4 Tips on how to Use the Space Under your Stairs

Finding a way to use the space under your stairs is super practical and easy to do. The trick is to stop thinking of the stairs as a part of the house you just pass through and start thinking of them as a valuable area.

The main issue is that people often use under the stairs as storage, but without any sense of order. Luckily, with a bit of good taste and some common sense, you can turn this into a practical, pretty, and functional part of the house.

A lot of people even think of stairs as a minus within a house: they take up space and valuable square footage…Get that idea out of your head and turn your stairs into a plus!

Today we’re going to give you 4 tips on how to make the best use of the space under your stairs and help you do just that!

Tips on how to use the space under your stairs

1. Factor in your budget

This is the most important consideration. You obviously don’t want to start a project you can’t pay for. Plus, there are all kinds of designs and materials out there, so you should always be able to find something that meets both your needs and your financial capabilities.

If the space is already open, that will make everything easier. Otherwise, you’ll have to have some work done to open it up and get use out of it. If that sounds like a pain, just remember this is one of the best ways to get a few extra square feet in your house.

As we said, most people use this area for storage. But if you take the leap, you can also turn wooden steps into little cubbies, if it’s a straight staircase.

2. How much space is there?

You always have to factor in the measurements of your stairs. That’s what determines how much space you have under them, and what you can decide to do with it.

This means thinking about height, width, and depth. Getting tailor-made furniture is the best way to get full use of the space. You can also go for adjustable things that allow you to change the structure as you like.

If the space is tall, you can put in tall furniture or appliances, like a fridge. If it’s very deep, you can put in a couch, a mattress with pillows, or even an armchair. It will make for a great little corner to rest, especially if it has a lot of natural light.

3. What’s your home like?

You also need to think about your home’s characteristics, starting with size. If it’s small, you probably need more storage space. That makes it extra important to take full advantage space, including the area under the stairs.

If you don’t have much living room space, you can use the area under the stairs for a short piece of furniture, a mirror, a coat hanger, etc...

If you live in a loft with a small upper area, you have a lot more choices, because almost everything is in the same space, without any divisions between the rooms. You can use the space under the stairs to the upper part for a shelf, a closet, or a nice little dressing room.

If there’s an island in your kitchen, you can use the space under the stairs as a pantry. You could even go as far as putting a stove top or other kitchen appliances there.

So, if you want to make the best use of this space, start by thinking about what you can do with your home’s size and layout.

4. Think about your main household needs

In the last point, we said to think about your home’s layout to get the most out of the space under the stairs. That’s still important, but you also need to remember what you actually need, especially if you have a small home.

The primary goal is always to optimize space. Find square feet where it doesn’t seem like there could be any. Sometimes people put things off because they think they don’t have enough space, even though they really do. All you need is to be organized.

If you’re creative, you can make your own art space here. That goes for dressing rooms and studies/offices too. They usually aren’t the first priority and end up never being built at all.

Most people want as much extra storage space as possible. As you’ve seen, there are lots of ways to do that: shelves, closets, or a couch for your relaxation area.

If storage isn’t your priority, you can also make this area into an indoor green space. Vertical gardens are a great way to use the space under your stairs.

Conclusion

There are lots of options. If you’re not very organized, you can install furniture with doors. You could also cover up the free space with curtains. Remember: you don’t need a huge budget to make something out of this space. All you need is a little creativity and the taste to make it match the rest of the house.