21 Clever Under Stair Storage Design Ideas To Maximize The Space in Your House

In need of more storage yet your house is already full? Check out the space under the stairs. This space is often neglected, unused, and empty. There is no need to worry, though. We listed 20 clever under stair storage designs to help you design that space.

From a pantry, shoe storage, closet, bookshelf, cabinet, to catchall shelving. Your option is virtually limitless. Want to see how amazing the space under the stairs can be? Check these under stair storage ideas out.

Under Stairs Pantry

Not sure where to put all those ingredients and seasonings? Not all of us have the luxury of having a large kitchen. Some of us have to, well, make the most of a small kitchen. If this is you, consider turning the space under the stair into a pantry storage.

Does size matter for the stairwell storage? Not really. The pantry doesn’t have to be large.  All it needs is to have enough room for all your ingredients and seasonings. Create layers of shelving and a mobile pantry to move what you need in one go to the kitchen. Add doors for protection.

Pantry Shelving

The space under the stairs comes in various shapes and sizes. As such, under the stair storage plans will differ from one homeowner to the other.

If your space makes it hard to install a door or u-shaped shelving, open shelving like this is one of the best under stair storage designs you’d want to consider.

How many layers should you use is, of course, depend on your needs. The more items you need to store, the more layers it will require.

Just be sure that the shelving is easily reachable and sort the items based on the usage frequency. The often-used items should be the most reachable. That will make things a lot easier.

The pantry of the kitchen shouldn’t just be storage. It should also add beauty to the kitchen. Get inspired to design your amazing kitchen pantry shelving.

Roll Out Storage

Just because it is staircase storage doesn’t mean it has to be ordinary. If you can have fancy, slide in and out cabinets, why not? That’s right. Cabinets, not a cabinet. It goes without saying slide in and out cabinets can hold more items.

Functionality is not the only thing about such sliding cabinets, though. You can style it to your liking, adding design elements to the whole interior. It takes time to design and make, but certainly worth the effort.

Clothes and Shoe Storage

Wouldn’t it be nice to have an under stair storage closet? Of course it would. When you are in a hurry, you can just get clothes and shoes for the occasion and there you go. You are ready to go.

The best thing about this stairwell storage is that it is hidden and technically doesn’t take any space. When not in use, it will stay hidden under the stairwell. When needed, just pull it out. Practical? Very. Space-efficient? Absolutely.

Storage for Kitchen

As you have seen from the previous under stair storage examples, there is no absolute rule you must follow. The staircase storage doesn’t have to be such and such or it has to be filled with such and such items. None of that.

Notice how this storage is used for not just ingredients and seasonings but also utensils. With storage like this, you don’t need to worry about where to store your kitchen stuff. A helpful extra for any kitchen, especially the smaller ones.

Under Stair Storage Hallway

Perhaps you need an under stair storage closet for items when you are in a hurry? Every one of us has such moments when we are in a hurry. Having a closet that allows you to grab the necessary items and go is certainly helpful.

The storage needs not to be complex or delicate. Since it is for emergencies, the items need to be stored in a way that they can be grabbed quickly. Notice how this space has shelves and hangers, all of which make it easier to get the items needed.

Stylish Storage

Good under stair hidden storage is one that can blend with the surrounding. This storage not just blends, but also adds a stylish touch to the space.

The color scheme is just attractive. The navy blue of the storage contrasts the light wood of the flooring and the white of the staircase.

Navy blue and white is almost always work in any kinds of interior styling. If you want stylish under stair hidden storage, using navy blue for it is without a doubt a smart move.

‘Catchall’ Cupboard

Even if you already have storage for everything, having ‘catchall’ storage will still be helpful. Such storage allows you to store any items for short-term before you move them to the appropriate place.

In this under stair storage, you see a part of the storage is used to showcase decorations and antiques, while the other part is used for a mini closet.  Extra storage will always help to keep the house organized.

Bookshelf

It is always nice to have storage dedicated to books. If you are an avid reader, making a bookshelf is probably among the best under stair storage ideas to try.

With such a bookshelf, you can store lots of your favorite books, keep them organized, and at the same time, don’t eat up other usable space.

If the space is large enough, you can even add under stair storage drawers like this. The upper part of the storage is for books, while the lower part is for whatever items you want to store in.

Most people see a bookshelf merely as storage for books. Yet, with proper styling, it can be both aesthetical and functional. Our bookshelf decor ideas here will show you how to do so.

