Usually awkward in shape, but too big to leave empty, incorporating the right understairs storage ideas in your home can help you transform a cluttered hallway into a far more controlled environment, where there's a clearly defined place for the paraphernalia of daily life.
Or, perhaps your understairs is big enough to become a small home office or a bespoke reading nook. Either way, it's a valuable enough space to warrant spending time, effort and budget on making it the best it can be.
So whether you're designing a staircase and storage from scratch, or are looking for clever ways to contain shoes, bags and coats, we've rounded up 12 understairs storage ideas to suit homes of all shapes and sizes.
1. Match your understairs storage doors to your decor
If budget permits, opting for bespoke understairs storage is often the best way of getting the most out of the space available. And, using clever design tricks such as matching the finish of your doors to the style of your hallway panelling ideas can be a good way of disguising just what's there.
While the owners of this scheme chose to use a contrasting colour to the staircase and walls, an alternative paint trend would be to choose colour drenching, which uses the same colour paint from top to toe in a room.
Either way, this understairs storage is stylish, streamlined and the handleless doors ensure there's no risk of smaller children catching themselves on the hardware when running past.
2. Face your understairs storage outwards
Although understairs storage is often needed as a home for shoes or coats, if you've already incorporated a boot room into your new home, you may find the space under the stairs available for alternative use.
In this instance, to make the most of the width available, the storage has been turned face-on, creating a seating area, shelving and drawers. A mini-library or reading nook of sorts.
The key to successful understairs storage? Thinking about what it is you truly need, says Rachal Hutcheson, fitted furniture expert at Sharps.
“Designing understairs storage is about unlocking the potential of a space that’s often overlooked. Begin by considering how you want the area to function," recommends Rachal. "Whether that’s storing everyday essentials, housing seasonal items, or serving a more multi-purpose role, thoughtful organisation is key, ensuring everything has a clear, intuitive place and the space feels streamlined rather than cluttered.
"Understairs storage also presents an opportunity to do more than just store," she notes. "Incorporating open shelving allows decorative pieces to be displayed, adding personality to hallways and entranceways that often lack space for styling.
"And, with thoughtful design," she adds, "this area can become truly multi-functional, an option homeowners consistently love. For book lovers, a built-in reading nook set within a shelving wall, complete with discreet drawers beneath, creates a cosy retreat that adds a sense of luxury to the entranceway."
National Retail Manager at Sharps, Rachal Hutcheson brings over three decades of interiors experience, championing clever, space-maximising storage solutions that combine thoughtful design with day-to-day practicality
3. Create an understairs home and storage space for your pet
Looking to create a space where your pet and its belongings can live that doesn't take up valuable space in your utility room? It could be that the small niche carved out under your stairs is perfect for exactly that.
Pop in freestanding modular storage for treats, leads and toys, a comfy cushion for bed time, and shelves to display plants, photos and family momentos. Just be sure to think carefully about your hallway flooring and colours if the space is to become home to pets.
Choose a durable paint that can be safely wiped down, and opt for luxury vinyl flooring or tiles that can be vacuumed and mopped with ease.
Use modular cube storage unit such as these to design your own understairs storage
4. Turn your understairs storage into a home bar
Although it's common for your staircase ideas to focus on how they fit into a hallway, in some homes stairs are found in living spaces such as reception rooms and even kitchens.
When I was renovating my mum's house, for example, the space under the stairs extended into the kitchen, even though there was a stud wall and door dividing the hallway from the kitchen.
And, although this meant we had an awkward sloped ceiling to deal with, rather than leaving it empty, the kitchen fitter cut down side panels that matched the cabinet doors and created an additional bespoke cupboard instead. It perfectly matched the rest of the kitchen design, and as she didn't have a utility room, became the perfect spot for laundry essentials.
Personally, I like the idea shown, which is perfect if you have plenty of space in front of the understairs area. Instead of filling the space with cabinets, the owners have created a compact home bar idea instead. With a handy worktop for cocktail preparation, space below for a fridge and extra storage, it's the perfect addition to a kitchen that is designed for entertaining.
5. Incorporate drawers as well as cupboards
Regardless of how often you declutter your home, I've yet to meet anyone who says they have too much storage. What I have discovered is that the key to feeling like you might have just enough storage, is in designing that storage well.
"In any family home, storage is essential to make your home work better for you," agrees Sophie Clemson, director and co-founder of The Living House. "The space under the stairs shouldn’t be forgotten, as when cleverly designed it can provide a surprising amount of storage.
"But, if you only have a single door to access the understairs, getting to the back of the cupboard can feel like Narnia," she warns. "Instead, consider more practical storage solutions, like pull-out drawers, to make the most of every inch of space."
Sophie is the Co-Founder and Director of The Living House, with over eight years of interior design experience helping homeowners make the most of compact and characterful spaces.
6. Make your understairs storage practical if it's not in constant view
If you've recently converted your basement or cellar, or even added an extension above your garage that's accessed from inside, you could find yourself with extra understairs storage that can take on a different purpose to the understairs storage in your hallway.
Hidden from plain sight and without the constant flow of daily traffic, it's the perfect chance to save on your costs by using freestanding furniture as a practical solution to your needs.
Here, the space beneath the simple staircase is home to a variety of artist materials, suggesting it's part of an artist's studio or home office. Open shelving makes it easy to see what's stored, while a moveable trolley gives the freedom to move items around.
