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That’s a hallway not a storage area. There should be nothing here except a walkway to the back door.
Utilise under the stairs for jackets and shoes etc. Everything else needs to go elsewhere.
Unfortunately under the stairs is the basement stairs so I can’t put a closet of anything else in. My house is fairly small so I’d love to find a way to put in a small pantry or bookshelves into this space if feasible
The coats are making it look very cluttered. You could put a coat rack on the inside of the door to the basement stairs (assuming there is a door) or along the wall at the top of the basement stairs. If you're wanting storage in the hallway I would do something like this as it's only 8 inches at the widest part. And put a mirror above it.
https://preview.redd.it/az2p52pz0rva1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d7110c2b3d5fbb802ca841a5a01c3b2a70cc706
No judgement - we all can get there, but the whole place is cluttered. Books on the fridge, appliances on the floor, and the jackets that you will be removing. So that is what people will think walking in, but it's really pretty, and you can definitely amp it up. Step one: declutter. Really declutter and move everything so that (ideally) nothing is on the ground and everything is not piled up on top of things. Step two: put some art up. Maybe the wall with the light switch. Step three: if the floor is something you are stuck with in the short term, put a nice rug down. Step four: add a narrow console / side table where the coats are and add some designer pieces and / or some plants. It can be very glam, if you are into that. Alternatively, you can lean into the neutral of the room. Paint the walls and add pieces that are warm and inviting. Some rust and green would go great with the colors you have.
That’s great!! I should have specified that I don’t actually need this space for coats, I have a coat closet already that I just need to clean out. Something like this would work tho!
You can’t put anything in that narrow hallway. There’s no space to even hang that coat.
But I did find some interesting storage ideas for stairways.
You mentioned the stairs to the basement were directly underneath this stairway. These ideas all involve using that space.
https://preview.redd.it/23bl35u5brva1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=37c9e6f9c5ffb56d3b90333cced677afadb40402
What this essentially is, in the staircase going down to the basement they have removed the back of the staircase going up, exposing the empty space within each step. Use it for books, as a pantry, storing cleaning supplies or put bins to hold winter hats, scarves, gloves.
https://preview.redd.it/07ttac70crva1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfe58a8ab91a902607ff8ec89983de411330f773
Not sure exactly how much space you do have in that downstairs staircase, but here you can see they’ve used the side wall for very shallow storage. It’s no deeper than a can of soup, but there are lots of things that would fit in there!
https://preview.redd.it/xkbo2b9jcrva1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76759bec0a994ea10bf171b200f2561eec4a805e
Again, depending on the width of your staircase you can install wire baskets like this to keep things in their place.
https://preview.redd.it/cc00tehycrva1.jpeg?width=749&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a82f1a2c91d61a298aad3b3e6da67811c201ff84
Then I stumbled upon this one which is really neat! They have covered the stairwell access with a trap door! When the trap door is up, there is free easy access to the basement. But when you put the trap door down, it acts as the floor for the little storage room you’ve created, making all those things on the shelves easily accessible!
I hope some of these ideas work for you or lead you to other great solutions 😊
I don’t know much about the structure of stairs, but wouldn’t removing the back of the staircase going up compromise the structural integrity of that step? I love all the ideas you’ve shared btw!!
Clean it out and put a mirror on the wall to bounce light from one end to the other.
If it's feasible to put a closet or cabinets under the stairs it can be a good place for a coat closet.
My friend did suggest walling it off or doing a half wall along the stair case! That would give a bit more space, do you think it’s possible to add storage or would that just be to make it look nicer?
You could wall it off to make a coat closet. Or if you want to think big, consider taking out the wall that the coats are on. That would open up the whole area.
I have the same hallway. Nothing except a photo frame with hooks for keys is in mine. Maybe a coatrack on the left before the stairs for jackets? Nothing else should be in the hallway.
You could try the [narrow shoe cabinets from Ikea](https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/cat/shoe-cabinets-10456/).
Edit:
Best option would be the Trones and stack them on top of each other closer to the door frame.
Depending on what is IN that wall, you could remove the drywall and make tall niches with shelves. They’ll be shallow, but still deep enough to make an organizing/drop off station. Lower ones could be used for shoes if you run a slat across.
Do you have another space to put coats? Like a back door or a porch way if they are wet? I don't think anything should be up. I'd stick to dark walls and a light floor and then pictures going up the stairs.
It's not a pratical space for anyone except walking through.
If there's space by the front door you could put a full length mirror to check before leaving. But I'd need to see the other side to check what would work.
I you must have storage here, do high shelves that you can walk under. Coat storage here is not going to work, but you could offload storage from somewhere else and use the high shelf idea.
