Lack of storage = foe.  Finding storage in an unlikely place = friend.

Lack of storage is almost always an issue.  I rarely hear anyone say, “I have tons of space and more storage than I need.”  Right?  We’ve talked before of places to “find” space like over a doorway or on the back of a closet door, etc.  If your home has stairs, you’ve no doubt considered how to maximize that space for storage.  Here are some clever, dare I say inspirational, ways to utilize that unusual space.

More Storage Please

Drawers always offer a great storage solution because when closed, the clutter is hidden.  How about making the stair risers into drawers?  What to store there?  Maybe off season clothing, holiday supplies, crafting or gift wrapping supplies, anything flat would fit here beautifully.

 

Need deeper drawer storage? How about these pull out units – almost like an oversized pantry.  I love the seamless look the closed drawers have – the drawers just look like a wall.

Sometimes finding storage for large sports equipment like these bikes is challenging – especially if you don’t have a garage (or the garage is too full).  This appears to be a basement activity room with the bikes cleverly stored out of the way and yet almost as art!

Stairs near a kitchen offer a perfect place to ‘find’ additional storage.  Cookbooks, reference material, lots of cubbies for kitchen storage – what a great wall!  If you didn’t want to have all those drawers, you could also just build shelves and then use decorative baskets or bins for hiding any clutter.

A more traditional use of under stair space is this simple grid of bookcase shelves – storage or display space makes a much more visually interesting contribution to the room than just a blank wall.

This small curved stairway has built in display cubes that reinforce an interesting design element.

As we’ve discussed before, adding a bold color will bring drama and attention to an area – look how this under stair storage becomes a focal point with the addition of this delicious color.  It lifts the ordinary treatment into the extraordinary in style.

Now here is how I’d use found space around a stairway – storage for more books!  By just extending the line of each step around to the wall, it keeps the organization visually tidy and yet creates so much more storage!

An entry or back door mud room often needs extra storage and if a stairway is eating up space, it makes sense to utilize the under stair storage by adding cubbies for jackets and backpacks.

Alternative Stair Storage Ideas

If you’ve always wanted a window seat but didn’t have space, have you looked under the stairs?  This is a clever idea and a great way to add personality to an entry way.

Have you always wished you had room for a wine room?  Invent one under your stairs!

Tuck a small home office under the stairs – talk about functionality!

What’s Your Solution?

Making the most of the space in your home is often a challenge and requires looking at existing architectural elements and figuring out how to work around them or maximize them for the way you want to live in your home.  Stairs are often a challenge because they chop up hallways and rooms and take up so much space.  With a little ingenuity you CAN make all that ‘wasted’ space work for you.  Have you come up with an unusual under stair solution?  If so, we’d love to have you share your idea.  Just leave us a comment or email and we’ll share with our readers.

We Can Help

Remember, Cindy and I offer complete design services – we can help resolve storage issues, color issues, furniture layout problems, and just about anything else. We both have years of design experience and would love to help you fix your space and make it more workable or more cohesive.  Check out our affordable options here.