He worked with an architect to build a painted maple storage unit to fill the alcove, complete with Murphy beds and a nautical-inspired steel catwalk. The storage unit holds all of his clothing, audiovisual equipment, books and two beds. A hand pulley system makes it easy to move things from the top floor to the bottom.
The humble toe kick is an often-overlooked design detail, and maybe for good reason: It stands practically underfoot, serving in fact only to give our feet a place to rest while we’re working at the counters and cupboards above. However, whether in the kitchen, bathroom or elsewhere, there is much you can do with a toe kick, so it’s worth taking a moment to think about this small design detail.
If you have a free wall and a bit of floor space to spare, investing in an entire wall of custom storage is a worthy splurge. Just imagine how much stuff you could fit in there! This is a job for a pro. Hire a cabinetmaker or an interior designer to create a storage wall that meets your needs and fits your space perfectly. If you are already working with an architect, ask for the storage to be worked into the plans.
The short space under a window can be tricky to furnish and decorate. See what happens when you fit the area with a knee-high library, a sleek storage bench, bedroom dresser drawers or a cozy curl-up zone. The owners filled the wall along this apartment’s front window with built-in shelves painted a restrained gray. The half-height shelves serve as a windowsill and an integrated radiator cover.
The usual peg board made chunkier and funkier
Create open shelving. Don’t assume the understairs area should be reserved for hiding the vacuum and shopping bags. Open shelving can look stylish, as these chic box shelves show. Here they provide a home for oversized art and travel books, while the soft gray woodwork contrasts with the hallway and adds an elegant feel.
Extend a room. With the dimensions of our homes shrinking, you might decide you’re better off using your understairs area to extend an adjacent room. This spot adds to the kitchen, with an extra work surface, shelf and sink. The simple, industrial-style staircase adds to the modern feel.
Blend in. Using the same Scandinavian-pale wood for these understairs cabinets as the staircase and banister has created a feeling of uniformity and order. Rather than building in one cabinet, the architect has divided the space into smaller cabinets that are easier to keep tidy and navigate in a hurry.
Squeeze in a sofa. Craving a quiet corner? These homeowners have designed a reading nook complete with mini sofa, cushions and shelves. If you’ve always hankered after a room of your own but don’t have a spare study or attic space, this could be a cozy compromise.
Choose a bright color. Who said staircase cupboards have to be white or wood so they “disappear”? The chartreuse textured finish on these smart, minimalist doors lifts the space and turns the cabinets into an attractive feature.
Add stairway shelves. Using the wall space on a staircase for books — if you have the width —is pure common sense. It can also add character and charm to a plain staircase, as seen here. Talk to a carpenter for the best way to utilize “dead” stairway space, making sure you think about how much room you need to turn comfortably on the stairs. (You don’t want be knocking over War and Peace every time you climb the stairs to head to bed.)
Create a library. Don’t want endless rows of shelving to dominate your living space? Given a little planning, you can use your stairwell instead. This splendid staircase has been turned into a library, dodging the bland look that empty staircases can sometimes have.
Max your drawers. Think about the combination of storage that will work for the way you live. These open cubbyholes have been supplemented by a low bank of drawers — ideal for stashing the mail, dustpan and brush and other household paraphernalia.
Stash your shoes. There’s ordinary understairs storage, and then there’s this great solution for getting rid of unsightly shoes strewn across the hallway (a common problem in my house). This slide-out shoe rack is just the ticket, while the stairs themselves are beautiful.
Insert a study. If you desperately need a home study area, then utilizing the understairs zone may work better for you than sacrificing a corner of the bedroom or dining room. Remember to think about functional things, such as lighting, as the area under the stairs can be pretty gloomy. Here, strategically placed spotlights ensure that the owner won’t be working in the dark.
Create a mini utility room. Tucking the washing machine and dryer under the stairs is a genius idea that frees up space elsewhere — in the kitchen, say, for more cabinets or a breakfast bar. Condenser dryers are a good choice for this arrangement, as they don’t need a vent — they collect moisture in a removable container. Line up the appliances side by side and hide them behind doors, or copy this neat solution, which includes a cubbyhole that was no doubt originally intended for a laundry basket.
The hearth reimagined as a freestanding white oak closet. The three common areas — kitchen, dining room and living room — connect, without having to have an entirely open plan. Part closet, part flow circulator and room divider, the oak unit sits in the middle of the house. It connects all the main rooms while creating intimate spaces within the nearly open plan. The hearth is the first thing visitors see when they walk into the house. It divides the kitchen and dining room from the living room, allowing guests to focus on one another and the space they’re in.
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