Family-Friendly Mudroom Makeover

As their sons Carter and Henry became increasingly more active, Atlanta homeowners Hayden and Craig Kelly decided to convert the covered area on the side entry of their home into a convenient outdoor mudroom.

Prior to the update, this area was a neglected space cluttered with bikes and ride-on toys. But a springy new exterior color, updates to an old potting bench and tropical-toned accents have turned it into the homeowners' new favorite spot.

Mudrooms are the perfect places for benches that allow you to stop and remove your shoes before entering the home. With no true interior entryway, Hayden and Craig were lacking the space to accommodate such a perch. But thanks to an 8-foot exterior wall in their new outdoor mudroom, the couple gained ample space for a new Parsons version, where everyone can take off their Georgia clay-clad footwear before traipsing inside.

Hayden hangs her jackets, purse and an umbrella neatly on white-painted pegs above the Parsons bench.