watch our Ultimate Mancave Project featured on CBS News

We are honored to have won a 2013 GOLD Master Design Award in Qualified Remodeler's National Magazine. Click here to read the article.

The Dirt on Mudrooms

When I built my home twelve years ago there were no kids, no dog, no immediate need for or concern about trapping the residuals of the outdoors ... the muck and dirt that inevitably would be tracked into our home by a growing family! Two sons and a dog later, the need for a 'catchall entryway' for wet shoes, muddy boots, winter layers of clothing after sledding, not to mention a 'depository' for basketballs, karting helmets and the like, became all too apparent.

Enter the need for a mudroom. A mudroom essentially serves as a stash-it-all, transitional space where you can shed the dirt of the day and leave behind those things that will only clutter your home. It's one of the hardest working rooms you can have for how multifunctional it is. If you've got pets you may even want a utility sink to wash your muddied pooch in, a grooming table or place for its water bowl and bed.

And the organizational possibilities are endless. Imagine a room where not only wet coats and mud-encrusted shoes are left but a designed to your specific needs place to store sporting equipment, a designated place for your children's paraphernalia. It's a 'home' for the things your family needs easy access to as they're walking out the door. A hook to leave your keys on, a vertical sorter for the day's mail to be sorted through later ... not everything needs to immediately make its way into your home if at all, left on a counter top or in the corner of a room. Mudrooms made it possible for both children AND adults to become more organized.

Beyond its functionality imagine further this is an attractive, inviting entryway. A mudroom is one of the most customizable rooms in your home! It hardly has to look like what its name suggests.

"The mudroom is typically the entrance to your home. Make it count," advises Alane Jewel of RealEstate.com in her article "Mudroom Design" Fun and Functional." She goes on to say, "It is where your visitors establish their initial impression of your home and therefore should reflect your home's style and personality."

The debris of the day, the outerwear and your family's belongings can be stored and well concealed in an attractive cabinet with closed cubbies, a closet for coats and a bench for taking off one's shoes that additionally offers storage space. Hanging baskets serve well as a catchall and sturdy hooks are great for backpacks and the like. While the room should accommodate at least two people at a time, wall space is far more important than floor space.

It's essential though you opt for easy-to-clean stone or ceramic floors and wall paint with a scrubbable finish to withstand abuse, advises Elle D�cor's Lauren Payne in her piece, "Organize It: Mudroom." The room's durability is paramount to its functionality.

But aside from its practicality, a mudroom should absolutely be an enticing entryway into your home! Combining your vision and fundamental needs with that of an architect's expertise can create a desirable solution to a very basic dilemma many homeowners face: how to keep your home free of unwanted dirt and clutter. The added bonus is you'll have achieved far more than that, this relatively small renovation/addition when designed as a 'jumping point' to the rest of your home can make your home all the more inviting when you or guests first walk through the door.

Explore the possibilities with TR Building and Remodeling. We're a full-service firm that will see your project from architectural design to budgeting and through construction. With the fall upon us and winter just around the corner, this is the ideal time to prepare for the predictably wet and messy season. Call us at 203-664-1303 and we'll assist you in creating a room that will make your home resistant to ALL seasonal messes and the clutter that accompanies them.

We also wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving and joyous holiday season! We're thankful for your continued support and interest in our business!

Sincerely,
Todd Drury
TR Building & Remodeling