20 Creative Ideas To Use The Space Under Your Stairs

Fans of the Harry Potter saga would know that he slept in a room under the stairs, a place where normal folks use as closet space. As these 20 examples will show you, there is more than one way to use the space under the stairs, and while they are not to house a teen wizard, that space, no matter how little, can be put to more practical use.

You can reinvent it as a place for reading, storage, work or a quiet nap (with an excellent view). There are surely more great ways to save space in the home and if you know more of these inspiring ideas, let us know.

For more great home design ideas you can try out:

Green Urban Housing in Philadelphia. Have no room to keep your bicycles outside? Just hang them up under the staircase.

Farmhouse Restoration (Photo by Laurey W. Glenn). That’s a nice place to chill out and read a book or two.

Open Plan Living Space by Kia Sunda. Fancy a mini library? Just place a chair there and you have your own reading corner.

700 Palms Residence by Ehrlich Architects. You can also put together a nice shelf for exotic things you get from your travels.

Copake Lake House by Thom Filicia. Here’s one that has been turned into a small kitchen with a sink and shelves for tableware.

Twin Peaks by John K. Anderson Design. Here’s another reading corner with a touch of motherly love. It also looks like a great spot to unwind (and for mom to hide from the kids).

Kirkland Residence by Rhodes Architecture + Light. Add a window, a sofa and you have the perfect place to nap under the warmth of the sun.

Hamilton by Randal Kurt Photography. Aside from storing books, you can also use the space under the stairs to store wine bottles.

Grant Park Interior Renovation by Renewal Design-Build. You can always choose to turn it into a study room or play room for the kids. At least the toys and lego bricks stay in there!

Manhattan Micro Loft by Specht Harpman Architects. Put a few drawers in and you have places to store your umbrella, golf clubs, shoes, bags etc.

Home Desk by Hus & Hem. So long as nothing falls through the cracks between the steps, this home office idea is pretty cool.

Staircase with Bookshelves by Hand Werk. One more home library under the stairs idea, this time with a comfortable reading spot near the window sill.

Fridhemsgatan Loft by Fantastic Frank. The space under the stairs in some homes can be big enough to house not only a library but a whole living room. Perspective FTW.

Beach Cottage by Juliana Lahoz. Need a spot to put the TV?

Waukesha Lower Level by Brillo Home Improvements. For the bulk of the area, working sink; for the smaller wedges, wine!

West Loop Aerie by Scrafano Architects. I’m not sure which came first, the storage spaces or the staircases.

West Village Brownstone by Billinkoff Architecture PLLC. At the first glance this understairs niche seems to be a wall, but in fact it’s a hidden storage. Love the detail they put on the doors to suit the staircase design.