A staircase is an obligatory attribute of multi-storey private houses and two-level city apartments. This structural part takes up a lot of space, so designers are trying to include the space under its marches in the project, using as an additional functional area. One of the most common options is a cabinet under the stairs. You can give it any shape and solve the problem with the organization of space. Consider simple and creative options for cabinets and racks that you can implement with your own hands.
Cabinets under the stairs are a popular solution that has long ceased to amaze the townsfolk. This design move has the following advantages:
Use of additional usable area. If you take the built-in model, then not a single extra centimeter will be lost.
The original design. Cabinets do not have to be “boring” with simple facades. They can be decorated with decoracryl, painted, combined with a shelf or alternate between closed shelves and open shelves.
Organization of space. A large number of shelves under the steps will help to restore order among things, shoes, kitchen utensils (depending on the functional purpose of the cabinet). This solution has its drawbacks:
Difficulty in choosing a finished model. In 90% of cases, home owners have to order a built-in closet with individual proportions, since the stairs are different.
From the same paragraph follows the following design feature of the cabinet under the stairs: the need for careful measurements.
In addition, the design of the cabinet should in no way interfere with the staircase itself or create additional loads for it.
Options and ideas for placement
Cabinets under the stairs can take the most bizarre shapes and be used for various purposes. There are equipped pantries, "exhibitions" of collection wines behind glass showcases, small libraries, dressing rooms, shelves of shoes and bedding, children's toys. Everyone makes out this space "for themselves", focusing on the lack of space for storing certain items. In the country house with its own garden, a lot of conservation usually accumulates. Instead of a cellar, jars of jam and pickles can be placed on special supports in a neat cabinet under the stairs. If the height of the steps allows, then here you can arrange niches for storing kitchen utensils and build a refrigerator. The option is ideal for those houses where there are small kitchens.If the staircase communicates with the living room, then under it a niche for TV is equipped, supplemented with shelves for books and photographs.
Outdoor shelving
An open rack under the stairs is the easiest option. Such furniture is easy to build yourself. Usually, solid wood (boards) is used as the main material. Its derivatives (particleboard, MDF) will look a little "cheap", especially when it comes to modern interiors. In such racks, either long shelves are made, or they are “cut” with transverse beams, exactly the length of the steps. Then the furniture will be organically combined with the design of the stairs. Here you can equip the library. Open shelves often alternate in orderly rows of books and magazines with indoor plants in pots or small sculptures, collections of photographs on stands, vases, and other decor. For the convenience of using the library, you can provide a place for seating, organically fitting it into the design of the rack. If the hall and the staircase are combined with the kitchen, which is not uncommon in modern town houses, kitchen utensils can be stored on open shelves. Another creative option is a double rack with a series of hidden shelves. The front part drives off on wheels. On the "front" side you can store decor and books, and on the inside - personal items that should not be displayed.
Closet
Sliding wardrobe under the stairs is also very popular. The main advantage of such furniture is the special design of the doors, which do not swing open, but drive off to the sides on special “rails”. Thanks to this, the wardrobe does not take up much space and does not need a “reserve” of free space for opening. Mirror facades look stylish and modern. To diversify the design of furniture, you can order an etching pattern or ornament on the surface. Another option is to mask the facades with the color of the finish, so that the storage space becomes inconspicuous and merges with the interior.
Wardrobe with hinged doors
A cabinet with hinged doors under the stairs is rarely used. He loses in comparison with the coupe models. If the owners still decided to deliver just such furniture, then it is usually divided into several vertical narrow sections. By the way, this makes it possible to stretch the space and visually "raise the ceiling." The original models are equipped not with simple horizontal shelves, which everyone is so used to, but with retractable modules. Such shelves go deep into the structure. The option is suitable for stairs with wide steps, where there is enough space for such shelves, which makes their use appropriate.
Drawers
Drawers under the stairs are ideal for storing shoes and even outerwear. If a large family lives in the house, then this way of organizing space will save space in the hall or corridor. There can be many drawers, that is, several on top of each other. Then they are used to place small items. If the space under the stairs is divided vertically (under each step, one drawer), then the higher the steps, the larger the dimensions of the pull-out shelf. In small ones, shoes are laid out, in larger ones, hooks for outerwear or special stands for umbrellas, canes, shelves for hats are installed. All the traditional "filling" of the hallway can fit under the stairs, completely freeing up space at the front door.
