Mudroom Updates | Cafe Curtains, a Cabinet Skirt, and Vintage Hardware

A few small projects, a new granddaughter, and all the emotions this week.

Maddie and Cisco seem to have decided it’s spring.

Instead of nipping outside quickly to do their business, they have started to linger. When I look out the window to see what they are up to, I usually find them up in the field, noses to the ground, inhaling the fresh scents of the season.

The other evening they were out for well over an hour, pulling the stone wall apart and sniffing out each crevice for the small critters who had happily settled there for the winter. They came in with mud up to their elbows and smeared across their faces.

It is in times like these that I am particularly grateful for the mudroom. This small, hardworking space handles many duties — most of them associated with the messy side of life. She (because every supreme multitasker is female, right?) does laundry, cleans muddy paws, waters plants, corrals shoes and boots, stores cleaning products, and even feeds the cats.

And of course, like so many highly capable women, she does all this while somehow looking great too, ticking the boxes for both form and function. In fact I wrote a blog post a couple year back about how these two unite in the mudroom and entryway. You can read it here.

But home is always a work in progress, right? So this past week, I pulled out my sewing machine and electric drill and made a few decorative additions and small changes to this domestic workhorse.

It always feels good to cross off projects that have been sitting stubbornly on my to-do list for a while.

Even better when they add exactly that something extra I was hoping they would.

The Mudroom

I’ll admit, there was really nothing wrong with the mudroom. In fact, it is one of my favorite corners of the house, full of character and charm, especially for a utilitarian space.

Painted tongue-and-groove paneling, stone tile floors, and a blue tiled dog shower set the tone — one of both grit and grace.

A set of upper and lower cabinets, open shelving, a wicker trunk, and a large antique pine piece provide ample space for both storage and collections.

And an organized jumble of accessories — vases and pitchers lined up on a high shelf, baskets hanging from a rod, glass bottles and seashore finds, vintage animal prints, blue and white plates, and a paint-by-number portrait of Maddie done by my daughter — combines to tell a rich story.

Yet, I still felt like the room, with all its hard surfaces, needed a softer side. And I couldn’t resist adding a bit more personality to the very ordinary cabinets.

Here’s what I did.

Cafe Curtains

Cafe curtains are having a moment. They had fallen out of favor for a while, deemed old-fashioned — and not in a good way. But they are back and, I must say, looking fresh and flirty. They provide privacy while still letting in plenty of light. And just that little bit of fabric is the perfect accent.

I wasn’t feeling particularly exposed in the mudroom, but I didn’t like how you could see the washer and dryer from the front walkway. Covering the entire window would make the small room feel confined, plus I like being able to peek out to see who has pulled into the driveway (or what Maddie and Cisco are doing in the field). A cafe curtain fit the bill nicely.

That was an easy decision, but choosing the fabric was not. Usually my superpower, this time I tried multiple options, but none were quite right. The pattern too large or too noisy. The weight too heavy. The color too blue. (Can you believe I am saying that?)

And then I found one from Spoonflower — a petite block-print-style floral in shades of brown that complement all the blues beautifully.

I sewed a simple panel, lining it with plain white so that it would look clean from the outside, and hung it on a classic unlacquered brass inside-mount cafe rod using old-school clip rings. The combination has an easy, unassuming look that suits this cottage well.

It took me years to complete this curtain project, but it was worth the wait to get it just right.

SHOPPING: Here are links for the fabric and hardware. The clips don’t all hold well, but I prefer their look to the ones with the clips hanging from a chain. And they are a fraction of the price of similar clips from Rejuvenation. I have also ordered some plain brass rings that I might try. They would need to be sewn onto the curtain individually.

A Cabinet Skirt

While curtains had long been part of the mudroom design plan, the cabinet skirt was a more recent addition.

A pretty skirt adds softness, color, pattern, and texture to hard spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. It breaks up a line of cabinets and creates hidden storage under a freestanding sink.

A couple years ago I removed the under-sink cabinet doors in the kitchen and replaced them with a checked fabric skirt. It immediately made the space feel more welcoming.

For the mudroom, I chose another Spoonflower fabric that plays nicely with, but doesn’t match, the curtains — similar browns, but with a larger pattern and the structure of a stripe.

I sewed a pocket header on the skirt panel and hung it on an inexpensive tension rod. It was an easy project with big impact, creating relaxed charm where before there had been only function.

Now for the finishing touches!

SHOPPING:

New Old Pulls

You know I am all about the details.

So while I love the cafe curtains and skirt, the antique pulls and knobs I added to the cabinets might bring me the most joy.

I found them on my first trip to the Brimfield Flea Market — a pair of ornate carved Eastlake leaf-and-nut drawer pulls and two mismatched wooden knobs. I was excited by the unexpected mix, the contrast of old and new.

And then they sat for three years.

When I finally went to put them on the other evening, what I thought would be an easy swap turned into a thing…. A drawer panel needed to be removed, and I didn’t have the specialty screw head required. It felt so anticlimactic. Fortunately, my builder came to the rescue the next day and, of course, did a better job than I would have.

Now, I have to say, I am a bit obsessed. The pulls are a touch of whimsy, tying the new cabinets to Victorian cottage pieces in the rest of the house — some with the same pulls. And the mismatched knobs are a wink at perfection, saying nothing is too serious here.

So now the mudroom is done. Well, maybe… I might like to see if I can add a bit of wear to the painted cabinets.

But that is a project for another day. And maybe another blog post.

For those interested, this year’s first Brimfield Flea Market takes place next week, May 12–17. If you are going, be sure to check out my blog post Let’s Go to the Brimfield Flea Market Together for everything you need to know to make the most of it.

This Week Into Next

What a week it has been!

It started out ordinary, filled with all the usual obligations, and suddenly turned extraordinary on Thursday.

Zoë’s due date was fast approaching on the 19th, so we had unofficially entered the baby-watch phase. And Zo was more than ready for her pregnancy to be done.

Each morning I wait to check my phone until I am dressed and ready for the day. But on Thursday, a vague feeling prompted me to look first thing. Nothing. So I went about my usual routine.

Then all of a sudden, around 8:30, our family chat came to life. Zoë and Sam were at the hospital. The baby was on the way.

I spent the rest of the morning awash in a mix of emotions — excitement, anxiety, anticipation, worry, love. I was all over the place.

All of this is to announce with great joy that Maisie Art came into this world at 12:17 p.m. on Thursday. Welcome to our family, sweet girl. We love you already.

It also explains why I have been at least a bit distracted while pulling this dispatch together.

But wow, life is a miracle. And it has me feeling all the feels as we head into Mother’s Day.

I wish all of you who mother in any way a day of peace and love. And for those of you who struggle on this day, I see you too. May you also find peace and love.

And to all of you, be well!