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Collection by Aileen Kwun

Staircases That Double As Extra Storage

These homes show that sometimes the best space-saving solutions can be found right under your nose—or feet.

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Sam Shah and Anne Suttles asked architect Kevin Alter to renovate their 1920s bungalow in Austin, Texas, and add an addition, which contains a living area downstairs and an office upstairs. They tucked an office nook under the stairs; the Eames chair is a hand-me-down from Shah’s father.
Sam Shah and Anne Suttles asked architect Kevin Alter to renovate their 1920s bungalow in Austin, Texas, and add an addition, which contains a living area downstairs and an office upstairs. They tucked an office nook under the stairs; the Eames chair is a hand-me-down from Shah’s father.
The wall beneath the stairs holds hidden storage, including an Enomatic wine dispenser and Sub-Zero refrigerated drawers.
The wall beneath the stairs holds hidden storage, including an Enomatic wine dispenser and Sub-Zero refrigerated drawers.
Photo by Osamu Abe
Photo by Osamu Abe
Zames carved out a small custom office area under the stairs that lead up to the roof.
Zames carved out a small custom office area under the stairs that lead up to the roof.
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.
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.