Glass display cabinet
Glass cabinet-showcase is a modern variation of the “Soviet” sideboards, which used to be in each house, being part of the furniture “wall”. It is not at all necessary to store here only grandmother's china or family services “for the holiday”. Modern display cabinets are equipped with spot lighting, which emphasizes the brilliance of the glass facades. Of course, this storage place is ideal for placing beautiful, expensive dishes, but you can go further and transfer a collection of wines to the shelves or fill them with books or ceramic decor.
Combined methods
Combined methods of organizing space under staircases mean a combination of all of the above options. For example, in one cabinet you can fit open and closed shelves, drawers and swing or “moving away” compartment doors. In fact, such furniture is assembled as a designer. First you need to study the content that will be placed inside. If these are things and books or dishes, it is advisable to make part of the facades transparent or to add open shelves to the closed doors.
Decorative finish
Filling the cabinet under the stairs in itself serves as an interior decoration. In addition, the complex architecture of furniture will not tolerate a large amount of decor, which will give it a sloppiness. It is enough to confine ourselves to lighting and mirror surfaces. Firstly, the space under the stairs is usually poorly lit, so additional bulbs will not be superfluous here. Secondly, the mirror surfaces will make this corner visually larger and more spacious. You can additionally use furniture fittings: unusual handles, decorative decorations for facades. The cabinet doors can be covered with thermal film with the image and create a real panorama on the surface of the cabinet.
Do it yourself
It’s realistic to build a cabinet under the stairs yourself, but the work will take a lot of time. The main difference between this furniture and standard designs is the complexity of its shape and the need to "adjust" the dimensions exactly to the allotted space under the steps, which is limited to them. Experts recommend occupying the entire area under the flight of stairs immediately, because over time things tend to accumulate, which means that more space will be needed for their storage. Work should begin with the preparation of a detailed project, which will act as a plan of action algorithm.
Determine the project: materials, size and dimensions
First of all, you need to carefully measure the space under the stairs and make a sketch of the future cabinet. First they come up with a specific shape and are determined with sizes. The latter are usually fitted “back to back” under the steps in order to use the entire usable area to the maximum. Then it is worth considering the filling and deciding what type of storage system is needed specifically for this furniture. The cabinet is equipped with various sections: static shelves, drawers, niches, special holders and hooks. Further, they are determined with the type of facades, the opening / closing system, if any at all. Nevertheless, the “coupe” with the monorail, along which the door will “ride”, will become the optimal solution. All this in great detail is drawn on the sketch of future furniture. Everywhere the sizes of elements of the future design are marked. The next step is the selection of materials. The best solution is an array of wood and more budgetary variations (chipboard, MDF), you can assemble a metal frame and glass shelves. Before you go to the store for materials, you need to supplement the shopping list with accessories (handles, corners, hinges, brackets) and self-tapping screws, without which no assembly of furniture can do. Then you need to stock up on working tools:
Roulette, pencil, level for measurements and creating a drawing.
A screwdriver, a jigsaw, a drill for preparing materials and mounting elements in one design. An example is given for mounting a wooden cabinet.
Frame assembly
First, the place to place the future cabinet needs to be freed from other furniture. The floor needs to be covered with durable material that will protect its surface from possible damage during the installation of new furniture. The frame is the basis of any design. For built-in cabinets, it is assembled from metal racks. For conventional models, as a rule, sheets of chipboard and MDF are used. Elements are connected to each other using a drill using confirmations.They still recommend working with built-in cabinets, as they save space as much as possible. The only drawback of these models is the inability to move it and put it in another place. This minus is doubled due to the complicated configuration of the cabinet under the stairs. When making such a product, be prepared for the fact that it will stand for years and will change very soon.
Internal filling
For internal filling, materials and components are bought separately. For shelves it can be wood, and chipboard, and glass. For outerwear, rods are installed under hangers and hooks. Internal vertical partitions, as a rule, are made of chipboard. For drawers, roller fittings or a guide system for each shelf will be required. The easiest way to make open shelves.
