No room for a mudroom

“The more people, the more stuff,” says Courtney Davis, design consultant and co-owner, with Lauren Paradise, of Chicago design company kelly + olive. But even if your front door opens directly into your living room, Davis says creating a mudroom is less about having all the space you need and more about smart storage.

“It comes down to things being hidden: closed storage and using good-looking pieces,” Paradise says. “Otherwise it gets visually noisy.” The pair recommends adding unique wall color, art or rugs to your landing area to differentiate it from other parts of the room. But whatever your set up, don’t feel intimidated by a lack of space. “All you need is a little console,” Paradise says, “somewhere to sit, an area to tuck your stuff. That can be achieved in a three-foot-wide space.”