Inspiring Under-Stair Planning and Decorating Ideas

Designer: Aamir & Hameeda

The under-stair area presents a unique design challenge due to its awkward triangular shape. Whether you need extra storage or require an additional room, the under-stair space allows you to maximize every square inch of your home. However, with creative ideas, one can transform the under-stair area into a functional and visually stunning zone. So, unleash your creativity and give a new lease of life to the under-stair area of your home.

Designer: Mel Boyden

1. Create an Entertainment Zone

Designer: Bex Designs and Decorations

If you love entertaining, then use the under-stair area for creating a built-in bar alongside a buffet counter for serving food and added convenience. Arrange the shelves by the height of the liquor or wine bottles and different types of glassware. Introduce LED strip lights that illuminate the shelves and exude soft, diffused lighting to create a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. This fully-functional entertainment zone is perfect for an open-plan home.

2. A Green Thumb

Designer: Kate Chilver

Maximize the functionality and aesthetic appeal of the under-stairs area with open shelves that are perfect for keeping plants and wicker baskets that add an element of organization and storage. Plants not only add color but are also an affordable and natural way to infuse life and improve indoor air quality.

3. A Cozy Reading Nook

Designer: Camilla Falconer

Drawing inspiration from Scandi decor, the sinuous curves of this reading and resting nook create a cozy and stylish cocoon-like effect. Perfect for curling up with a good book, enjoying some hot coffee, having a long phone call, or listening to music, this nook transforms into a comfortable space ideal for relaxation. The depth of the stair provides ample space for a cozy bed, making it an ideal spot for putting on shoes and creating a feeling of tranquility. To complement this space, add a cozy lamp and good lighting to create an inviting and relaxing atmosphere.

4. Essential Storage

Designer: Denver Real Estate

Maximize your home’s storage potential by utilizing under-stair area. With its deep storage capabilities, this area is perfect for storing everyday essentials and utilitarian items such as scarves, coats, and extra belongings. By organizing this space, you can keep your home clutter-free while keeping everyday items close at hand. Consider creating designated shoe storage, allowing you to conveniently put on your shoes before leaving the house and easily store them upon returning.

5. Introduce a Kennel

Designer: Kimberly Lewis

Optimize the under-stair area in your home by creating a private space for your furry friend. This space can be customized to fit their size and needs, providing a cozy and comfortable spot for them to rest and relax. To keep the space clean and organized, consider incorporating easy-to-clean flooring and storage solutions for their items. In this example, a dog house facade complete with a door, lamp, and mailbox adds an extra touch of charm and functionality.

6. Design a Dry Kitchen

Designer: Blakes London

Transform your under-stair area into a practical dry kitchen with a coffee maker, microwave, and storage space for books and other essentials. With the addition of utility drawers, this space can become a perfect zone for quick and easy meal preparation. Ideally, this area should be close to a refrigerator to minimize walking time and maximize convenience. When not in use, the cabinet can be closed, keeping the area neat and out of view.

7. Incorporate Storage Drawers

Designer: Clever Closet

If you prefer a minimalist approach, consider dividing the under-stair area into several pull-out drawers. Designate each drawer for strategic storage as per your requirements. Pull-out drawers are an excellent choice, as they make deep storage easily accessible and can help extend your pantry space. The use of white drawers can create a clean, streamlined look that does not add bulk to the space.

8. Create a Laundry Room

Designer: Kayleigh Hilbert

Convert the under-stair area into an efficient laundry room with a washing machine and dryer. The shelves make space for storing your laundry supplies, washing powder, and fabric softener. Customized doors can camouflage the washing machine and tumble dryer and keep them looking tidy.

9. Introduce a Powder Room

Designer: Artvalleys

Maximize the under-stair area by creating a functional powder room for guests. When designing this space, ensure there is enough headroom and ample space to incorporate a WC and sink. Make provisions for all the necessary plumbing lines during the construction stage.

10. Storage Cubbies

Designer: Roundhouse Design>/a>

The slant of the stair provides a unique opportunity to create cabinets and racks of various sizes. If the staircase is near the kitchen, it can serve as an extended pantry or additional storage space, with dedicated areas for crockery, plates, and even wine storage. By customizing the cabinets and racks to fit the slant of the stair, you can create a streamlined and functional storage solution that maximizes the available space.

11. Style the Space

Designer: Oh My Edwardian

The under-stair area presents a unique opportunity to add style and visual interest to your home. By introducing a chair, throw, cushions, and plenty of planters, you can create a cozy and inviting space that is perfect for reading or relaxing. Additionally, consider adding a piece of art or decorative element to the space to elevate its overall aesthetic.

12. A Wine Cellar

Designer: Jay Rosen

Utilize the space under your stairs to create a luxurious wine cellar! Show off your wine collection like a pro by transforming the area into a temperature and moisture-controlled room that’s perfect for storing wine. A glass display will enhance the visual appeal of the space, while proper lighting is essential for elevating its ambiance. Opt for wine racks to organize and display your collection stylishly.

13. Incorporate a Built-in Bar

Designer: Parsons Custom Builders

This built-in bar unit is not only smart and stylish but highly functional as well. With a wine chiller, shelves for glasses and accessories, and drawers for storage, it’s the perfect setup for hosting memorable cocktail hours. Its wood finish infuses an element of warmth within the interiors.

14. Kids Playhouse

Designer: SR Fine Home Builders

The under-stairs area is the perfect hidden spot for toddlers to hang out and play with their toys without making a mess in the main living areas. As the children grow taller, convert the space into a functional storage zone with deep drawers or cabinets. Make sure to incorporate good lighting to keep the interior bright and cheerful.

