Ideas for using space under the stairs
Living in a double-storey apartment with loft, townhouse or house means that you have a staircase for access to the upper level. In many apartments and homes, these staircases are located within the living or dining space. Here are some ideas for making good use of space beneath a staircase for storage or decorative display.
Storage under stairs
In many homes, the space under a staircase goes to waste. It isn't always easy to come up with ideas to use this space for practical storage purposes and still have it blend in with the rest of the home.
My space under the stairs is closed off completely on the sides, and only the one end is open. I call this space my hooky and use it to pack away cleaning accessories such as vacuum cleaner and brushes, etc. To provide you with ideas and inspiration for using the space under stairs, here are some ideas that I came across...
Bathroom under stairs
tillyscottage.com
Need an extra bathroom or guest loo?
If the area under stairs is conveniently located close to existing plumbing lines, you can affordably install a small guest toilet. This is an affordable way to add an extra bathroom without going to the expense of adding on.
becolorful.typepad.com
There is plenty of room under a staircase for a small guest bathroom with toilet and basin, or for a separate loo if your home only has a single bathroom. I love the style of this quirky bathroom in black and white. The checkerboard ceiling works perfectly on the angle and it actually makes the small room appear larger than it actually is - something to think about when you are decorating your new guest loo under the stairs!
Home office
flickr.com/people/chasetheclouds
Using the space under a staircase to create a cosy office space is a practical way to set up a small home office that won't take up valuable floor space. And you can easily install a small desk and shelving. When designing the space for use as a home office, match furniture and decor to blend with the style of the surrounding room.
homedit.com
Kitchen and storage
home-designing.com
In a small apartment or townhouse, where every bit of floor space needs to be put to use, the area underneath a staircase can be used to house a variety of appliances. There is no reason why you cannot mount a flatscreen TV, and contain all the wires out of sight behind built-in panels. If the staircase is located within easy access to plumbing, installing front-loading appliances is another option to free-up valuable floor space in a small kitchen.
Simply by fitting a door to the area, you can not only fit in appliances but also make use of the space for storage as well.
ucuzoutletim.com
Media and storage
architectsforlife.com
Entertainment area
architectsforlife.com
housetodesign.com
Other ways to use the space under a staircase, is for entertainment. Installing a home bar underneath the stairs is one way to add an entertainment area if you don't have space for it anywhere else. Build a freestanding home bar, or incorporate the design so that it can be packed away out of sight when not in use [left]. A wine rack is also a way to make use of this space, because what home has space for a wine cellar!
homedit.com
Building a wine rack, bookcase, TV and media cabinet, or putting up decorative shelving is easy with a bit of DIY savvy. Grab some SupaWood and your power tools to make use of the empty space under a staircase. Once you have an idea in mind, and we've given you more than a few, put your idea down on paper and work out how you can use this valuable space.