Door installation
Doors can be of two types:
Hinged, fixed to the cabinet “box” on hinges.
"Coupe" that "ride" on two monorails mounted on the floor and ceiling.
In the first case, the hinges are selected depending on the material from which the cabinet is made, and the thickness of its wings. Also, this mandatory element of swing furniture is classified into several subspecies that have slight differences in design features. There are seven groups of loops: laid on, half-laid, inverse, inset, adit, piano and calcaneal. Most often, the first option is used. The furniture is marked for hinges. First, “cups” are mounted in the frame, and after that they begin to fasten the connecting parts to the wings. Installation of sliding is carried out according to a different algorithm:
First, fix the guide on the ceiling.
Fix the profile on the floor.
Install a latch that will securely lock the flaps when closed, preventing them from moving apart.
Sash adjustment
Finish the work by fixing the buffer tape around the perimeter of the cabinet.This additional element will prevent dust from entering the furniture.
What can be arranged under the staircase
Under the staircase, you can arrange a variety of storage places:
Open shelving. In fact, there are cabinets without doors on which to place dishes, books, magazines, fine decor or, for example, doll collections, if the staircase is next to the children's room.
Wardrobes for things (towels, bedding) and kitchen utensils.
Pantry. Another simple but very useful option. Behind its closed doors you can store stocks of food, canned goods and pickles of their own preparation. In such a pantry, the jars will not be covered with mold, as is often the case in basements and cellars.
Wardrobe. Ideal for small country houses, where there is no place for this element of interior either in the bedroom or in the attic. You can equip a small dressing room for seasonal clothes and shoes near the entrance hall or a full-fledged place to store most of the things. The cabinet space is divided into sections: in the center there is a bar for hangers, on the sides of a shelf, and bottom drawers for shoes. Swing doors from the inside complement with special holders for belts and jewelry. The finishing touch will be a small ottoman or bench, which, if necessary, can be put forward and conveniently try on shoes on it.
Bookcase or bookcase with open shelves. The option can be supplemented with a free-standing couch, or you can build in a resting place instead of a windowsill if there is a window nearby.
Part of a headset with several vertices of the "working triangle" of the kitchen. For example, a refrigerator, an oven, a washbasin or a stove. The remaining components of the kitchen set are placed next to the adjacent wall. The finished kitchen is very compact and ergonomic. The option is suitable for two-story apartments, which are designed according to the principles of studios.
In addition to storage space, under the stairs you can equip a compact office, a mini-workshop for needlewomen and even a full bathroom. The latter option is very popular in large houses, where a bathroom is installed on each floor. The original ceiling configuration will only add charm and creativity to a small room.
Here you can also equip a pull-out bed, which when assembled, disguises itself as false cabinet facades. The option is suitable for those houses where guests often gather, but there is no separate room for their reception.
Conclusion
The space under the stairs has too many options for arrangement, so you can let him empty and disappear "in vain." Its competent organization will become a true highlight of the interior, the visual center of the zone, to which the eyes of guests who have just entered the house or apartment from the hallway will be riveted. A cabinet, a shelving unit, a complex structure of shelves and sections can become just a part of the corner composition, which will find its continuation near a free adjacent wall. Against the background of such a design sophistication, even the staircase itself, which, as a rule, itself acts as a stylish decor, may be lost.
A staircase is an obligatory attribute of multi-storey private houses and two-level city apartments. This structural part takes up a lot of space, so designers are trying to include the space under its marches in the project, using as an additional functional area. One of the most common options is a cabinet under the stairs. You can give it any shape and solve the problem with the organization of space. Consider simple and creative options for cabinets and racks that you can implement with your own hands.
Content
Features of accommodation
Cabinets under the stairs are a popular solution that has long ceased to amaze the townsfolk. This design move has the following advantages:
This solution has its drawbacks:
In addition, the design of the cabinet should in no way interfere with the staircase itself or create additional loads for it.
