What do you mean above a staircase? Are you talking about putting it on the landing?

Why not build a coat closet in under the staircase?

cpartist, I think the stairs go down, not up. Down to a basement, not up to a second floor.

It can be done. I don't think I am following what you are talking about with the bench though. If you mean you plan to put a stationary bench in front of the closet opening, I'd not recommend that.

Really confusing description. If I understand it correctly, you are proposing to replace part of the handrail on the first floor with framing for a closet, parallel to the sofa. A "bench" will be placed along side the remaining handrail on the first floor.

Sure. Why not?

Would have been a lot clearer if you had sketched what you have in mind, instead of expecting everyone to read your mind.

If this is a basement stair, what is shown would only allow a closet along the main part of the stair, not where it turns.

Usually at least 12 risers are required within the floor opening to allow the code requried head clearance of 6-8 measured from the nosing of the tread. Maybe that is the case and the drawing is just inaccurate but we must rely on what you show us.

You will need a drawing that is in scale or with enough dimensions shown to allow us to determine the headroom.

Using the dimension on the drawing, to allow a closet above the landing, the main run of the stair before it reaches the landing would need to be 10 ft long unless you are in a jurisdiction that allows 9 1/2" treads then the run would need to be be 9'-6". Ignoring the riser lines, your stair run seems to be about one tread too short.

Sorry, coffee wasn't quite soaked in. At least I made you think hard early in the day too!

Just ask any questions :) Yes, stairs going down to basement. They go down from the center of the house. The closet would go where that cut-out section is that forms the L. The closet would be above that cut out, allowing the cutout (required for headroom) to still exist, with the closet floor starting above the desired headroom. The bench would then be to the side of the closet, filling in that little void caused by the L shape on the stair. This bench would match the depth of the closet, so the entryway would be a straight shot still, with a seating area for putting on shoes and storing them below the seating area.

I think I would make the seating area 6' long or so. This means the seating area would stop about 36" before the staircase opening. That void I'm not sure what I would fill with, but carrying the bench the entire length of that wall would make the area feel less open.

I may also make the bench in the garage and then bring it in, this way if I decide I don't like it, or want to convert the rest of that wall to open balusters in the future, I would have an easy option versus demoing the wall & the bench attached to it.

Draw it and post it...words aren't doing it...

Oh, I think I got the answer. I can't draw right now, maybe later. It's basically a coat closet to the left of the front door opening. Not how else you can word that one. Then a seating bench commonly found in nearly every mud room where people sit to put on shoes. This seating bench would be next to the coat closet, as there is a small rectangle you see of carpet there that could be seating without interrupting traffic.

If the bench is against the required 36" high guard, it can be a hazard for children. If you really want a bench I suggest raising the guard wall until it was 36" above the bench.

If sufficient headroom is maintained, why would you not be able to put a closet next to the door? All I can think of is that there might be a conflict with the swing of the two doors forcing you to move the front door a foot or more away from the closet.

JDS, the overall idea of a closet going from floor to ceiling butted up to a half-high wall is what concerned me. It's basically going to look like a piece of tall furniture in the middle of the area (nothing next to the stairs that have an open area, and nothing next to the living room because that's all open for furniture. I'm afraid it may look alienated, but in terms of added value to space, it's excellent IMHO.

CTS-are you meaning recessed into the wall between the studs? If so I have seen that and it was sharp as well as a great use of space.

Here's the closet in brown with black border. 24" deep with raised bottom for stairs headway below it.

It works. You need to put some space between the closet and the door swing though.

I was thinking this but maybe not. I found the pic I took at a parade home, I thought it was genius myself:

That would add more character to the entry way. I suppose if I do the closet that option would be smart so it's not just floating in the entryway. I like a modern, clean look of my half high wall, (it's about 44") so I would want to minimize the pillar(s) on the bulkhead support. I may also go for square corners, or 45 degree corners on the bulkhead to pillar connection point.

We have a small closet over our basement stairs. I raised the floor of the closet, but used a standard height door to match the others in the house. We use it as a broom closet, and the raised floor is kind of nice as you don't have to bend over so far to pick things up!

Virgil, do you mean to say you didn't take that mind reading class when you were in college? Beside the blueprint folding class, that was one of the most useful classes I took.

Beside the blueprint folding class, that was one of the most useful classes I took.

That, and the "Clean Tear Off Bumwad 101" class too. "The student will learn the proper technique for correctly placing the scale in the crook of the bumwad roll so to cleanly and quickly tear off a just completed drawing". And of course that's followed by the ADVANCED Tear Off class.

Architect, was "PS: I have a dry sense of humor....or "humour" for our British friends." related to the drawing or something else? Because the drawing seems like a reasonable option. :P

Something else. In my whole house posted plans here I've been taken to task for not having any towel hanging space in the master bath for one house, to not having a place for the dog to sleep in another and in the last one the big thing someone noted is I forgot the "north" arrow. LOL! So I need a north arrow on everything now!!

Seriously, glad you like it. It's rare I put pen to paper here but I was in a good mood yesterday! And it can be done contemporarily (is that even a word?). No arch (but still go with a bulkhead to better visually tie in the closet to the whole thing) and it doesn't have to be drywall. It could be a different material like birch to give it a cleaner, contemporary look. And modern light fixtures to add a nice touch.

Ahhh...now it's all clear! Use the advanced bum-wad tearing technique (no straight edges please), tear off a long strip and use it to cover the stair going to the basement...repeat as needed until stair is no longer visible. Thereafter, place closet anywhere desired. Problem solved!

I love you guys...!

PS: "...We doan neeed no steenkin' towel holders...! " Borrowed from a Clint Eastwood classic...

to not having a place for the dog to sleep in another

Maybe the OP can put a doggy bed in one of the cubbies under the bench.

The thing about the stair wall is that that space is only there for visual. It can simply be a full height wall, but I choose a half wall for the open feeling it gives the space. I'd like to mock up an bulkhead but that's hard to get a feel for until it's truly finished and the materials are figured out. I like the idea because it makes the closet no longer a random floating piece, but perhaps I should do the closet and then decide if the space needs some grounding. I definitely believe square and sharp edges / angles will fit better with my open floor layout. The lights definitely have the ability to be too much if chosen improperly.

This is so strange that I found this today. I am planning something very similar. Our front door opens into the pony wall that is the tallest section, vertically, for my downward staircase. Once headroom is taken into consideration, we are putting in a floor across the staircase whole that is approx the width of the door. I’m going to add a bench and some coat hooks. We are taking down the pony wall and putting up a rail. Then, and you might try this, we are going to hang out tv on the stairwell wall. This opens up our room and we never have to actually go to the tv anymore. Thanks for sharing your idea on this site!