Decorating Under the Stairs - Part 2

Great Review Decorating Under the Stairs - Part 2

Opening up the area under hall stairs adds a feeling of spaciousness to the entrance area and gives you more room to put the hall to practical use. The same goes for opening stairs up into a room - you create a visually interesting niche, framed by the staircase, which you can use in any of the following ways:

A Library

If you have a fairly large space and lots of books and magazines, how about setting up a mini-library? Line the walls under the stairs with shelves - adjustable ones are a good idea, allowing you to vary and alter the spacing to store all sizes of books and magazines. Painting the shelves to match the baseboard and other moldings gives the space an integrated feel. Use recessed spotlights or angled floor lamps to illuminate the books as well as to provide reading light. For a really high-tech touch, fix up strip lighting on the shelves themselves to highlight the books.

If space permits, add a comfortable chair, looking out into the room or hall. The stairs themselves often protect the space underneath from drafts, making it a cozy place to sit and browse through the books.

A Work Space

You don't need much room for a compact home office. Install a desk or fitted work surface with roll-out filing cabinets or a stack of baskets underneath. Fix shelves to the walls above the desk and add a swivel chair on castors. Provide a telephone jack and power outlets for electronic equipment. Multi-purpose office machines, such as a combination phone, fax, and answering machine, fit into some remarkably small spaces.

Good lighting is essential, especially if you sit with your back to the natural light source. Wall-mounted bracket lighting may be more practical than a desk lamp, which takes up some of the valuable, but limited, space on your work surface.

A Telephone Corner

Set up a private telephone area under the stairs. All you need is a phone and phone jack, a comfortable chair, and a telephone table - use one with a shelf or drawer underneath for message pads, pens, and telephone books. A wall-mounted adjustable spotlight or torchere with a dimmer switch gives you enough light to read phone numbers, but allows you to dim the lights to a pleasant glow for a chat to family or friends.

A Display Area

Shallow under-stair spaces fitted with shelves are ideal for displaying collections of attractive objects, such as glass or china. Put up open shelving or place precious collections behind glass. It is also a good place to display collections of watercolors, delicate needlework or fabrics because they are usually protected from damaging exposure to direct sunlight.

Closed-in Space

You may decide to close in the space under the stairs instead. Using wooden panels, tongue-and-groove boards, or sheets of plywood effectively creates a useful storage closet. If you equip the area with plenty of hooks and shelves, you can store a large quantity of household paraphernalia away under there. For easy access, fit a full-size, outward-opening door a little away from the end wall, so that you can put shelves behind the door as well. Make sure that the space is adequately lit, locating the light switch by the door.

Utility space: You may even be able to keep large kitchen appliances, like a freezer, tumble dryer, or washing machine under the stairs. Check out the practicalities of installing power outlets and plumbing first, of course. Also ensure that you can comply with the regulations for adequate ventilation in windowless spaces by installing a ventilating kit for the dryer and an exhaust fan to the outside.

Bathroom space: In many homes, there is enough room to add a toilet or mini-shower room under the stairs, as long as it is practical to supply power outlets, plumbing, and ventilation. Consult a plumber for professional advice and be sure to get a quote for the work before embarking on the conversion.