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We’ve seen a lot of indoor arrangements where the space under the stairs is completely neglected. This usually happens because the owners fear not to overcrowd the living room or hallway. In this post we would like to present 15 creative and elegant ways on how to effectively use the space under your stairs without “damaging” your home’s appearance. In fact, we think the ideas below will help improve the overall design of the rooms where they are put to practice. If you are living in a small crib and feel the need for more space, you might consider improvising a bookcase, a home office or an entertaining area. We particularly like the cozy extendable bed in the first photo, which could turn out to be a good solution when receiving guests. The aquarium and fireplace are two other original methods of making the most out of the area beneath the stairs. Check out the photos for more inspiration and if you guys have any more ideas, we would love to read them.
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Fond memories of our first home in German Village – had to take advantage of every square inch, including built-in shelves under the stairs. Had a friend’s retired father/carpenter build the shelves as boxes, then installed them under the stairs. That was a great place!
I love all the ideas, especially the one with the bathroom under, good way to using that lost space!
I am confused by “This usually happens because the owners fear not to overcrowd the living room or hallway.” They fear *not* overcrowding? They want to overcrowd?
Nice pictures, and some very good ideas. However every one of them without a hand rail, is illegal according to code. The few that do have a railing, are very well done.
Have you thought about using the under-stairs space for dining furniture? If your living space is small, you might not want to keep a big dining table out all the time, but a little table like this one http://tinyurl.com/25sr7ex would stow away neatly under your stairs and be ready to slide out whenever you need it. Alternatively, you could use the space for additional chairs?
Those are great ideas. I love the storage ideas. My favorites are the wine room and the coat cubbies. In this day and age of the smaller house, taking advantage of every inch is critical. Be sure to consult with your Architect as to what will be allowed by the building code. Some regulations don’t allow certain items under a stair and have specific guardrail requirements. Got questions? Ask at http://www.HauckArchitecture.com/contact/
The one with shoes under the stairs is nice. Looking forward for an article on other neglected spaces.
It would certainly seem that using that extra space for storage is the smartest strategy. However, adding a bathroom or half-bath would be a tremendous use of the space. Would also add to the resale value if done properly (i.e. not too cramped). Not sure about the aquarium thing though.
@jim – the lack of handrails was the first thing that caught my eye. Also the one that has someone actually going up on them, there’s no way the stairs have riser heights and step depths (not sure the proper term) that are up to code. Many of these look like art projects and not actual functional installations.
They sure inspire ideas though
Ooh, the bath, that’s kind of cool! And that bed looks COMFY. Wouldn’t want my desk under the open stairs though, it would get dusty.