Thanks to everyone—professionals and homeowners—who sent in photos of their fabulous family rooms and mud rooms.
Our judges this month are Lindsay McDonell of LB Interior Design in Chicago, Bob Zuber of Morgante-Wilson Architects, Ltd. of Evanston, and Linda Eisenberg of Collaborate Design Studio in Deerfield.
The judges were asked to choose a winner in each of two categories: mudroom and family room. And the winners are:
Family room: Lincolnshire residence, submitted by David
Two out of three judges chose this as family room. They said:
“I am attracted to the simple austerity of this room with its clean lines and the emphasis placed on the wall of glass looking out to the gorgeous view of the backyard. A room that brings enough elements of nature inside, while still retaining comfort and calm, is a room I’d like to walk into!”
“Although there needs to be window treatments in this space, the view is lovely. The clean lines and calm colors are soothing and reflect the outdoors.”
One of the judges chose the Northbrook residence submitted by Natalie.
“The colors are inviting and alive. There is a coziness even though the room is a pass-through to the downstairs. There is also an appealing earthiness that makes one want to cuddle up. She did a good job with using the back of the couch as a `hallway’ to the stairs so that the usage of the room is not impacted by traffic.”
In the mudroom category, two out of three judges chose the room submitted by Bud in Deerfield. They said:
“Mudrooms are tricky in that they can often times be overpowered by the multitude of items beings stored in it—shoes, jackets, mittens, etc…This mudroom creates a certain amount of order out of the normal chaos of a mudroom, by its emphasis on the individual cubbies and gracefully curved bench, rather than the items it contains. Its shelves are generously deep enough that the items recede into the background rather than jump out at you.”
“I would select the white one by Bud. Cleaner and easier to function in. Less clutter and bigger spaces to load up with everything a kid might bring home!”
One judge chose the Wilmette mudroom submitted by Sharon.
“We like that the stain will hold up over time better than the paint in a high traffic area. I also liked the use of the plastic bins for storage. Given that in a mudroom items can get wet, it seemed like a good idea to have a safe dry area for papers, etc. It also keeps those items neat.”
See previous months’ winners:
Best Pool/Beach Houses & Backyards
Best Galley-Style, Large and Small Kitchens
Best Master Bathrooms and Powder Rooms
Think you’re in the mood to remodel your family room? Check our Better List for a few great recommendations on where to do and who can do it!