Secret Storage Under Stairs

We speak about various under stair storage ideas here but none of the previous ideas are literal. This one, on the other hand, takes under stair storage on a whole another level. If you have a narrow staircase, creating storage under each staircase is a great alternative.

Makeshift Shelving

If under stair storage cabinets are not possible, you can turn the staircases into shelving instead. These makeshift shelving are simple and don’t take much to create. Yet, despite its simplicity, they look amazing. Not only they make the most of the space, but also make the otherwise neglected space appealing too.

Compared to the previous storage examples, this under stair storage is quite simple and minimalist. In case you are a minimalist and/or want to add a minimalist design element into your house, making makeshift shelving is undoubtedly one of under stair storage ideas worth considering.

Cozy Reading Nook

Many homeowners sacrifice a room to create a comfy reading nook. That doesn’t have to be like that for you. Check the space under the stairs. If it is large enough, you can create a comfy reading nook like this.

Since the space has such weird shape, creativity is needed. Look how the bookshelf follows the contour of the stairway.

Just add two chairs with soft cushions and pillow and lighting above and there you have it. A comfy reading nook where you can read your favorite book undisturbed.

Frame Cabin

This under stair storage is extraordinary. Not only it provides more storage, but it also serves as a room divider. Visually, a room divider separates the space into two sides, each of which can be used for different purposes. For example, one side is for a living room, the other is for a reading nook.

What kind of furniture or shelving should be used? It is best to go with the staircase. In this case, the staircase has a rustic design.

So the best choice of furniture or shelving will be rustic ones. Notice how the room divider breaks the space into two and at the same time, keeping the whole rustic theme for both sides.

White Reading Nook

If an integrated interior styling is what you are after, you need to consider what you already have. This white staircase is complemented by a mostly white reading nook with several accent colors. Just look how integrated the staircase and under stair storage is.

A pair of chairs may be a good choice for a reading nook. But if you want a more relaxed vibe, cushions are your best option. With a built-in bookshelf on the side, your reading session will be a lot more enjoyable.

Under Stair Toy Storage

So far, the under stair storage ideas here are mostly for adults. What about the kids? Kids often left the house messy with their toys. To anticipate that and to make organizing easier, you will need special and dedicated storage for toys.

Where should you make such toy storage? Well, why not make stairwell storage? This space is often left empty and the kids can reach them easily.

Just add under stair storage shelves and several boxes, as simple as that. It is a win-win solution for both you and your kids.

Home Office

Many homeowners sacrifice their room to make a home office. It doesn’t have to be that way. Instead, create it under the stairs. This way, you make the most out of the available space in your house and get a home office without sacrificing any room at all.

Complete the home office with a table, drawers, shelves, and of course, a comfy chair. Want to make it more noticeable and separated from the rest of the room? Use a darker color for the background. Adding some eye-catching decorations won’t hurt too.

Under Stair Storage Ideas

Everyone has their own favorite items they want to showcase. Be it family photos, book collections, antique souvenirs, you get the idea.

Here’s a good idea: create a focal point in the house by turning the empty space under the stairs into a gallery and storage.

The gallery needs not to be large. As long as it can showcase your favorite items, that will be enough. As for the extra storage, empty the lower part of the gallery and add some boxes to make catchall storage. To make the gallery more attention-grabbing, use unique background.

Under Stair Storage Drawers

Under stair storage doesn’t have to have a certain theme. Sure, having storage designated for specific items make it easier to manage but that doesn’t have to be the case every time. In some cases, we have various extra items that we may not have enough space to dedicate for them.

That is when all-in-one under stair storage drawers like these are needed. Notice how the storage holds various items.

From books shoes, dolls, bottles, and even cleaning equipment. If you tend to collect various items, consider creating all-in-one extra storage for them.

Toy Storage

Kids and organized don’t belong in the same sentence. After all, kids often play with their toys and left them there. Well, that’s just kids being kids. As adults, we have to clean up the mess. Want to make the task easier? Create storage under the stairs.

With designated storage like this, you can just collect the toys your kids left and put them in a box and store them in the shelf. You keep your house clean and tidy and your kids get to play with their toys. No more worries about a messy room.

Hidden Storage

The last under stair storage is in each and every step of the staircase. If you want to go full minimalist and maximize what you have, this is without a doubt among the best ideas for you. Unlike the previous storage, this one uses the entire staircase as the storage.

The beauty of this staircase/storage is that it is accessible in more ways than one. Notice how some of the storage look like lockers and others like drawers. In other words, they can store items with various sizes.

There are still plenty of ways to utilize the space under the staircase. Need more inspiration? Check these under stair ideas out.