One of my biggest issues I had with our old house was not having a mudroom or "landing zone" for all the stuff the kids drag in and drop in random places throughout the house. So with our new house, I've planned for a large laundry room and separate mudroom. At first, several people thought I was crazy to not combine the two rooms. However, the more I talk to people who do have a combined mud/laundry room - many say they wish they were separate. Fortunately it looks like you have a nice entry for family and friends to enter, but for many home designs, walking in from the garage lands you in the middle of the laundry - bras, underwear and all. I know I want to be able to shut the door to that mess if visitors are coming.
I can't see in the picture where the powder room is? Just south of the friend's entry?? Regardless, I am planning to also make the laundry room my mom office - seems for me many of those tasks are done while I'm waiting for laundry to finish.

Make your "mom office" in the laundry room? I hadn't thought of that. I won't be spending that much time in this space. But that's not a bad idea. We would also need to put our Mac and printer (for my boys schoolwork) wherever that space is. I wonder if a damp area like a laundry room would damage these electronics. Do you have an inspiration pic of how you envision your space?

Yes, the powder room now is just below the Friends Entry. I didn't capture it in the screen shot. The friends entry was something I really wanted after years of guests walking through my laundry room which is usually a disaster zone.

Get a wireless printer and put the computer where you want it--not in your mommy space. In the grand scheme of things, a $100 printer on a new house build or even to the cost of a powder room, it isn't much.

Keep your mommy space yours, and separate from the lockers. I like your nice large laundry room. To me, it has a lot of room for office "paperwork" household management stuff. That would work for my mommy office. BUT, it wouldn't work for my mommy room. Do you have a place to sit and read in peace?

Our lockers are one of the best parts of our house. We put them in our "dog room" which is directly down the hall from the garage door (open garage door, walk about 5 steps, turn in left) so no one needs to go in except for us. (There is also a door directly into the room through the front walkway but we rarely use it).

Our dog room w/ lockers also has a charging station and inside/underneath is a space for a wireless printer (we haven't actually bought one to go in yet) on a slide out shelf.

We did an upstairs laundry room then, and since our master is downstairs we put a stacked washing machine/dryer in a closet in the master bedroom.

The dog room/mud room is probably the single most useful thing we did in the entire house!

Dog room lockers and charging/mail station:

Charging station/slide out shelves for printer:

Dog room bath/fridge/sink:

Kirkhall, I know most people don't use a master sitting room. In my present house that is my sanctuary. I had the architect design our master in the new house with another sitting room. May put a dead bolt on it and sound proof it ;-)

So, do you think I should have the architect repurpose the locker area into my powder room? Does that location make more sense? Then the kids could leave their carp in the LR. Maybe do something like this. This was my original inspiration pic.

Beagles...very nice room. Like the color of the wood for your lockers. The white on mine hasn't held up as well as I'd hoped after 10 yrs. I like the pull out shelf for your printer. Your post reminds me that I need a place for my dogs to sleep in my LR at night. Thank you.

Yes! Definitely put a powder room next to the laundry...and put the mess (behind door) in the laundry room.

You've tried the cute look (which many of us do love) and now it's time to go practical. You know how you live (not how you wish you lived) and that's a HUGE bonus. Take advantage of your knowledge and design your home, so that it works for you and your family!

If you can't beat them, corral and enclose them! LOL Oh, wait...maybe that's horses :)

I think your plan has the best of both worlds. I've been contemplating a similar issue on my own plan. I originally had a large area for lots of cubbies and while I know it won't be in plain view to anyone but us, I also know it will drive me crazy to see every cubbie filled all the time. I'm opting for two small closets in my laundry (one for mops and vacuum), a small bench with just a couple of of hooks (for backpacks and a place to sit and put on shoes), and a small office nook for printer, mail, etc. I'll try to post a pic of my plan.
red lover- what will you use your WIC in your LR for? Your inspiration pic is beautiful!

Here's mine. The sink will be on the other side of the W/D and a small bi-fold closet where the sink is. The office nook was going to be all cubbies but I think this suits our needs a little better. Someone before me made a good point about how you actually live vs. how we wish we lived. Great point!

J Hester--I think you have an awesome laundry room. I have a fold down ironing board like that in my master closet and we use it on a daily basis. Very convenient. I have some really cute bench pictures from Houzz with hooks. Your office space looks nice too. Looks like you have a window?

May I bring something up? I don't know how far you are in building but I would want a hanging area in the LR and the best spot for that would probably be over your sink. But, you don't want to have to take things out of your dryer and reach around the door to hang up items? Does that make sense. You could use a dryer with a hamper door or I believe Speed Queens plumbing is opposite of most. Or just leave your sink like it is in the plan...just a thought :-)

I haven't decided for sure what will go in the WIC. But I know I want shoe storage. I like all of the shoes to be left in the laundry room. My laundry room now looks like an Athletic shoe store. It's chaos. By the time you have basketball shoes, soccer shoes, school shoes, etc. You get it....This is just the tip of the iceberg. I charge my clippers in there too. Save a fortune doing all of my guys haircuts ;-)

Lavender---you always give such good advice. Thank you.

