Under Stairs Storage Ideas: Bespoke Solutions for London Homes
The space beneath a staircase can be difficult to use well. Its height changes, the deepest corners may be hard to reach, and a single cupboard door can hide a collection of things that are awkward to retrieve.
Bespoke under stairs storage offers a way to divide that space more deliberately. Shoes, coats, household equipment and books have different requirements, so the most useful design starts with what you want to keep there.
This guide explores storage ideas for London homes, from pull-out drawers to fitted cupboards and compact workspaces. Each option needs to be assessed against the staircase, the surrounding room and the way your household uses it.
Start with the space you actually have
Before choosing a design, look beyond the triangular outline beneath the stairs. Measure the available depth, note where the height changes and identify the direction from which the space can be accessed.
The surrounding floor area matters just as much. A deep pull-out needs room to extend, while a hinged door needs a clear opening path. Include nearby room doors, radiators and furniture when reviewing the layout.
Record any existing services or equipment within the space. Access to meters, valves, electrical equipment and other installations must be considered before cabinetry is designed around them.
Finally, decide what the project is intended to improve. A defined place for everyday shoes is a different brief from occasional household storage. Trying to accommodate everything can lead to a complicated design that does none of those jobs particularly well.
1. Pull-out shoe storage for everyday footwear
Shoes are a useful starting point if they regularly collect near the entrance. A dedicated arrangement can give each pair an accessible position without placing another piece of furniture in the hallway.
Count the footwear you expect to store and measure a representative selection. Trainers, boots and larger shoes need different clearances, so evenly spaced shelves may not suit the whole collection.
Decide whether the storage is for everyday footwear or a larger seasonal collection. Keeping the brief focused may produce a simpler, more convenient arrangement.
A published London project by Avar Furniture demonstrates a combination of pull-out shoe and coat storage behind flush fronts. It is one example of this configuration, rather than a Greg’s Carpenters installation.
Discuss cleaning access and how the proposed materials should be cared for. Also check that a fully extended unit leaves enough room for someone to stand beside it and retrieve a pair comfortably.
2. A coat cupboard in the taller section
The tallest part of the space may suit a coat cupboard, provided the dimensions work for the intended contents.
Measure the garments rather than relying on a standard rail position. Long coats need more hanging height than short jackets, while the cupboard depth must accommodate the chosen hanging arrangement.
Think about what happens when people arrive home. A coat cupboard is more useful if it can be opened without moving bags or blocking the entrance.
You could combine hanging space with a shelf for hats or a separate compartment for bags. Check that those additions do not reduce the hanging space below what you actually need.
Handles and internal fittings should suit the people using them. Where children need access to their own belongings, discuss a reachable arrangement rather than assuming everyone will use the same height.
3. Separate cupboards for household equipment
Vacuum cleaners, ironing boards and folding equipment can be difficult to accommodate in ordinary cupboards. Under stairs storage may provide a suitable location if the opening and interior dimensions are planned together.
Measure equipment in the position in which it will be stored. Include handles, attachments and the space needed to lift or manoeuvre it through the opening.
Give smaller accessories a defined place too. A tall cupboard can quickly become inconvenient if loose components accumulate at the bottom.
If equipment will charge inside the cabinetry, coordinate the electrical provision and follow the product manufacturer’s requirements. Do not assume an enclosed cupboard is an appropriate charging location for every appliance.
A separate compartment can help distinguish household equipment from coats and shoes. The division should follow the contents, with practical access to each section.
4. Low drawers beneath the shallowest part of the stairs
The lowest area beneath a staircase may not provide enough height for a useful cupboard opening. A drawer is one option to explore for suitable smaller items.
Start with what would go inside it. A drawer for gloves and scarves needs a different arrangement from one intended for larger household objects.
Check the usable internal dimensions and the proposed load. The front of a drawer may look substantial while the interior is reduced by its construction and fittings.
Review retrieval as well as capacity. A low drawer involves bending or reaching down, which may not suit every user or every category of belongings.
Also consider nearby floor finishes and obstructions. The drawer needs to open freely through its intended movement, and its position should be confirmed from site measurements.
5. Bespoke shelving for books and display
When the staircase sits within a living area, bespoke shelving may be worth considering. It can provide a place for books and selected objects while making the changing height part of the composition.
Measure the books or items you intend to display. Shelf depth and spacing should respond to those contents rather than follow equal divisions by default.
Discuss anticipated loads and shelf spans with the maker. The appearance of a shelf does not establish what it can support.
Open storage also remains visible. Consider how much of the space you want to display and which belongings would be better behind doors.