Options and ideas for placement
Cabinets under the stairs can take the most bizarre shapes and be used for various purposes. There are equipped pantries, "exhibitions" of collection wines behind glass showcases, small libraries, dressing rooms, shelves of shoes and bedding, children's toys. Everyone makes out this space "for themselves", focusing on the lack of space for storing certain items. In the country house with its own garden, a lot of conservation usually accumulates. Instead of a cellar, jars of jam and pickles can be placed on special supports in a neat cabinet under the stairs. If the height of the steps allows, then here you can arrange niches for storing kitchen utensils and build a refrigerator. The option is ideal for those houses where there are small kitchens.If the staircase communicates with the living room, then under it a niche for TV is equipped, supplemented with shelves for books and photographs.
Outdoor shelving
An open rack under the stairs is the easiest option. Such furniture is easy to build yourself. Usually, solid wood (boards) is used as the main material. Its derivatives (particleboard, MDF) will look a little "cheap", especially when it comes to modern interiors. In such racks, either long shelves are made, or they are “cut” with transverse beams, exactly the length of the steps. Then the furniture will be organically combined with the design of the stairs. Here you can equip the library. Open shelves often alternate in orderly rows of books and magazines with indoor plants in pots or small sculptures, collections of photographs on stands, vases, and other decor. For the convenience of using the library, you can provide a place for seating, organically fitting it into the design of the rack. If the hall and the staircase are combined with the kitchen, which is not uncommon in modern town houses, kitchen utensils can be stored on open shelves. Another creative option is a double rack with a series of hidden shelves. The front part drives off on wheels. On the "front" side you can store decor and books, and on the inside - personal items that should not be displayed.
Closet
Sliding wardrobe under the stairs is also very popular. The main advantage of such furniture is the special design of the doors, which do not swing open, but drive off to the sides on special “rails”. Thanks to this, the wardrobe does not take up much space and does not need a “reserve” of free space for opening. Mirror facades look stylish and modern. To diversify the design of furniture, you can order an etching pattern or ornament on the surface. Another option is to mask the facades with the color of the finish, so that the storage space becomes inconspicuous and merges with the interior.
Wardrobe with hinged doors
A cabinet with hinged doors under the stairs is rarely used. He loses in comparison with the coupe models. If the owners still decided to deliver just such furniture, then it is usually divided into several vertical narrow sections. By the way, this makes it possible to stretch the space and visually "raise the ceiling." The original models are equipped not with simple horizontal shelves, which everyone is so used to, but with retractable modules. Such shelves go deep into the structure. The option is suitable for stairs with wide steps, where there is enough space for such shelves, which makes their use appropriate.
Drawers
Drawers under the stairs are ideal for storing shoes and even outerwear. If a large family lives in the house, then this way of organizing space will save space in the hall or corridor. There can be many drawers, that is, several on top of each other. Then they are used to place small items. If the space under the stairs is divided vertically (under each step, one drawer), then the higher the steps, the larger the dimensions of the pull-out shelf. In small ones, shoes are laid out, in larger ones, hooks for outerwear or special stands for umbrellas, canes, shelves for hats are installed. All the traditional "filling" of the hallway can fit under the stairs, completely freeing up space at the front door.
Glass display cabinet
Glass cabinet-showcase is a modern variation of the “Soviet” sideboards, which used to be in each house, being part of the furniture “wall”. It is not at all necessary to store here only grandmother's china or family services “for the holiday”. Modern display cabinets are equipped with spot lighting, which emphasizes the brilliance of the glass facades. Of course, this storage place is ideal for placing beautiful, expensive dishes, but you can go further and transfer a collection of wines to the shelves or fill them with books or ceramic decor.
Combined methods
Combined methods of organizing space under staircases mean a combination of all of the above options. For example, in one cabinet you can fit open and closed shelves, drawers and swing or “moving away” compartment doors. In fact, such furniture is assembled as a designer. First you need to study the content that will be placed inside. If these are things and books or dishes, it is advisable to make part of the facades transparent or to add open shelves to the closed doors.
Decorative finish
Filling the cabinet under the stairs in itself serves as an interior decoration. In addition, the complex architecture of furniture will not tolerate a large amount of decor, which will give it a sloppiness. It is enough to confine ourselves to lighting and mirror surfaces. Firstly, the space under the stairs is usually poorly lit, so additional bulbs will not be superfluous here. Secondly, the mirror surfaces will make this corner visually larger and more spacious. You can additionally use furniture fittings: unusual handles, decorative decorations for facades. The cabinet doors can be covered with thermal film with the image and create a real panorama on the surface of the cabinet.
