Monday, March 18, 2013

Pretty or Functional?

Or both?  Our mudroom is going to get a makeover, and I'm not sure where to start.  I would like it to be pretty, but I'd also like it to be functional.  I'm not sure which is more important, or if they're equally important.  We just moved our spare fridge upstairs to the mudroom from the basement.  We didn't really use it since it was in the basement, but we needed it and we decided to move it upstairs so we could at least use it since we were paying for the electricity to run it.  It's handy for storing all the goat milk in, plus extra eggs and produce.

Here's the mudroom in all it's realness.  I see so many bloggers post pictures of gorgeous homes, and I wonder if it's always that way or if they just take pics when it happens to be spotless.  Maybe that's why I don't post more photos of the inside of the house...

Here's where the fridge is. Not crazy about the location (blocking the sliding glass door view from the kitchen), but it's really the only spot it will fit.    Excuse the big cast iron skillet on the floor.  Buford ripped a hole in the vinyl, and we haven't patched it yet. I put the skillet over it because I'm afraid he'll use the hole as a starting off point for ripping up the entire floor.  
















The tall black cabinet used to be where the fridge is now.  I'd like to do something on that wall, something like this.  I'm just worried we don't have enough space on the right hand side of the door, and the shelves would be too shallow.  I do want a bench on that wall though, and hooks would be great for coats.  I know we have a closet right there, but it's so much more convenient to hang coats on a handy hook.  Plus, then maybe the tall black cabinet could hide in the closet.
















I don't know if you can see it in this picture, but there are several "bump out" places in the wall, so that sort of limits what we can do too. I'm sure there's a clever way to handle it, but I just can't figure it out at the moment.  Any suggestions would be welcome!  I think if that wall looked pretty, it would balance out the spare fridge's ugliness. 

3 comments:

Becky said...

I've come to the conclusion that it's a balance. Now that we have our house on the market and have made it "pretty", I miss the functionality of it. I'd trade in the "better" furniture arrangement for the one that worked for our family. I'm also not as impressed by pretty house interiors on the internet now that I remember how hard it is to keep a house looking "perfect". I can't wait to move so I can live in a functional, unperfect house again! LOL
I love your fridge upstairs. How convienent it will be to access eggs and other produce when you need them. What about a bench and a pretty row of hooks above it? You could even install some beadboard on the bottom half of the wall to give it some interest without being as expensive as a built-in system.

Deb Johnson, Quiltbeeme said...

I hate that the fridge blocks so much of the sliding door. How if it was in the opposite corner and you build a coat rack and bookcase around it to help it fit in? Where the wall juts out, just make the shelving shallower so it's not noticed....or fit the fridge in the jut back and build the shelving so it's flush. Or put the fridge in the closet....... he he he But I do agree with Becky that we are an odd society that wants the most expensive chef's kitchen when we don't even cook! Fancy beautiful homes aren't always loving and happy homes. P agree with practical and loving. A real family home! Love you, Momma

katiegirl said...

Well, the fridge just blocks the view out the door from the kitchen, it doesn't actually cover any of the actual door itself. We thought about moving it to the opposing corner, but it may stick out too far because of the little jutted wall. We'll try it and see!

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