Decorating and painting a mudroom can be tricky. Its location is important because it often informs the design. A mudroom is a transitional space—you move through it to travel in or out of the home. If it’s part of the entryway, the color should coordinate with the front-of-house design and help set the tone of the rest of the home. If the mudroom is a separate space or off the garage, you may have more freedom to experiment with a bolder hue that complements your existing palette.
Whether it’s a dedicated space or doubles as a laundry room, a mudroom deserves unique design attention. Here are designer-recommended mudroom paint color ideas to inspire you.
What to Consider Before Painting a Mudroom
These highly functional areas have their own set of design challenges. “Mudrooms can also be spaces that get cluttered and have a lot of different functions at one time,” said Interior Designer Erin Hannam of Est Est Interior Design. These workhorse spaces see a lot of foot traffic and pull in dirt and debris from the outdoors. “The important thing is to choose a paint finish that is durable and easy to clean.”
Best Mudroom Paint Colors
1. Creamy White
In a mudroom, you can’t go wrong with a warm white. Clean and minimal, it offers a foundational base for pops of color and layers of texture. Warm white is a favorite of interior designers for its versatility.
Swiss Coffee is a staple for Kristiann Colasacco, principal of K-Ann Kreations & Design, who appreciates its timelessness and how it can be used for multiple purposes. “It’s a neutral that can be applied on walls, cabinetry or millwork and can be restyled over time,” she added. And in a mudroom that may have little to no natural light coming in, white reflects light around the room and creates the illusion of more space.
2. Blue-Gray
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An array of built-ins presents a wonderful opportunity to display a splash of bold color. For a recent client project, Kate Marker, interior designer and owner of Kate Marker Interiors, selected a deep blue-gray for cabinets and cubbies for a family of six. “It’s a mid-tone blue like Benjamin Moore’s Trout Grey that leans a bit casual,” she said. The addition of patterned tile flooring and wallpaper gives the space a lighter and more playful touch.
3. Soft Blue
A mudroom can begin creating the mood and tone of your home, no matter if it’s part of the entryway or a dedicated room. If a sanctuary space is what you’re after, a soft, light blue serves up spa-like vibes.
“For a calm but serene feel as you enter and exit your home, Sherwin Williams Silver Lake is perfect,” said Hannam. This peaceful shade imparts a retreat feel and invites you and your guests to breathe deep before moving into the rest of the home.
4. Olive Green
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Homes that connect us to the outdoors feel good, and color is one way to integrate biophilic design in a mudroom. A rich, earthy green mimics the palette of the natural environment. “A saturated color in a mudroom is a fun way to make a statement yet not venture out of one’s comfort zone,” said Kate Marker of Kate Marker Interiors Marker.
Painted cabinets in Benjamin Moore’s Dark Olive are bold and sophisticated. The shade anchors the space, while white walls and bleached terracotta tiles maintain its open and airy feel.
5. Burgundy
A mudroom offers an opportunity to play and experiment with a color that may feel too bold for other areas of the home. A jewel tone, like a rich burgundy, is dramatic and welcoming with its pleasing balance of red, brown and purple.
A deep, saturated shade that’s full of energy complements a high-activity space like a mudroom. “I love a rich and unexpected color in a mudroom! Sommelier by Sherwin-Williams is a deep color with some purple undertones that make it more contemporary than the trendy reds from the 90s,” said Deidre Webster, principal and lead designer of Studio Day Design.
6. Greige
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For a touch of color that’s chic, yet safe for the design risk-averse, greige is the ultimate mudroom go-to color, according to Colasacco. “I’ve used it in a variety of styled homes because it reads as sophisticated and cozy,” she said.
Repose Gray by Sherwin-Williams is one of the more versatile shades of greiges on the market. Its nearly 50-50 mix of blue and brown undertones works equally well for cool and warm palettes.
7. Dark Blue
With all of the foot traffic coming and going, a mudroom can easily start resembling the outdoors (in a bad way). Tracking in mud, dirt, leaves and other debris will start looking noticeable in rooms with a lighter palette.
A rich blue can camouflage the dirty parts between cleanings while also looking incredibly chic and put-together. Gale Force by Sherwin-Williams is Colasacco’s go-to blue. “A deeper blue is the perfect fit of ‘denim’ for the home because you can dress it up or dress it down with different accessories over time,” she added. It complements a variety of styles, from nautical and farmhouse to contemporary and transitional.
8. Aqua
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Relaxed vacation vibes are yours to enjoy with a mudroom palette inspired by the ocean and sky. Aqua is an adaptable hue that plays well with a number of styles, from beachy and nautical themes to historic homes and traditional interiors. “We recently used this color in a 1905 home restoration in the entry mudroom combination and love the first impression that it gives the guest before moving into the rest of the home,” said Webster.
Bottom Line
While you may not spend a lot of time in a mudroom each day, its color sets the tone for the rest of your home. If it’s an area where visitors pass through, mudroom paint color can create a memorable first impression and welcoming feel.
“Selecting the staple color of your mudroom truly does introduce any guest into your home and into your world,” Colasacco told Forbes Home.
