 Selecting the paint colors for a mudroom begins with one simple question that you must ask yourself – How do you want to feel everyday when you leave and come back to your house? Do you want to be energized, relaxed, playful, or inspired? How about all of the above? Achieving the mood you want with paint colors can be daunting but with a little design knowledge it is definitely possible.
Setting a Mood
The mood you set in your home is pretty important, but not near as important as the mood that you will enter the world with every single day. Your mudroom is a great place to set the tone for your day with color. Create a feeling that you want to have when you go off to a hard day’s work or send your little ones off to a hard productive day of learning.
Relaxing Colors
Creating a relaxing feeling with paint in the mudroom can be done by using what is referred to as “cool colors”. This has little to do with the actual color and much more to do with the shade. Lighter shades of blue, orange, green, and even red can be very soothing. Remember that light colors will show up darker on the walls than they appear on your paint chip so it is important to purchase a ½ gallon of the paint to test on a large area of the wall to ensure the color and shade really do relax you.
Quick-Tips on Relaxing Paint Colors:
• Blue is known for being the most relaxing paint color. Go to your local paint store to look at the many different shades of cool blues. This is also a great way to make it relaxing and clean feeling.
• Don’t count out more bold colors such as orange or red when looking for relaxing paint. The proper shade of any color can be cool and soothing.
• Choose a semi-gloss paint to get a little less shine making it more muted and serene. This will also limit the amount of light bouncing around the room making it just a bit more calming.
Energizing Colors
Getting energized on your way out of the home can be done by using bright colors and shades. Bright blue, red, green, orange, yellow, or even purple can give you that boost in mood and energy. When choosing a bright color you should always consider the size of the room and how it will actually make you feel to walk into it with that bright bold color on a daily basis. Perhaps painting half the walls a bright color and half a neutral will provide the balance you seek.
Quick-Tips on Energizing Paint Colors:
• Don’t be afraid of any color. Done in the right way with the proper décor any color both bold and muted can be energizing.
• Energizing does not mean bright red or orange paint splattered all over the walls. You must think through the different shades you would like to use and put some work into making it the perfect balance for you and your family.
• Use a High-Gloss paint finish to reflect lots of light therefore make it a vibrant fun energetic room.
Playful Colors
A great way to paint the mudroom in a playful manner is to mix and match vibrant bold colors. A playful mudroom is ideal with young children giving them just a small space in your home where their interests are peaked. Letting them have this small space for their own fun ideas is a great way to give them a piece of the home without it being a damper for your more adult taste.
Quick-Tips on Playful Paint Colors:
• To create contrast, paint the walls a colorful color (such as blue), and paint cubbies, benches, racks, and hooks a contrasting color (such as orange).
• Don’t hold back with color in a playful mudroom. Mixing all the colors of the color wheel is a fantastic way to encourage inspiration. Make it bold and outrageous to really impress those appreciative of playfulness.
• Mix paint finishes creating texture in the room. Semi-Gloss, High-Gloss, and perhaps a bit of Sateen are all a great way to improve the lighting effects.
Dramatic Colors
Paint in coordination with great lighting can create a very exotic dramatic look for your mudroom. If you want to feel luxury each time you enter and leave your home then drama is a great mood for your space. Burnt spicy colors are terrific for playing up the drama. A burnt orange, blue, green, or yellow will be perfect. Add to the drama with some dim isolated light to get the best effect.
Quick-Tips on Dramatic Paint Colors:
• Muted colors such as a burnt orange or red with navy blue accents are perfect for creating drama.
• Use Semi-Gloss or Sateen paint finishes where possible to lower the amount of reflection created by light which will isolate it in a certain spot creating a dramatic effect.
• Choose colors that you may find in a theatre such as red, blue, orange, or black. This is obviously done in theatres to create drama but will also work well in a room of your home.
Proper Paint Finish for a Mudroom
Consider all the things you will be doing in the mudroom. Taking off dirty shoes, wet coats, hanging dirty mittens, washing dirty hands, cleaning up filthy outdoor equipment, and the list goes on and on. All the messy things you will be doing, this room needs to be easy to clean. Scrubbing walls will be a must. Choosing a semi-gloss or high-gloss finish will make scrubbing these walls easy. The gloss creates a bit of a clear coat which can be easily wiped down without hurting the paint. This makes it literally easier to wash and more practical.
Paint colors for a mudroom no longer have to be neutral boring tints of brown, tan, and white. Adding more color with a punch of design can bring your mudroom from drab to inspiring. Let yourself go to see where your imagination can take you. Keep in mind that this is your home and ultimately you are the one to impress.
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