Collection by Allie Weiss

Smart Staircases that Double as Storage

To save space, try turning your staircase into a cabinet.

Photo by Osamu Abe
Photo by Osamu Abe
Confronted with limited space to build the staircase needed to access the living area and bedroom on the second level, General Assembly designed a custom solution. "These stairs are not an ideal design for everyone and shouldn't be used as primary stairs—we like to think of them more as millwork with a little bonus to it, than an actual staircase," Zames says. "The cube construction of the stairs actually came from a budget standpoint. We were very tight on budget and wanted to maximize the material as much as possible."
Confronted with limited space to build the staircase needed to access the living area and bedroom on the second level, General Assembly designed a custom solution. "These stairs are not an ideal design for everyone and shouldn't be used as primary stairs—we like to think of them more as millwork with a little bonus to it, than an actual staircase," Zames says. "The cube construction of the stairs actually came from a budget standpoint. We were very tight on budget and wanted to maximize the material as much as possible."
Given the spatial constraints, the staircase leading to the upstairs loft needed to be a short and steep. Since the residents wanted a workspace in the living area, the architects turned the underside of the stairs into a handy bookshelf.
Given the spatial constraints, the staircase leading to the upstairs loft needed to be a short and steep. Since the residents wanted a workspace in the living area, the architects turned the underside of the stairs into a handy bookshelf.
Of the seven steps in Michael Pozner’s not-quite-500-square-foot aerie in Greenwich Village, five contain drawers. His small set of table and chairs is from CB2.
Of the seven steps in Michael Pozner’s not-quite-500-square-foot aerie in Greenwich Village, five contain drawers. His small set of table and chairs is from CB2.
Hynam designed and built the cabinets under the stairs and a drawer that slides out from beneath the bottom step. Drink H1 pendant lamps from Rotaliana hang in the kitchen and above a Grassworks dining table by Jair Straschnow.
Hynam designed and built the cabinets under the stairs and a drawer that slides out from beneath the bottom step. Drink H1 pendant lamps from Rotaliana hang in the kitchen and above a Grassworks dining table by Jair Straschnow.
The apartment’s main stairwell, disguised as a Shaker cabinet–meets–Japanese tansu stair, houses storage for kitchen ephemera. The finish is hand-painted and accessorized with raw brass hardware.
The apartment’s main stairwell, disguised as a Shaker cabinet–meets–Japanese tansu stair, houses storage for kitchen ephemera. The finish is hand-painted and accessorized with raw brass hardware.