A combination may suit the room: closed storage below with a smaller area of shelving above. Review the whole arrangement alongside the staircase and surrounding furniture so it reads as a considered part of the interior.
6. A compact desk beneath the stairs
A desk beneath the stairs can be appealing, particularly if there is no separate study. However, an available recess does not automatically make a comfortable workspace.
Test the seated position, headroom, legroom and chair movement. The user needs to be able to sit down and stand up comfortably without obstructing circulation.
Consider the intended work. Occasional laptop use creates different requirements from spending a full working day with a monitor and other equipment.
Plan lighting, power and cables alongside the cabinetry. Nearby household activity and privacy also deserve consideration before committing to the idea.
Neville Johnson publishes an under-stairs study with furniture fitted to an angled space. It demonstrates the concept, but suitability still depends on the dimensions and circumstances of your own home.
7. A fitted bench with storage
A bench may suit a hallway where sitting down to change shoes would be useful. Its value comes from that everyday function as well as the storage beneath it.
Check the available headroom and seating position. The shape beneath the stairs should not force an awkward posture.
Compare the ways the storage could open. A drawer requires clear floor space; a lift-up seat needs room to rise and means moving anything placed on it.
Decide what will be stored beneath the seat and how often it will be retrieved. Frequently used items deserve an arrangement that is easy to access.
StairFit’s installation gallery includes a project with a pull-out seat element, illustrating one possible approach. It should not be treated as a standard detail suitable for every staircase.
8. Closed storage with a consistent frontage
Different storage functions do not have to produce a busy appearance. Cupboards and pull-outs can be coordinated through their finish, proportions and opening details.
Begin with the interior requirements, then develop the frontage around them. A visually symmetrical arrangement may be less useful if it forces unsuitable divisions inside.
Choose handles or opening mechanisms alongside physical samples. Consider how each will work for a tall door, a low drawer and any heavier pull-out.
Review the frontage with the existing staircase, skirting and nearby doors. It may echo those details or use a simpler treatment, depending on the intended appearance.
Confirm how individual sections will be identified and opened. A concealed arrangement still needs to be intuitive for the people living with it.
How to choose the right combination
You do not need to use every idea beneath one staircase. Begin with the two or three storage problems that matter most.
For an entrance hallway, the priority may be shoes, coats and bags. In a living area, books and closed household storage may be more appropriate.
Sketch the contents into the proposed compartments. Then check the opening sequence and the space occupied while each section is in use.
Ask to see both a closed elevation and drawings showing the interiors. An attractive frontage is only half of the design.
If the proposal becomes complicated, compare it with a simpler arrangement. Additional mechanisms should make access better enough to justify their space, cost and maintenance requirements.
Materials and finishes to discuss
Choose materials by component rather than describing the entire installation with one broad label.
Ask what will be used for the cabinet interiors, fronts, shelves and finishing panels. Review samples showing the intended edges and coating, not just a colour swatch.
Consider the location. A hallway installation may be regularly touched by shoes, bags and coats, so request care instructions for the specified surfaces.
For visible wood finishes, discuss grain and variation across the complete frontage. For painted cabinetry, confirm the finish and the process for dealing with future damage.
No single material or finish is automatically right for every under-stairs project. The specification should reflect the contents, intended use and appearance.
What to prepare before requesting a quotation
Take photographs from several angles, including the surrounding hallway or room. Provide approximate dimensions and identify existing equipment or access points within the space.
List the belongings you want to store, with measurements for bulky items. Explain the main frustrations with the current arrangement.
Share a small selection of reference images and describe the particular feature you like in each. Include your budget range and preferred timing.
Contact Greg’s Carpenters to discuss your requirements and what would need to be checked during a site assessment. Any proposal should establish the scope of the cabinetry and whether separate work is needed before installation.
Making the space useful
Successful under stairs storage turns an awkward area into compartments with clear purposes and convenient access.
Choose the functions first, test how they will work in the surrounding room and then develop the appearance. The finished design should make belongings easier to retrieve and put away, while keeping the rest of the space comfortable to use.
Sources and methodology
Sources reviewed on 27 October 2026. Published installations were used to verify examples of storage configurations.
Project description used as an example of combined pull-out shoe and coat storage behind flush fronts.
Used as an example of fitted study furniture designed for an angled space.
Installation gallery used to verify an example incorporating a pull-out seat element.
These projects illustrate possibilities, not guaranteed outcomes for other properties. Planning recommendations are editorial guidance. No storage-capacity increase, universal dimension or project price is claimed.
Named external installations are not Greg’s Carpenters projects. Images sourced from the existing Greg’s website media are separately credited beneath each. Final suitability requires assessment of the actual space, staircase, services, fittings and intended use.
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