Mudrooms Imply Mud: How to Help Your Buyers Connect With Reality

Six months ago, my husband and I took a huge plunge and bought a 200- year-old farmhouse on twelve acres in northern Virginia. Since becoming a “farm girl,” I’ve had many new adventures and learning experiences.

First, there are the things I never thought I’d Google: How to break a donkey. Caring for chickens. How to get rid of groundhogs. Vaccinating children against obscure farm diseases.

Yes, life on the farm propels you into a whole new world. Most days “off” from work turn into a blur of sawdust, paint fumes and donkey poop — with no end in sight!

One of our most recent projects (which immediately moved to the top of the to-do list when our dryer stopped working) was renovating our laundry area and mudroom.

My husband and I maintain a clear division of responsibilities between us: I do the design work. He puts on a tool belt and makes it all happen.

In my quest to design the oh-so-perfect farmhouse mudroom, I (of course) started scouring the web. My two favorite design sites are houzz.com (I am a cult-like follower) and Pinterest (for more artsy ideas).

While looking through thousands of mudroom pictures, I was suddenly struck one day by the thought: ‘Hey, where’s the mud?!’

All of the mudrooms shown online look absolutely pristine. Many of the pictures appear expertly accessorized with fashionable and color-coordinated bags, shoes, raincoats, scarves, umbrellas and, yes, ironically…mud boots.

But there is nary a drop of rain, mud or other unfavorable substances (remember…farm animals…) in a single one them!

Here’s the thing: I find myself unable to emotionally connect to these pictures because I can’t actually “see” my family in them.

I know that our children will create an authentic mudroom in three seconds flat! I want to see (at least a little bit) how a space actually functions when it comes to the realities of children, farm animals and wet weather.

This all begs the question: how can we encourage our clients to connect their own life (and lifestyle!) beyond the very pretty veneer of our pristine model homes?

How do we help them truly see themselves amongst the trendy wall treatments, smudge-free glass top tables and ribbon wrapped towels in our model homes?

We need to find a balance between showing them perfection and helping them connect to the real life they will live in these spaces.

Finding a way to connect the buyer personally and emotionally to the home is key!

If they can’t connect, it’s just another mudless mudroom.