Solutions for that trickiest of spaces
There’s no end of ideas to make more of life under the stairs, says Morag Turner
WHAT lurks under your stairs? Most of us would admit to a dumping ground filled with coats, drying racks, discarded trainers and all manner of household paraphernalia.
But it needn’t be that way. reinvent the space and you could add value to your home. ‘It might only be 25 sq ft but when you are selling a house in London, for example, where every square foot is worth £800, that’s £20,000 of usable space. Maximising this part of your home will pay off. whether you decide to keep it as storage or open it up, make the most of it’, says robin Chatwin from savills estate agents. Here’s how to do it.
SAVVY STORAGE
Storage is easily the most popular option. However, traditional cupboards with one single entry point are notoriously inaccessi- ble. There is always plenty of space at the back that either remains unused or is cluttered with long forgotten items.
Much better to fit your cupboard with shelving and drawers that make the most of every inch.
‘The beauty of bespoke cabinetry is that it’s made to fit the designated area,’ says Peter Humphrey, founder of Humphrey Munson ( humphreymunson.co.uk), which specialises in made-to-order cabinets.
HOME OFFICE
Even if you can make do with a laptop at the kitchen table, creating your own workspace might provide extra encouragement if you work from home. By tucking a desk neatly under the stairs you can gain an, albeit small, study. Often this area can be narrow, but there are plenty of slimline and foldaway desks on the market.
Made.com has the Esme wall desk in white for £149, or try the Elementals wallmounted fold-down desk from world stores.
co.uk for £181.66. If you like a more traditional look, take a look at a bureau from the Dormy House ( thedormyhouse.com) for £310. neville Johnson offers bespoke understairs studies from £3,000 ( nevillejohnson.co.uk).
LITTLE LIBRARY
If THE space is too tiny to house a study, then line the walls with shelving and books instead. As with the bespoke storage, you can opt for a made-to-measure system that fits perfectly. Or pop to Ikea or Homebase, pick up some cheap shelves and cut them to fit.
DOWNSTAIRS LOO
A downstairs loo can add value to your home, so if you can slot one in here, go for it. The disadvantage is you have to call in the professionals to install the correct plumbing and electrics.
It could cost anywhere between £2,000 and £5,000 to create, but it is possible to save on the sanitaryware. You can pick up a cloakroom wash basin and toilet set from as little as £79.99 from victoriaplum.com.
UTILITY ROOM
Fitting a washing machine and tumble dryer under the stairs where they can be hidden behind cupboard doors is a nifty option.
The key is to install slim-line appliances. whirlpool has a 40cm wide, top-loading washing machine for £489 ( whirlpool.co.
uk). This could be combined with Indesit’s 49cm wide tumble dryer (£169.99, currys.
co.uk) to create a truly compact utility. If you have space left over, then consider some clever narrow storage containers and an ironing board hook from aplaceforeverything. com.
WINE CELLAR
Wine cellars aren’t just for connoisseurs. You could house a wine rack and even a fridge beneath the stairs. some fridges are beautifully backlit, too, so there’s no need to hide them away. Leave the wine shelving open or cover it with glass to create a climate-controlled system.
‘we sell specific under stairs racks off the shelf that start from £32.50, but if you want to create a made-to-measure wine cellar, then the cost will be considerably more,’ says Paul Trigwell, of Tanglewood wine Accessories ( tanglewoodwine.co.uk).
‘we recently built one for a client in Chelsea that had a climate controlled fridge plus racks to hold hundreds of bottles that cost more than £6,500. But if you want to look after your wine, it is worth the investment.’