Season of the Sticks

In New England design, fall means mudrooms—spaces built to handle chaos, made better with thoughtful layout and custom cabinets.

Welcome to Fall/Winter—also known as the season of the sticks for New England homes (cue Noah Kahan).  The messy time of year when boots come in caked with mud, sticks find their way into every crevice, and your once-organized space looks like the aftermath of a nature hike. Let’s talk about how this humble room can be your first defense against the chaos. And, with the help of custom cabinets, maybe even look good doing it

‘Girl Friday’ of Rooms

The ultimate ‘Girl Friday’ of rooms. Resourceful, dependable, and capable of multitasking—this mudroom is as hardworking as it is beautiful. Featuring gorgeous natural oak, it coordinates seamlessly with the kitchen island. Peek through on the right for a view to see more of that custom island cabinetry. The full-height L-shaped cabinets offer serious storage—perfect for kitchen spillover. Costco runs, pet care, recycling… you name it, it’s in there. All this practicality is cleverly disguised in handcrafted cabinetry by a local craftsman. The hardware: New England-made, hand-finished oil-rubbed bronze, and absolutely worth the splurge. The geometric tile flooring is linked here, thank you, Ann Sacks.

On the adjacent wall, we chose soft grey tailored cabinets with open stalls (I hate the word cubbies). Hooks and shiplap add detail, while the mess stays hidden behind covered cabinets on either side. And don’t miss the Carrara marble bench—a quiet little luxury you might need to zoom in to appreciate. Classic perfection. See more of our Milton project, featured in Boston Home.

Cohesive Color Palette

Both the laundry room and mudroom in this old home are brand new, reconfigured from a mix of smaller, older rooms; custom cabinet design making home organization a breeze. While they aren’t side by side, they’re separated by a bright white kitchen (check out more pics at the South Street Project) and are connected by a cohesive color palette, stone flooring, and shiplap accents. In the laundry room, a tall cabinet provides extra pantry storage, with a small doorway leading to a powder room. In the mudroom, open bays at the base are perfect for sneakers and boots, while slotted tall doors above store sports gear and outerwear.

Organization Made Beautiful

By now, you’ve probably guessed—I have a thing for custom grey cabinets. Classic details like inset doors, beaded trim, and hand-finished New England-made hardware make them stand out. A walnut-stained bench adds warmth, with two open stalls (I still won’t say cubbies) for hooks and all your grab-and-go essentials. The stuff you’d rather hide are behind closed cabinets on each end. It’s not the deepest cabinet we’ve ever designed, but hey, space is tight in South End brownstones, and we’ll take all the storage we can get. Home organization made beautiful.

Cuter Than the (Custom) Cabinetry

One of my favorite mudrooms is finished in soft cerused oak, but the cutest detail is my niece. Back when she was still toddling around in diapers, she might have been even sweeter than the cabinetry. We carried the slate flooring over from the kitchen, the space is wide open for easy access by a side door. Those big closed cabinets up top hide the everyday mess—because let’s be honest, toddlers and tidy don’t go together.

Custom cabinets are essential for New England design—historic homes, new builds, or Boston apartments all benefit from them. See more kitchen and bath projects here, each with cabinetry designed for lasting style and everyday use. From brownstones to beach houses, custom cabinets are the backbone of smart, beautiful New England design that truly works.