Anne Chan

Developed by Gables Residential and designed by architecture firm KTGY, Gables Pointe 14 is a new mixed-income community in the Fort Myer Heights neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia. The project consists of three structures: a 12-story building made up of 307 units; a six-story building with 88 units; and a five-story transitional living facility made up of 14 units.

Inside select residential units, the design team decided to add small-scale mudrooms near apartment entries to mimic the areas found in typical single-family homes. It allows renters to have a separate space to sit down, take off shoes, hang coats, and store items.

“The idea was to provide coat closet storage without taking up all the space of an actual coat closet,” says Christine Evans, senior job captain at KTGY. “The mudroom gives a personalized home-like feel as you walk in the door while maximizing space within the unit.”

Framed out by walls, the mudrooms consist of low storage cubbies that support quartz benches. Entry flooring was installed on the back walls to enhance the backdrop for the alcoves, while coat hooks sit under finished plywood shelves that provide an opportunity for additional storage. The casework, hardware, and bench colors vary to match the rest of the finishes within the units.