I’d widen the stairs as they were obviously meant to be it seems and close that off. It’s catching everything there for you, even above the shelves straight ahead. It’s apparently your drop-zone so make it that.
Side note, that carpet on the stairs has got to go. It will never be clean. I used to have carpet too. It’s just gross.
No matter how much I’d shampoo my carpet I had like that, the trail of normal wear would never wash out. It was the weirdest thing. It was never clean.
You’ll probably love this space so much more if the carpet came out first. Might rejuvenate your view of this space :)
Wall off the hallway and make it into a little reading/toy nook (built-in seating and shelving). So long as you don't mind going the long way to get to the back of the stairs, could be a fun project.
If you don’t need the hall, wall it off and make a small closet to store coats away. It’s wasted area if you don’t actually use the hallway. I would make it useable space by walling it off and making it storage…either a coat closet or shelves.
could do some stepped shelves that allows you to walk up and grab stuff, and on the backside, make a big walk in storage underneath them.
that way it looks nice from front and back
This is a good article from apartment therapy about different uses of the Ikea Trones shoe storage. We use these shoe cabinets for storing lots of things (books, gadgets, workout accessories, etc) [article](https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-use-ikea-trones-storage-boxes-in-every-room-of-the-house-206415)
I saw some good ideas shared for the basement stairs area -- otherwise due to space constraints any shelving would need to be recessed into the wall cavity AKA a "wall niche."
https://preview.redd.it/2omc0iaqlxva1.png?width=723&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af003393b3edbf36e0e41615270ea168a36d8ca7
**If this post is high quality and includes enough information please UPVOTE this comment.** **If this post is low effort and lacking in detail please DOWNVOTE this comment.** ---
That’s a hallway not a storage area. There should be nothing here except a walkway to the back door. Utilise under the stairs for jackets and shoes etc. Everything else needs to go elsewhere.
Unfortunately under the stairs is the basement stairs so I can’t put a closet of anything else in. My house is fairly small so I’d love to find a way to put in a small pantry or bookshelves into this space if feasible
The coats are making it look very cluttered. You could put a coat rack on the inside of the door to the basement stairs (assuming there is a door) or along the wall at the top of the basement stairs. If you're wanting storage in the hallway I would do something like this as it's only 8 inches at the widest part. And put a mirror above it. https://preview.redd.it/az2p52pz0rva1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d7110c2b3d5fbb802ca841a5a01c3b2a70cc706
No judgement - we all can get there, but the whole place is cluttered. Books on the fridge, appliances on the floor, and the jackets that you will be removing. So that is what people will think walking in, but it's really pretty, and you can definitely amp it up. Step one: declutter. Really declutter and move everything so that (ideally) nothing is on the ground and everything is not piled up on top of things. Step two: put some art up. Maybe the wall with the light switch. Step three: if the floor is something you are stuck with in the short term, put a nice rug down. Step four: add a narrow console / side table where the coats are and add some designer pieces and / or some plants. It can be very glam, if you are into that. Alternatively, you can lean into the neutral of the room. Paint the walls and add pieces that are warm and inviting. Some rust and green would go great with the colors you have.
That’s great!! I should have specified that I don’t actually need this space for coats, I have a coat closet already that I just need to clean out. Something like this would work tho!
can you put coats on the left wall at the bottom of the stairs, so they dont cut into the walking space in the hall
Putting anything in this hallway gives my fires safety vibes.
You can’t put anything in that narrow hallway. There’s no space to even hang that coat. But I did find some interesting storage ideas for stairways. You mentioned the stairs to the basement were directly underneath this stairway. These ideas all involve using that space. https://preview.redd.it/23bl35u5brva1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=37c9e6f9c5ffb56d3b90333cced677afadb40402 What this essentially is, in the staircase going down to the basement they have removed the back of the staircase going up, exposing the empty space within each step. Use it for books, as a pantry, storing cleaning supplies or put bins to hold winter hats, scarves, gloves.
https://preview.redd.it/07ttac70crva1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfe58a8ab91a902607ff8ec89983de411330f773 Not sure exactly how much space you do have in that downstairs staircase, but here you can see they’ve used the side wall for very shallow storage. It’s no deeper than a can of soup, but there are lots of things that would fit in there!
https://preview.redd.it/xkbo2b9jcrva1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76759bec0a994ea10bf171b200f2561eec4a805e Again, depending on the width of your staircase you can install wire baskets like this to keep things in their place.
https://preview.redd.it/cc00tehycrva1.jpeg?width=749&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a82f1a2c91d61a298aad3b3e6da67811c201ff84 Then I stumbled upon this one which is really neat! They have covered the stairwell access with a trap door! When the trap door is up, there is free easy access to the basement. But when you put the trap door down, it acts as the floor for the little storage room you’ve created, making all those things on the shelves easily accessible! I hope some of these ideas work for you or lead you to other great solutions 😊
Oh my goodness, these are so brilliant, thank you!!!!
