The area under the stairs is probably one of the most neglected and under-used parts of any house. Despite the fact that we all strive to maximize the space in our homes while making our décor choices look luxurious yet practical, most of us appear to forget how this empty space can be easily transformed into an eye-catching and functional part of the house.
There is certainly more than one way to remodel the space under your stairs. Generally, this area is used as a plain old storeroom. More often than not, it’s just an unsightly corner in the house with junk and cardboard boxes piled up high. While you must have come across plenty of ideas to utilize the area underneath the stairs while browsing through Pinterest, just remember it is more than just about aesthetics.
You can add shelves and glass cabinets to create a modern look or simply convert the space into a home office. Depending on what your house needs, you can pretty much use this extra space for any purpose your heart desires.
Here are some clever ways to use the space under the stairs that might help you choose your next DIY home décor project.
Reading Nook
If you love reading and have a large collection of books, use the space under your staircase to create a perfect reading nook. You can either install some shelves on the wall or place a custom-made bookshelf in the corner. Depending on the space, add a comfy sofa or an under stairs bench seat along with a small coffee table to complete the look. If adding a pendant light to illuminate the area is not an option, invest in a reading light or lamp.
Apart from books and magazines, you can also display colourful showpieces, photo frames or potted plants in those shelves to give the corner pop of colour and make your home look cosy and trendy at the same time.
Study table or home office
If you or one of your family members works from home, the space under your stairs is the ideal place to set up a home office. You can either buy a small desk or put together some shelves and drawers for storage purposes. For households with kids, this space can be turned into a studying area or a homework station.
Setting it up a desk and a bookshelf under your stairs is not going to be expensive and it will definitely save up a lot of space in your child’s bedroom. If the area is a little bigger, you can even add a sliding door and turn into a separate study room.
Kitchen pantry
Most houses in Pakistan come without a kitchen pantry. Unfortunately, since the kitchen is usually one of the smallest rooms in the house, sometimes it is absolutely impossible to add more storage area to it.
However, if you have a staircase in your home, you can use the space under your stairs as a pantry to store all of your small appliances, spices, canned food items, cereal boxes and almost all non-perishable dry goods. This way, your kitchen will also appear clutter free while all your food items will be organized in one place.
Shoe storage
Forget those unsightly shoe racks and dedicating precious closet space to your shoes. If you have any empty space under the stairs, add some sleek cabinets or stylish drawers to turn the area into a shoe closet. Depending on the number of people living in your house, each family member can even have their own drawer or shelf.
If you have wall-to-wall carpeting and don’t want people to ruin it, add some space in your shoe closet to accommodate your guests as well. This way, they won’t leave their shoes scattered in the hallway whenever they visit your house. Needless to say, this functional DIY stairs design idea will also add value to your home.
Media centre
Although this DIY home décor idea depends largely on the architecture of your house, you can convert the space under your stairs into an in-house media centre. You just need to mount your TV on the wall and place a console for your multimedia units. If you can set up your dining table or a couch nearby, that would be perfect.
If done correctly and strategically, this DIY stairs design idea can make this area the most sought-after part of your house. The spot where you keep your TV in your living room could also be utilized by moving the screen to another unit.
Mini closet
Let’s admit it, there’s no such thing as too much closet space. If you don’t want to use the space under your stairs to store your shoes, built a mini closet for your coats, jackets and other bulky and seasonal items that eat up too much closet space. For this DIY stairs design idea, you’ll just need to add a sliding door and a long PVC or copper pipe to hang the clothes. This modern storage idea is not just budget friendly but it’s also very practical.
You can also add shelves, use wicker baskets, buy a couple of wall hangers or even build a few drawers to increase the space in your closet. Pretty much every clothing item or accessory that you don’t use often can also be put in here.
Playhouse for kids
Households with young children tend to get a bit messy. However, if you don’t like toys strewn all over the place and crayons scattered on the carpet, dedicate the area under your stairs as a play area for kids. You can use colourful baskets or a chest of drawers to store toys, colouring books, puzzles and board games. Depending on the space, you can even add a small table and a comfy rug so your children know they have to keep their playthings within that area.
This DIY stairs design idea will not only ensure your house remains clean and tidy but also add a pop of colour to the conventionally overlooked corner of your house.
Indoor garden
Add a little bit of green to your house by turning this area into an indoor garden. If the space under your stairs receives some natural light, you can place some large potted plants to brighten it up. If you like gardening but don’t have a lot of space, you can even set up a beautiful vertical garden that would simultaneously improve the environment of your home along with enhancing its aesthetic.
Meanwhile, if the area doesn’t receive a lot of sunlight, you can invest in plants that thrive in shade, like the cacti, for some extra colour and texture. Just get a small table to display a bowl of succulents and hang a pendant light directly above it for a sleek and minimalist look.
Glass showcase
This is a no-brainer. If you have any extra, under-utilized space in your house, you can just install a few cabinets with a glass exterior to display your prized possessions or the expensive crockery you never use. This is probably the best makeover you can give to your house.
From photo frames to memorable items and from delicate showpieces to your children’s sports trophies, you can use pretty much anything to decorate the space under your stairs.
Pet house
If you have a pet, the space under your stairs is the perfect place to create a pet house. The simplest and most affordable way to do that is to put a small, comfy bed for your furry friend along with their food and water bowl in that area. If you have a cat, put the litter box in that area as well.
For households without pets, you can use this space to build an aquarium. To make it look even better, choose some colourful fish and don’t forget to add interesting decorations such as driftwood, sunken ships and coral. This
DIY home décor idea will not only make your place look more luxurious but also instantly upgrade your entire décor.
