There are typically a few spaces around the house that are underutilized or even ignored. One of them is the area underneath the stairs. A very clever way to maximize its use is by creating custom a storage system but when that doesn’t make sense in the overall context of the home other ideas need to be explored.

A second great option is to put a desk in here. It’s a really great solution if you want a desk in your home but you don’t want to have to dedicate an entire room to this or to put it in the bedroom or in an area where it clashes with the rest of the decor. Here are some inspiring examples of the interior that managed to make the under stairs desk idea work.

12 Under staircase desk space ideas

Modern workspace

A stylish two-person desk was placed underneath the stairs that lead to the lower level of this beautiful house from Sydney, Australia designed by studio Bijl Architecture.

The combo looks great in particular thanks to the design of the staircase itself. It has floating stairs with wood treads, a steel frame and glass railings and it looks very lightweight and non-intrusive. Furthermore, the stairs allow the light to filter through them and a nice visual effect is projected onto the wall behind the desk.

Cool space under the stairs

In this case, placing a desk under the stairs was a great way to save space and to make this section of the house more functional. This is an interior created by studio Swisterski Design Inc.

The house is small and thus sacrificing one of the rooms to make a home office was out of the question. Luckily, a clever reconfiguration of the layout resulted in this wonderful setup. The designers combined the desk, stairs and storage together to create a cohesive and also great-looking interior.

Before and after Nook

This is a little space that used to be a storage nook. It’s found underneath the stairs of a basement and it used to be a mess until it got transformed.

It went from being a cluttered space with items piled on top of each other and then forgotten to becoming a cozy little office with a small desk, a new floor with a lovely tile pattern, a cork board and a bunch of hanging planters. It’s small but very chic and really practical as well. Check out the transformation to learn more about it on apartmenttherapy.

Friendly under the stairs office

Part of the major renovation that Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects did for this house in Austin, Texas was to utilize the available space more efficiently. One of the ways in which they made that happen was by turning their attention to the staircase.

Rather than closing off the space underneath and leaving unused the team divided it into two sections. One is a storage space for things like coats, shoes and other various items and one is an open space with a custom floating desk and a few built-in shelves. It has white walls and a simple color palette which helps to make feel less tiny.

Desk cabinet surround

There are many different types of staircases so the strategy to take advantage of the space underneath and around them varies based on a variety of different factors. Here for example the staircase curves to the right as it goes up, creating a small alcove.

It’s a perfect spot for a small desk and a chair which were carefully selected to match the overall style of the interior. This is a design by Stephen Barlow Architect. What’s great about this approach is that it doesn’t require any modifications to be done to the staircase itself.

Stairs and desk combo

In this stylish interior done by Bates Masi Architects the strategy for combining the desk and the stairs was a bit different. As you can see, the desk is actually not placed underneath the staircase by rather next to it, with the cable rods serving as a divider between them and as a stylish backdrop for the desk. Also, the desk and one of the treads are combined and the desk is supported on one side by a storage cabinet and on the other by mesh stairs.

Traditional layout

Traditional staircases like this one take up plenty of space and as they ascend the usable area underneath gets bigger and more versatile.

Here you can see this corner space serving as an alcove with an L-shaped desk and even a little window. It has plenty of storage inside all the drawers and both natural and artificial lighting. This doesn’t interfere with the staircase itself.

Remodeling a living room with working space in mind

Something very similar was done here by studio Liv Companies LLC Design. This is part of a remodel meant to transform this basement into a recreation area for gaming and various other activities.

The corner of the room where the space underneath the stairs is the tallest a computer desk was installed with two chairs for cooperative gameplay. This leaves the rest of the room open and give the desk a fixed placement which doesn’t interfere with the rest of the layout.

Wall unit

Studio Spivak Architects went with a modern style for the remodel of this place. The whole space underneath the staircase was put to good use. A small desk and a variety of storage cubbies, shelves and cabinets were placed in here, combined in a way that takes full advantage of the available area. The stairs blend in and become a part of the design and the wall unit continues to the right for a cohesive and elegant look.

Kids and craft corner

Here’s another really cool combo, this time for pet owners. This lovely beach-style home by Built Custom Homes features a small desk with a few drawers, some shelves and a cork board underneath the staircase and next to it there’s a little nook that was turned into a cozy space for a dog. It has a comfy bed, lights and even framed photos on the walls. It’s a perfect combo that lets your pet take a nap and spend time with you while you work from home.

Laundry room space

Putting a desk underneath the staircase is a great idea if you’re thinking of remodeling the basement. Even if the space is small you can still fit a small desk in here.

Keep things simple with a floating desk and give the walls a makeover while you’re at it. A desk lamp could help create a warm and cozy ambiance. Let this basement by Liv Companies LLC Design be your source of inspiration.

U shape staircase

U staircases are a bit more challenging because of the shape but the space around them can still be optimized in numerous interesting and clever ways.

This is a really cool design by Grafede Architecture which turns the area underneath the stairs into a home office. It’s big enough for a desk and some storage and it’s been beautifully decorated to really stand out and to be as inviting and as comfortable as possible.