When dreaming of the perfect look for your home, the mudroom doesn’t often come to mind as an inspiration spot. However, for many, this is the first area a guest will see as they enter the house and a creative look can set the tone for the rest of your space.

How you decorate this area can depend on not only your personal sense of style but also how space is utilized. If the mudroom bench is the home for shoes, a decorative cloth draped over the top can hide the footwear beneath. But a mudroom bench itself can be a gorgeous base for an artistic arrangement. Here are some ideas for beautiful mudroom beaches that would look amazing in your luxury Vineyard home.

Rustic Chic
If your bench is a reclaimed wood showpiece, keep it simple. A couple of votive candles in tea glasses or a hurricane lamp to the side is a nice touch.

You can also add a bit of simple greenery such as a small succulent or a few well-placed air plants, such as the example seen to the left from DigDigs. Crafty folks can create arrangements of twigs, flowers, and berry sprays to be displayed around the area.

Zen Bench
For the bench that has shoes or recycling bins to hide, a pashmina scarf draped over the top of your bench will create a Zen look. This can be supplemented with tea light candles, a singing bowl, and an attractive book or journal. You can also add a sage bundle and dish for cleansing your space.

Make it Useful
For those of us who are constantly on the run and have a tendency to misplace items, a mudroom bench can do double duty as a catchall place. Benches that have storage underneath and a shelf on top would be a perfect accessory here.

Buy a pretty bowl or dish and use it to store your keys, wallet, watch, or anything else that you might need to drop off or grab when coming or going. A small bottle of essential oil spray is handy for spritzing the entryway and giving the home a good olfactory impression on guests (and you, of course!)

Storage Area
Most home goods stores sell cloth bins that can be stored underneath a bench to keep the mudroom neat and tidy, without sacrificing style. These cloth bins come in various colors and patterns and can be mixed and matched.

Keep shoes, hats, cleaning brushes, tools, and any other junk out of sight by storing them under your mudroom bench in bins.

The Surrounding Area
The look for the mudroom doesn’t start and end with the bench. Use the space above it to show off your own personal style. You can hang a print or piece of artwork that tells your story. Nature photographs, vintage movie posters, mandalas, or family pictures are also good options.

As with any other room in the house, it’s all about showcasing what speaks to you. Large or small, the mudroom can be used to create a welcoming space for guests that demonstrates your sense of style and design.