Do it yourself
It’s realistic to build a cabinet under the stairs yourself, but the work will take a lot of time. The main difference between this furniture and standard designs is the complexity of its shape and the need to "adjust" the dimensions exactly to the allotted space under the steps, which is limited to them. Experts recommend occupying the entire area under the flight of stairs immediately, because over time things tend to accumulate, which means that more space will be needed for their storage. Work should begin with the preparation of a detailed project, which will act as a plan of action algorithm.
Determine the project: materials, size and dimensions
First of all, you need to carefully measure the space under the stairs and make a sketch of the future cabinet. First they come up with a specific shape and are determined with sizes. The latter are usually fitted “back to back” under the steps in order to use the entire usable area to the maximum. Then it is worth considering the filling and deciding what type of storage system is needed specifically for this furniture. The cabinet is equipped with various sections: static shelves, drawers, niches, special holders and hooks. Further, they are determined with the type of facades, the opening / closing system, if any at all. Nevertheless, the “coupe” with the monorail, along which the door will “ride”, will become the optimal solution. All this in great detail is drawn on the sketch of future furniture. Everywhere the sizes of elements of the future design are marked. The next step is the selection of materials. The best solution is an array of wood and more budgetary variations (chipboard, MDF), you can assemble a metal frame and glass shelves. Before you go to the store for materials, you need to supplement the shopping list with accessories (handles, corners, hinges, brackets) and self-tapping screws, without which no assembly of furniture can do. Then you need to stock up on working tools:
An example is given for mounting a wooden cabinet.
Frame assembly
First, the place to place the future cabinet needs to be freed from other furniture. The floor needs to be covered with durable material that will protect its surface from possible damage during the installation of new furniture. The frame is the basis of any design. For built-in cabinets, it is assembled from metal racks. For conventional models, as a rule, sheets of chipboard and MDF are used. Elements are connected to each other using a drill using confirmations.They still recommend working with built-in cabinets, as they save space as much as possible. The only drawback of these models is the inability to move it and put it in another place. This minus is doubled due to the complicated configuration of the cabinet under the stairs. When making such a product, be prepared for the fact that it will stand for years and will change very soon.
Internal filling
For internal filling, materials and components are bought separately. For shelves it can be wood, and chipboard, and glass. For outerwear, rods are installed under hangers and hooks. Internal vertical partitions, as a rule, are made of chipboard. For drawers, roller fittings or a guide system for each shelf will be required. The easiest way to make open shelves.
Door installation
Doors can be of two types:
In the first case, the hinges are selected depending on the material from which the cabinet is made, and the thickness of its wings. Also, this mandatory element of swing furniture is classified into several subspecies that have slight differences in design features. There are seven groups of loops: laid on, half-laid, inverse, inset, adit, piano and calcaneal. Most often, the first option is used. The furniture is marked for hinges. First, “cups” are mounted in the frame, and after that they begin to fasten the connecting parts to the wings. Installation of sliding is carried out according to a different algorithm:
Finish the work by fixing the buffer tape around the perimeter of the cabinet.This additional element will prevent dust from entering the furniture.
What can be arranged under the staircase
Under the staircase, you can arrange a variety of storage places:
In addition to storage space, under the stairs you can equip a compact office, a mini-workshop for needlewomen and even a full bathroom. The latter option is very popular in large houses, where a bathroom is installed on each floor. The original ceiling configuration will only add charm and creativity to a small room.
Conclusion
The space under the stairs has too many options for arrangement, so you can let him empty and disappear "in vain." Its competent organization will become a true highlight of the interior, the visual center of the zone, to which the eyes of guests who have just entered the house or apartment from the hallway will be riveted. A cabinet, a shelving unit, a complex structure of shelves and sections can become just a part of the corner composition, which will find its continuation near a free adjacent wall. Against the background of such a design sophistication, even the staircase itself, which, as a rule, itself acts as a stylish decor, may be lost.