Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting the content that keeps Jojotastic going.
With the arrival of fall in the Pacific Northwest, comes one more thing to consider: mud! Truth be told, our entryway works hard this time of year. So when Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart asked me to share 3 entryway ideas to improve this area in our home, I was really excited. I’ve always wanted a dedicated mudroom, but in lieu of that I’ve done a few really easy DIY projects to make our entry area way more functional and chic. Here’s how!
These Easy Entryway Ideas and DIYs Will Automatically Improve Your Mudroom This Fall
Give a storage bench a few updates
The biggest change in our faux mudroom area is the addition of a storage bench. Originally, I had a normal bench in this spot, but then I moved it to the couch area to act as our coffee table again… which then left an awkwardly open space in the entry area. And nowhere for Andy, Sean’s dad, to sit down when he needed to take off his shoes!
Not only does this storage bench provide the perfect spot to sit and put on your shoes, it’s also a lovely canvas for easy DIY projects! While assembling the bench, I used removable wallpaper to add a pop of pattern to the cubbies. This makes it feel a bit more special and like a custom furniture piece.
I also took some time to style this corner more and make it feel a lot more inviting! Here are a few of my entryway essentials and why I love them so much:
- A sprig of greenery – because we’re surrounded by the forest and ferns, it’s always nice to bring a bit of the outdoors in! This textured glass vase is perfect for displaying a single fern.
- Vintage artwork – I mean… as far as I’m concerned, every wall in our cabin needs a piece of vintage art!
- Scented candle – my love of the Better Homes & Gardens candles is WELL known, so of course it makes sense for one to live here in our entryway! This way, anyone coming into our home smells a lovely, subtle fragrance.
- Cozy textiles – as a former textile designer, I know the coziness that even one pillow and a throw can lend to a space. I’m especially obsessed with this plush teddy pillow… it is SO soft.
- Floor pillows – because our woodstove is also in the entry area, the dogs hang out here a lot. These floor pillows have made great dog beds for when the fire is roaring.
Get organized
Let’s be honest here, organization is absolutely essential for a functional mudroom or entry area. Because we have a wood stove and use that as our primary heat source, I dedicated one cubby of our storage bench to hold kindling. The other cubbies are used to hold dog toys, leashes, collars, and Noodle’s winter coat.
When it comes to getting organized, I prefer to use more opaque baskets instead of being able to see every single thing inside of an open basket. But Sean prefers to be able to see what’s inside at all times because he can’t ever remember! Because of this, I opted for shorter baskets so that he can still see in from the top. Marriage is all about compromise, after all.
As you can see, the dogs approve of the open baskets, too. Not gonna lie… because of this update there are currently 8 toys strewn about the rug since they have easy access!
Update your door hardware
As much as I dislike our bi-fold doors, the fact is that we don’t have it in our budget to replace them. So until that day comes, we’ve painted them green which has automatically made me like them better! I also updated them with these affordable brass drawer pulls. Gotta love a pop of metallic, especially when it’s an easy swap like this!
I also added a few more hobnail canisters to the shelves to hold dog treats! I fell in love with these cuties in our kitchen pantry refresh and picked up a few more. The texture is so cute and I love the wooden lids.
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So what do you think of these easy entryway ideas and DIYs? I hope you love them and get inspired to improve your entryway in preparation for holiday guests!
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My Updated & Organized Pantry Makeover
Our pantry is a feature of our cabin that I use on a daily basis and it’s always been a hot mess. Since we’ve been here nearly a year and fall cooking is juuust around the corner, I felt like it was time to finally get a handle on our messy kitchen food storage and transform it into the most organized pantry ever!
