Jennifer Sheahan: How to make use of the understairs space

Add an extra bathroom, cool office, laundry or storage to this bonus zone. The Home of the Year winner shows you how

Understairs areas can be used to create a bathroom, as well as for storage. Picture: iStock

I don't think I need to convince anyone here that it’s a good idea to make use of the space underneath your stairs. 

For those of us in smaller homes, it’s a necessity rather than a choice, but even for those with the luxury of extra space, it’s still a really fun area to make use of. 

Its wedge shape lends itself to all sorts of creative ideas, and you will be amazed at just how much you can fit into this tiny triangle under the stairs! 

As with everything else, my advice as usual is to define what you need and design from there. Do you need an extra bathroom? Somewhere to hang coats? Shoe storage? A wine room?? Here are some ideas to inspire you.

DOWNSTAIRS LOO 

Followers of my Instagram account @workerscottage will know that the humble downstairs bathroom is my favourite room in the house. 

In my home, the best layout involved putting in L-shaped stairs that wrapped around the bathroom, which allowed me to install a full-height shower. 

The understairs bathroom in Jennifer Sheahan's home. Picture: Moya Nolan

Not every staircase will have enough space underneath for a shower, but you need barely any space — just over one square metre — to fit a toilet and a sink under your stairs. You do not need any planning permission to install a toilet, but you will need to check that the space meets building requirements — namely that it can be ventilated and that there is waste drainage. A good plumber and electrician will make quick work of this job and then you can get to the fun part — design. Your downstairs loo is the perfect place to let loose with your wildest design ideas. You can go bold with colour, dramatic with lighting, crazy with mirrors — anything you want.

STAIR-RISER SHOE STORAGE 

I’m always asked if there is anything I would change about my house, and aside from my unrealistic longing to install a swimming pool in my 2sq m garden, the answer is that I wish I had put drawers into my stair risers. 

This is such a genius solution for storing shoes and other smaller items such as gloves, hats and scarves. 

This is for those who cannot access the side of their stairs (in my case that’s where the shower is) but who still want to use the space underneath the lower steps. 

With the right tools and expertise this could be a DIY job, but a good carpenter or handyman should also be able to do this for you. 

The work involves removing the stair risers, attaching a custom size drawer behind it, and installing drawer runners that it can slide back into. 

This works best with standard wooden stairs — if you have carpet or a stair runner you may need to remove it, at least on the risers.

DRAWERS AND CUPBOARDS 

If you can access the side of your stairs, there are a plethora of companies in Ireland that will do a great job of installing drawers and cupboards for your shoes, coats, sports equipment, pet paraphernalia, and anything else you want to put out of sight! 

Doors conceal a laundry station. Picture:@rosecottagerevival

The key to deciding what to put here is knowing what you will store in it. If you have a lot of coats to hang, it makes sense to install more cupboard doors with rails or hooks inside. 

Taller cupboards are also handy for hoovers, ironing boards, and sweeping brushes, and you can also install shelves inside for smaller items. If instead, you need storage for smaller items then opt for drawers that can hold things like bags, books, pet food and toys. 

A combination of both is optimal but decide for yourself what works best for you! If you’re on a budget and have open space under your stairs, you can easily add DIY storage using modular cube shelves such as the Ikea Kallax, which you can stagger to follow the angle of the stairs.

LAUNDRY ROOM 

An amazing use for the space under your stairs is as a hidden laundry room. 

Understairs laundry. Picture:@rosecottagerevival

You really need very little space to create an incredibly functional laundry room, you’ll simply need an electrical outlet, sufficient ventilation, and cupboard doors to enclose the space — plus there’s an added benefit of being able to install sound-proofing panels if you have one of those washing machines whose spin cycle sounds like a shuttle launch. 

If you have a combo washer-dryer then you’ll easily have enough space, and most stairs will have enough height to stack a dryer on top of a washer if you have both. 

If you prefer to air-dry clothes, there should be space left over to install a drying rack — just ensure you have sufficient ventilation so the space doesn’t become damp and mouldy. 

Additional items to include to make your laundry space a dream to use are a pull-out countertop for folding and sorting, shelves or drawers for detergent and other items, and good lighting.

OTHER FUN USES 

I love the challenge of designing for small spaces, so I could write endlessly on the topic of what to do under your stairs! 

Here’s a list of other fun ideas: wine room; pet bedroom, hidden room; reading nook; playroom; small office; photography dark room; pantry; home bar. If you have any more fun ideas for this space please do send them my way at the email address below.

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