There’s a new design trend out there that’s trying to take the concept of the mudroom and transform it into a more functional, efficient and visually appealing part of the house. Professionals in the interior design call them “landing pads.”

“It’s a question of making the best use of the space that’s there,” says Davetta Moore of Concord-based Davetta Moore Designs. She has transformed often grim-looking mudroom spaces with a few simple additions available at the local hardware store. A bit of beadboard. Some molding and shelving. Maybe a bench to sit on while you take off your shoes. And voila, a comfortable place to put stuff before you get into the main house.

Those few simple additions not only make for a place that is more visually appealing, she added, but also helps homeowners avoid the frustration of misplacing car keys, purses and book bags.

Inexpensive upgrade

Jennifer Burnham, owner of Pure & Simple Organizing in Charlotte, recently helped South Charlotte homeowner Julie Tache create a focal point for an area “that was not functioning well” as one of the main entry points into her home.

For just a few hundred dollars, she added some fresh paint, shelving, hooks, a touch of storage and a “pretty bench.”

Burnham says most mudroom transformations can be accomplished for well under $1,000.

Tache lamented that as a new mom, the level of clutter is only going to escalate as her child gets older. But Burnham said children actually like to be organized, and it only takes a few steps for them to understand how it’s done.

Place coat hooks and cubbies at children’s height. Any crafts store can offer the materials it would take to label the spot, Burnham said.

“It’s the first place you see when you arrive home, and the last place you see when you leave,” Burnham said. “You want it to be appealing.”

‘Life-changing’

Kathryn George of Kathryn E. George Interior Design has done a lot of mudroom design work for clients in the Lake Norman area. Some of those remodels can get a little pricey, she said. But the same basic concepts apply. You need to designate a specific area as a focal point for micro spaces – cubbies, lockers, drawers, shelving – where things always go, rather than simply dropped on the first available flat surface.

Working moms in particular can grow frustrated when kids can’t find their shoes, hats or school books and the clock is ticking to get out the door. She has found that a touch of organization is “life-changing for wives and kids.”