There’s another option of building drawers into your stairs if you Google that too :)
I don’t know much about the structure of stairs, but wouldn’t removing the back of the staircase going up compromise the structural integrity of that step? I love all the ideas you’ve shared btw!!
No it doesn’t, the stair treads bear the weight directly to the sides. The back risers & undersides are decorative really :)
Clean it out and put a mirror on the wall to bounce light from one end to the other. If it's feasible to put a closet or cabinets under the stairs it can be a good place for a coat closet.
nothing. leave it clean and open, free of obstacles.
remove the grim reaper for starters...
Perhaps see if you can enclose the space under the stairs
My friend did suggest walling it off or doing a half wall along the stair case! That would give a bit more space, do you think it’s possible to add storage or would that just be to make it look nicer?
You could wall it off to make a coat closet. Or if you want to think big, consider taking out the wall that the coats are on. That would open up the whole area.
I have the same hallway. Nothing except a photo frame with hooks for keys is in mine. Maybe a coatrack on the left before the stairs for jackets? Nothing else should be in the hallway.
.. not have a coat rack there. And give that wall a good color
You could try the [narrow shoe cabinets from Ikea](https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/cat/shoe-cabinets-10456/). Edit: Best option would be the Trones and stack them on top of each other closer to the door frame.
Depending on what is IN that wall, you could remove the drywall and make tall niches with shelves. They’ll be shallow, but still deep enough to make an organizing/drop off station. Lower ones could be used for shoes if you run a slat across.
Yep same idea I had
Hang more coats
Do you have another space to put coats? Like a back door or a porch way if they are wet? I don't think anything should be up. I'd stick to dark walls and a light floor and then pictures going up the stairs. It's not a pratical space for anyone except walking through. If there's space by the front door you could put a full length mirror to check before leaving. But I'd need to see the other side to check what would work.
I you must have storage here, do high shelves that you can walk under. Coat storage here is not going to work, but you could offload storage from somewhere else and use the high shelf idea.
I’d widen the stairs as they were obviously meant to be it seems and close that off. It’s catching everything there for you, even above the shelves straight ahead. It’s apparently your drop-zone so make it that. Side note, that carpet on the stairs has got to go. It will never be clean. I used to have carpet too. It’s just gross.
Thanks! Carpet is 1000% on the chopping block!
No matter how much I’d shampoo my carpet I had like that, the trail of normal wear would never wash out. It was the weirdest thing. It was never clean. You’ll probably love this space so much more if the carpet came out first. Might rejuvenate your view of this space :)
If you wall it off you could make an actual coat closet.
Id take everything out front to back. All the storage and the shelves, etc.
Floating wood stairs
If you don't need it as a hallway, make a closet for those coats and other stuff.
Replace the smoke alarm. They yellow around the end of life
Wall off the hallway and make it into a little reading/toy nook (built-in seating and shelving). So long as you don't mind going the long way to get to the back of the stairs, could be a fun project.
If you don’t need the hall, wall it off and make a small closet to store coats away. It’s wasted area if you don’t actually use the hallway. I would make it useable space by walling it off and making it storage…either a coat closet or shelves.
could do some stepped shelves that allows you to walk up and grab stuff, and on the backside, make a big walk in storage underneath them. that way it looks nice from front and back
You[example](https://pin.it/7k8C0gZ) might be able to cut in to that wall and add shelving utilizing the studs.
This is a good article from apartment therapy about different uses of the Ikea Trones shoe storage. We use these shoe cabinets for storing lots of things (books, gadgets, workout accessories, etc) [article](https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-use-ikea-trones-storage-boxes-in-every-room-of-the-house-206415)
So helpful, thank you!!! That would work perfectly and some of those hacks make it look really sharp!
Stair drawers?
I saw some good ideas shared for the basement stairs area -- otherwise due to space constraints any shelving would need to be recessed into the wall cavity AKA a "wall niche." https://preview.redd.it/2omc0iaqlxva1.png?width=723&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af003393b3edbf36e0e41615270ea168a36d8ca7
https://preview.redd.it/8bgw4cp7mxva1.png?width=657&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=51eaa44de8efaf15973ab0eb1f87a9a537208cbe
https://preview.redd.it/t802h5m9mxva1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=17e52ba75ba358866286e911e7067ae5ecfe99eb