Shop for freestanding understairs storage
Move items around with this handy trolley and lid
Kit out under your stairs with this set comprising hooks, cabinet and shelving
Designed as shoe racks but suitable for other uses too, these racks can be stacked
7. Create a handy spot for changing footwear
"If you need a spot to put your shoes on before leaving the house, a built-in bench seat under the stairs is a great idea," suggests Sophie Clemson. "The bench could lift up to provide additional hidden storage, or have a cupboard below.
"This option is perfect if you want to turn the understairs area into a feature, for example with a patterned fabric bench seat, while still incorporating practical, hidden storage," she adds.
Or if you don't have the budget for a bespoke hallway storage solution, consider this Olney Hallway Bench from Dunelm instead, which serves the same purpose but will only cost you £199.
8. Use simple storage for light-filled spaces
It could be that when designing the hallway for your self-build, you decided to opt for dramatic architectural glazing to flood your entrance with natural light. This in turn may have led you to choose a staircase with open treads and a glass balustrade, in which case, it's unlikely you'll want to fill up the space below with bulky storage.
Instead, bring a touch of nature into your home with freestanding storage units and create an environment for your indoor plants to flourish. As well as helping to improve the air quality in your home, choose plants that absorb moisture too, in order to help combat condensation and mould.
9. Incorporate space for a small home office
While the area under the stairs is associated with storage, recent years have changed how we view the space, with many of us looking to make it work harder.
"We’re increasingly seeing homeowners look beyond storage alone, with seating and desks becoming part of the norm as people have reshaped how they live and work in recent years, becoming far more conscious of making every inch of their home work harder for them," notes Rachal Hutcheson.
"Rather than upsizing, many are choosing to reimagine existing spaces, creating multi-functional areas that maximise square footage whilst maintaining a sense of comfort and balance at home.
"Even the smallest nook can be transformed with a well-planned layout, creating up to 40% more usable space than standard furniture," she explains. "By tailoring the configuration to your specific needs, fitted furniture works with the angles of the staircase rather than against them – turning an awkward corner into a highly functional area that can evolve beyond storage and feel like a room in its own right.
"Integrating a compact small home office setup with a desk and concealed storage for technology and work essentials allows the space to work harder, without encroaching on the main living areas reserved for relaxation," says Rachal.
10. Choose your storage colours carefully
The majority of staircases are located in the hallway, making them both the perfect spot to display treasured items and a magnet for all manner of shoes, umbrellas and cleaning supplies.
When designing built-in storage units for under the staircase, consider splitting the usable area into shelving, cupboards and drawers so everything has a place without being too rigid.
But, with larger cupboards such as this one, your hallway colour and storage colour choices matter too, says Rachal Hutcheson.
"As these areas often lack natural light, colour and lighting choices are particularly important. Opt for warm, light-reflective tones such as soft creams or pale blues to help brighten the space. Integrated lighting within shelving or cupboards not only improves visibility but also helps the area feel welcoming, rather than simply a transitional zone."
11. DIY your own understairs storage ideas
Simple drawer plywood storage is all this self-build home needed to not only create handy storage, but also a convenient seat to sit and read.
It's the kind of idea you see when people share Ikea hacks for creating something similar. So, if you're keen to recreate the look but don't have DIY skills you can call on, try this instead.
Lay the Kallax shelving unit sideways on the floor, but get an extra piece of wood cut to size and painted to match and place, or fix on top to provide a more sturdy seating area.
Add these Gnabbas pull out storage baskets for shoes or books, throw on some cushions, and for the finishing touch, include a a rechargeable wall light such as this Habitat Steel Rechargeable Mushroom Wall Light and you've instantly turned your under stairs into something more meaningful.
12. Build an understairs toilet with storage
Keen to add a downstairs toilet to your home, but don't have the floorplan to carve out another room? Although you may need to use compact bathroom furniture for this understairs storage idea, it is often possible to sneak in an understairs toilet and bathroom into the space beneath your stairs.
In this compact 41m2 home, smooth birch-faced ply was used to clad the staircase, while the concrete slab was stepped down underneath in order to accommodate not only a downstairs toilet and bathroom storage, but also the hot water tank and washing machine too.
Rachal Hutcheson's final advice for making your understairs storage work as hard as it possibly can?
“Understairs areas are incredibly versatile, accommodating everything from everyday items such as shoes, coats and school bags to bulkier belongings like vacuum cleaners, luggage and sports equipment.
"The key isn’t restricting what you store but designing the space around how it will be used," she shares. "Most homeowners fall into one of two groups: those using the area for long-term storage – such as seasonal items or sports equipment – and those relying on it daily for practical essentials.
"For everyday use, open or easy-access designs work best, with features like coat hooks, shoe racks, shallow drawers for hats and scarves, and tall cupboards for items such as hoovers or ironing boards," recommends Rachal.
"For items accessed less frequently, a more enclosed approach is often preferable. We always suggest measuring bulkier belongings individually, so it fits seamlessly within each compartment to keep everything neatly stored and out of sight."
Of course, you also need to be able to see whatever you've stored under your stairs, so if you are focusing on your hallway, make sure you check out our guide to hallway lighting ideas for bright solutions to dark spaces.
And, if in assessing your storage needs you've realised some of the stuff inside your home would be better placed elsewhere, make sure your garage storage ideas are also reaching their full potential.
