Here, one of El Cosmico's three teepees is a lantern for desert travelers.

The front door is tucked under a cantilevered terrace.

The couple's daughter reads in the cozy nook just inside the front door painted in a vibrant blue from Benjamin Moore. Of the storage area below, Fredrik says, "In Sweden, there's always a place to sit and take off your shoes. This is a version of that."

Built-in shelving under the stairs to the mezzanine level provides the resident with extra storage.

Sarti is only too happy to demonstrate one of his favorite inventions: a mobile kitchen-supply box/cocktail station/breakfast bar with casters that hides beneath the stairs.

Hynam built additional storage along one angled wall of the bedroom loft and beneath the skylight.

Photo caption: The wall beneath the stairs of this Beverly Hills home holds hidden storage, including an Enomatic wine dispenser and Sub-Zero refrigerated drawers.

Loft stair with hidden pull-out storage

Photo caption: The custom cabinetry is made with bleached rift-cut white oak and finished with mirror pulls. Created by David Amble Cabinetry, the cabinets were designed to be put to serious use—one holds extra folding dining chairs while another hides a Murphy bed.

On the roof, Geller takes in the night sky with his telescope.

Raising the bed above floor level, architect Kyu Sung Woo converted this tiny studio into an open and comfortable home for Wonbo Woo. Photos by: Adam Friedberg

Steps with storage that lead up to the balcony.

Bright yellow and purple paints were used to add some vibrancy to the daughter’s desk area, one of the ways the architects tried to honor the personality of each inhabitant's space.

“Using a very simple white oak material in repetition added a lot of texture without adding busyness,” says Solk.

Townhouse in the Sky (London, England) That’s how Tom Dixon described this “exercise in design,” a retrofitted water tower he purchased in 2005 and redesigned, which is now available to rent. It’s a hike up six flights of stairs, but those who book and make the trek can take in panoramic views from North Kensington. Listing at Amazing round room in the sky

"By providing a clean modern base of crisp white walls, the more rustic and industrial materials stand out and give warmth and nostalgia not found in a starkly modern home," Pavonetti says.

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.

The morning sky greets the hilltop

As part of the built-in cabinetry beneath the stairs, Wilson included a pull-out bed that can be used by overnight guests.

Built-in cabinetry beneath the staircase provides extra storage space for the 1,024-square-foot home.

White-painted storage cabinets are built-in to the wall beneath the staircase.

Pozner credits Borowski with the idea to use a roller shade, purchased at the Shade Store, to close off the sleeping loft. The simple intervention, neither sound- nor lightproof, is sufficient to demarcate one “room” from another.

New ash wood “stairage” (stairs with built-in storage)

“Try to group uses and find solutions that solve multiple problems,” Borowski counsels. As an example, Pozner cites the idea of having the loft stairs double as clothing drawers. Though he eschewed a handrail, preferring a cleaner look, Pozner says that the slipperiness of the stairs “remains a work in progress. We had grooves, but they hurt my feet.” The pair are now looking into heavy-duty felt treads.

Throughout the kitchen and dining spaces, the ceiling is painted in Dulux Wellbeing green. This continues along the underside of the staircase to help accentuate its form. The cupboards beneath the stair are painted in a deep blue, with circular red finger pulls. The couple’s son, Mo, uses the small cupboard as a hiding spot. “You spend so much time thinking about people and how people will use the space,” says architect Catrina Stewart. “It’s amazing to walk in and often be surprised at how pieces are evolving as the kids grow up.”

David Baird designed the custom sliding doors with materials and hardware from Home Depot. The doors also act as a makeshift critique wall for Bo and Sky’s artwork.

Photo caption: In traditional Japanese houses, clever carpenters often combined staircases with storage to maximize living space and storage.

Cabinets beneath the stairs provide additional storage for the third bedroom.

The cabinets under the stairs are ideal for shoe racks.

Despite its small size, the home features a surprising amount of storage space throughout, including the staircase that leads up to the bedroom.

A new bathroom is tucked under the existing stair.

Wind River Tiny Home made custom polygon storage stairs on casters to fit the angle of the staircase

Photo caption: The base of the stairwell includes a hidden compartment to conveniently store shoes.

The cabinets under the bed easily slide out for access.

Canny 'The New' Arrivals / Mud Room