Mudroom Makeover in Progress: Bold Paint, Spiral Staircases & Custom Swinging Doors
/One of the best parts about interior design is when a project finally turns the corner. After months (or, in this case, years) of chaos and drywall dust, you finally start to see the vision in your head actually exist in real life. And now? My once “meh” mudroom is starting to give serious main character energy. Let’s dive into the three big updates that changed everything.
The Moody Paint
I will always be completely head over heels for the instantaneous transformation paint can have on a room. Was this color a bold choice? Absolutely. And, of course, it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. But I love how bold and unapologetic it feels.
The choice to color drench every inch of this mudroom in the same rich, moody tone takes it from "just a pass-through" to "take your shoes off and stay a while." The shift between the eggshell walls and satin trim adds subtle contrast that creates dramatic little moments in the way light and shadows play at every turn. In short, this deep, saturated color (Dark Auburn by Sherwin Williams) is such a vibe.
One of the views that truly makes this room come to life? The bold transition from the light and airy living room into this cozy, color-drenched cocoon of a mudroom. The contrast is eye-catching and makes both spaces feel more intentional.
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The Spiral Staircase
I just know the spiral staircase in the last picture caught your eye. I mean, how could it not?
It's been so long since we've had a staircase here that I can hardly believe it's real (pinch me!)
The new spiral staircase is sleek, modern, and has just the right amount of statement. I love how the natural wood treads soften the black metal, making it feel both industrial and warm. Bonus: the spindles are nice and tight, which means no worries about the kids doing any accidental acrobatics off the side.
Fun fact: We actually installed this staircase TWICE!
Originally, we installed the staircase a bit to the left. It made sense in theory because it lined up with the door at the top, but once we saw it in action, it felt way too close to the door at the bottom. So we moved it, which meant pulling up some of the flooring, replacing a chunk of baseboard, and uttering a few curse words. Worth it? Absolutely.
Once we scooted the staircase over, it no longer worked with the small, triangular platform provided with the kit. In the end, building a custom spiral staircase platform gave us more flexibility on which way the staircase could twist and where the bottom stair stopped. I'm really happy with how natural, and inviting the placement feels, though I wouldn’t recommend doing drywall after you’ve painted your room a dark color (if you know, you know).
The Swinging Glass Door
The final upgrade that most recently took this mudroom to a new level? Adding a swinging glass door.
Why swinging?
One of my biggest pet peeves is when my purse and/or coat smells like last night’s dinner. This room always had a door, but we rarely remembered to close it. By turning it into a swinging door, it does it on its own! No more stinky outerwear!
It took a surprising amount of troubleshooting to turn this standard glass door into a swinging door. After trying multiple types of hinges, we finally found a hinge that worked, and it’s been perfect ever since.
Why glass?
The mudroom gets incredible afternoon sun. Since the door will always be closed, we didn’t want to lose the natural light. Besides, now that this room has gotten quite the glow-up, it’d be a shame to only see it on occasion. Glass doors must be our thing since this is the third one we’ve installed in our house!
Yes, I have to clean fingerprints off it on the regular. But it’s worth it.
What’s Next?
Funny how months of chipping away at these three elements brought us to what looks like a blank slate. But here we are! While we still have a to-do list longer than my new staircase is tall, hitting these milestones is huge.
Next up is lighting, a bench, storage, artwork, a console table, and… a ton of other little details. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have approximately 43 Pinterest tabs open for lighting options and an unhealthy number of mudroom locker inspo bookmarked…