15. Home Office

Designer: Building Culture

A home office is a space that transforms into a functional workspace with the right furniture and storage solutions. This dedicated zone is demarcated with an arch and is perfect for working or doing homework. A comfortable chair is essential to complement the space, along with adequate task lighting to prevent eye strain. Make sure there are plenty of electrical outlets and enough headroom to avoid any unwanted bumps.

16. A Home Library

Designer: Jenny Marrs

Transform your under-stair area space into a home library that can be used for displaying your cherished keepsakes in an organized and clutter-free way. One simple approach is to create open shelving or a bookcase with differently sized shelves, utilizing larger ones for displaying art and plants.

These creative tips will help you achieve the perfect balance of form and function in your home. Maximize the under-stair area; consider incorporating drawers, cupboards, or cabinets to make optimum utilization of the available space.

The post Inspiring Under-Stair Planning and Decorating Ideas first appeared on Yanko Design.

This furniture installation is inspired by industrial architecture

Bernd and Hilla Becher were German photographers (who first met as art students during the 50s) who were famed for their photographic documentation of the then-fading industrial architecture in Western Europe and North America. This phase of architecture was pretty important as industrial buildings at that time were slowly disappearing but were still a pretty interesting kind of architecture that was more functional than aesthetic. These “anonymous structures” were immortalized in the couple’s photographs.

Designer: Studio Mieke Meijer

A Dutch design studio has now created a furniture installation series that was inspired by those photographs from the Bechers. The Industrial Archaeology Series pays tribute to these photographs as the designs for the furniture and the way they were put together is based on these industrial structures that they documented. The first in the series is the Gravel Plant 01, an installation of shelves and spaces made of different geometric shapes and sizes. They are both functional and decorative and can also be modular and put together to create an entire furniture system.

The Industrial Landscape 01 is a staircase installation at a gallery that is inspired by the landscape of olden days in quarry terrains where these industrial installations were the dominant structures. The design shows off actual stairs and shelves and containers, again with different shapes and sizes put together. There are stairs, shelves, drawers, and other spaces to place your decorations and stuff, also showing off a modular system that is decorative and functional.

These installations are meant to restore these functional designs from the industrial structures this time enabling them for “studying, collecting, and storing”. The furniture are made from wood and steel, and seem to be stable enough to hold all your items and in the case of the staircase, actual people. Each piece in the installations are hand made and detailed “with outstanding attention to industrial details and skilled craftsmanship.”

The post This furniture installation is inspired by industrial architecture first appeared on Yanko Design.

Cleverly Crafted Tom & Jerry Flattened Tom Stair-Runner Rug

Inspired by a scene from a classic Tom & Jerry cartoon where Tom gets crushed paper-thin on the stairs by a giant Jerry, artist rugsoda has created an almost identical likeness of Tom in the form of this ‘Flat Cat’ stair-runner rug. It’s the perfect rug for letting guests know there may be a mouse ready to bonk you on the head with an oversized mallet around any corner.

Each $200 rug is handmade and measures 22″ x 55″, the perfect size to recreate flattened Tom from the cartoon scene, and I just bought one. Should I be really be buying $200 rugs? My wife says no, but my bank account says PAYMENT DECLINED: INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.

There’s no denying the flattened Tom rug is cool, but what I’d really like to see is a flattened Wyle E. Coyote rug and a coffee table on top that looks like an ACME anvil. How amazing would that be? Shoot, with ideas this good I should probably get some interior design business cards printed.

Staircase designs that will uplift any space

We recently read an article where the staircase of a restaurant was demolished by the local authorities, because it was constructed illegally. What this meant was, that the seating area on the first floor was inaccessible. Ingenuity struck the owners, and they hired a de-commissioned Double-decker bus and parked it in such a way that the patrons could climb up the stairs of the bus and reach the top floor seating. The point here is to look at staircases as more than just means of getting up and down between two floors. Designers put in a lot of thought and craft behind their staircase vision. We have curated some iconic staircases for you, so let us know what you think about them.

Sculptural wavy staircase in SMD Apartment designed by Arquitectura en Movimiento Workshop

Building for the Ministry of Urban Development and Environment by ARGE Sauberbruch Hutton

Escalera Staircase by Giraldo Arquitectos

Spiral Staircase at Antinori Winery by Archea Associati

Staircase at BarentsKrans by Hofman Dujardin

Light Bulb Staircase at the Museum of Czech Cubism

Duplex Apartment in 5th Avenue by JGSK Design & Workshop APD

The Boston House Staircase design by Steven Harris Architects

Spiral Staircase shot by Morgan Smith

Circular Shaped Staircase at Wiedeb+Kennedy by WORKAc

This Staircase Does the Climbing for You

Stairs are the worst, right? Too much exercise. Especially if you are talking a multi-story building with no elevator or escalator. Well, the engineers at Georgia Tech and Emory University have created stairs that will do all the hard work for you one day soon.

These energy-recycling stairs store energy as you descend, then release it to make it easier on the way back up. It is a brilliant idea. Our bodies use a lot of energy to prevent us from falling. It’s usually wasted energy however. These energy-recycling stairs store that energy with a spring-loaded mechanism that compresses each step and locks it down as you climb down. So you are basically charging each step with potential energy once you’ve hit the bottom. When you climb back up, pressure sensors on each tread release the locking mechanism on the step below it, turning that stored potential energy into kinetic energy. This helps lift a climber’s leg as the step raises again, reducing the amount of effort required.

Hopefully they can perfect this because I’m getting sick of using my actual muscles.

[via New Atlas via Gizmodo]