I am not sure on the dimensions if your space, but I saved this photo a while back. The hidden room is cute, but if you have space for just a door that would work too. At least it would keep the mess private. I picture bins and what not for gear, hooks for helmets, then shelves for cleats, etc.

[Traditional Closet[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-closet-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_734~s_2107) by New York Interior Designers & Decorators Cory Connor Designs

[Traditional Spaces[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-home-design-ideas-phbr1-bp~s_2107) by New York Interior Designers & Decorators Cory Connor Designs

redlover-hello. :) We are almost finished up with our build so I can actually see it in 3d - bonus. Anyhow - we have a locker area kind of like yours but with a pocket door so we can close it if we want to. It's also a dead end so it does not lead to another room. We did not do doors, left it pretty open to maximize space. We also have another regular old closet adjacent that we will use for off season stuff otherwise I can see the locker area would be a royal mess with just too much stuff. We will keep current season stuff only for the locker room.

I am really hoping this works well. I think having it recessed like you do, so it's not part of the hallway will make a big difference as you shouldn't have spillage into the walkway (that was my goal with ours anyhow)...but boys can make a big mess in a hurry. :) We move in this weekend so I can't say for sure yet.

Re: the idea of your office space in the laundry area - I think that you have a really cute spot there across from the washer and dryer where that window faces out by the porch there. :)

Is it okay to put the computer in the washer/dryer? The heat doesn't effect it?

Jkliveng...i had to study those pictures for a time to figure out what I was looking at. Pure genius! The lockers swing open with a big, old hidden closet behind them. I don't think my space is big enough but what an idea.

Autumn...I think I talked to you a few months ago about your dining area. We did put ours in the back too. I need to go look at your pictures and see your locker space and your house. It sounds awesome. Congratulations on finishing up. Thanks for the advice on the office space too.

Bridgett--good question. I don't know. But I have a Mac that my kids use and wherever my space is..that is where the Mac goes. So I need the answer too.

Older pic, freshly sprayed - the other side is identical, 3 compartments under the bench so the middle is tall to hold boots (idea stolen from another GW'er on the build forum):

I would not do the walk in closet in the laundry but would do floor to ceiling closet space with doors to keep the room square rectangular. I would have half of the closet available for brooms mops, sweeper etc. (PUt an electric outlet in there for charging) .

Also, I don't know why you would need that 6 ft or so space from garage door entry to kids lockers. Maybe cut that back and make that locker space bigger. YOU CANT GO TOO BIG with kids shoes. They will all congregate close to the door anyway and having that space away from the flow to laundry will help. I can see you now tripping over all the kids shoes in that walkway into laundry.

Lastly to the right of the garage door IN the locker area I would put a shelf to store keys, charging station, , store returns, kids stuff, coupons, etc, stuff you grab as you go out the door to car.. Even if it means moving the garage door over closerto back side of WIC. The door centered on that wall doesn't give you anything but symmetry. It will rarely stay open right?

Autumn ... I like your open storage. This is similar to what I would like to have in my LR. Nice design. Like the beadboard back.

Peyton...the more I look at that corner closet in my laundry room, the more I think you are right. Angling off that corner might screw up the look up the room and even more importantly there might be better storage doing it your way. And one thing I had not thought of was a dedicated broom closet. So I'm glad you reminded me. Any more ideas for my laundry room will be appreciated. I thought about moving the exterior exit door to the left (eliminating the left window), making the right window larger or a double...which would make a longer stretch of counter under that window. Does that make sense?

As to the locker/bench area. It's gone. I told the architect to move the half bath there and I will have an open storage are like Autumns pic above in my laundry room. I want the shoes behind closed doors. That was my original vision...the architect and dh swayed me from it, and I had to stand firm and realize what was important and what bugged me the most in my present house.

On your suggestion for a drop zone...hmmm I was thinking right inside the door to the Friend's Entry or even inside the Laundry Room/Multipurpose Room. I don't think dh will go along with moving the garage entry door so that I can have a drop zone there...although I agree that it would be a brilliant spot for it.

Thank you for your suggestions.

Noooo! don't take away the kids area in that entry. YOU will have a HUGE shoe collection. I would make the launddry smaller and put a powder bath in there(removing that left window to left of porch). If you push back that wall from garage to mud area. you can have the bathroom(where the wic is) and the locker area. you will be amazed how much stuff amasses as the kids grow!

Noooo! don't take away the kids area in that entry. YOU will have a HUGE shoe collection. I would make the launddry smaller and put a powder bath in there(removing that left window to left of porch). If you push back that wall from garage to mud area. you can have the bathroom(where the wic is) and the locker area. you will be amazed how much stuff amasses as the kids grow!

Oh Peyton...I know....I'm already a granny still raising kids ;-)

Just kept having them longer than most folks .

I understand what you are saying..but I really want all of that mess that accumulates behind closed doors. At least you can feel good about the fact that my dh and my architect agree with you :-)

I do appreciate your advice though. Especially about losing the corner closet.