Creative Storage Solutions: Maximizing Your Under-the-Stairs Storage Space

When you live in a small space, using every square inch to its maximum potential is important. Lots of storage is a must, but so is concealing it so that you can keep your home feeling tidy and uncluttered. This beautiful and practical under stairs pantry with a DIY sliding barn door is a perfect example of how to make the most of awkward spaces in your home without compromising your sense of style! Come see how I did it in this beautiful Brookfield Residential town home that I had the pleasure of decorating.

This home features a lovely open main floor plan. It was already decorated in a really beautiful modern rustic style.

A staircase led to the second floor right next to the dining and kitchen area. And right under that staircase, there was a large nook that was begging for a DIY:

What is the space under the stairs called?

I’ve been calling it a nook, but did you know the awkward-shaped space under a stairway actually has an official name? A spandrel! In architectural jargon, this term actually refers to the triangular space created between a squared off roof or ceiling and an adjoining archway. But because the under-stairs space is often triangular, it goes by the same name. Fun, right?

My job was to showcase the functionality of the floor plan and give visitors and homeowners an idea of what they could do in their own Brookfield townhome! So, I decided this spandrel had more than enough room to build a DIY under-the-stairs pantry.

Can you put a doorway under stairs?

Yes of course! The trick is finding a style of door that fits the space AND doesn’t take up too much floor space when it opens. A traditional door frame with hinges just wouldn’t work for the shape of this opening or its location, so a sliding barn door was the perfect idea for this awkward little nook. I knew it would give this home extra space for storage and fit right in with the modern rustic style already present.

My ultra-handy carpenter husband helped me do some of the heavy table saw cutting for this project, and I think we made a great team! We did some of the work on site and some back at home in our shop.

Here’s how we made this under-stairs pantry with a DIY sliding barn door:

First, we decided that the barn door would need to slide to the left so that it wouldn’t cover the light switches and thermostat to the right of the opening. So, the shorter portion of the nook would need to be covered when the barn door was closed.

We purchased some inexpensive hardwood from a lumber store and then measured and cut some pieces to fit the small side of the nook. We used the same hardwood to make a custom barn door.

To build the door, we laid the cut-to-size pieces side-by-side and then secured them with some thinner pieces of wood around the perimeter of the door and one diagonally across the door. These pieces were secured with construction glue and nails.

I stained the door and the other wood pieces after the door was assembled. It was a little tricky to get into all the nooks and crannies, but I did it! I used a dark walnut stain to match the rustic look of the rest of the home. After the barn door and the other wood pieces were stained and dry, I sealed everything with a coat of satin finish poly sealer.

Getting creative with the under-the-stairs barn door hardware

We purchased some barn door hardware at our local home improvement store, and since the holes on the rail didn’t line up with any studs above the nook, we had to get creative with the installation! We screwed the railing to a scrap piece of wood and then screwed that wood into the studs on the wall.

The rollers were then installed on the door. Then, we added a simple cupboard pull to slide the door back and forth.

Next, we nailed some backing boards onto the inside of the short end of the nook and got to work on the interior shelving.

Building shelves under the stairs

To make the shelves, we cut some 1/2″ plywood to the size that we wanted. We made three 10″ deep shelves for the back and one 20″ deep shelf for the left-hand side of the nook. We also cut 2″ wide strips of plywood to hold the shelves up.

Using a level and a straight edge, we marked where the shelves would go, and carefully screwed the shelf bases to the studs in the wall. Next, we installed the shelves on top of the bases with wood screws. I painted the tops of the shelves white to blend in with the colours of the home.

Hanging the door and finishing touches

Once the hardware was installed on the wall and on the door itself, hanging the barn door was quite simple! I just placed its rollers on the rail. I also installed some stoppers on each end of the barn door rail. Remember, this all just comes as a kit with instructions, so installation is very easy!

For a finishing touch, I lined the pantry with baskets and bins. Then, I hung a little rod and hooks with a basket in the nook for even more small storage.

And voila, the under-stairs pantry with a custom DIY barn door was complete! I’m so happy with how this turned out. If I lived here I’m sure I’d love looking at and using this little space.

Watch the video on how we made this under stairs nook with a DIY sliding barn door:

A pantry made sense here because this little nook sits right next to the kitchen. But under-stairs nooks can be anywhere! Other ideas for awkward little spandrels (I love that word) include:

• An entryway drop zone for umbrellas, scarves, pet toys, and other flotsam and jetsam that can accumulate at a door 
• A coat closet for kids’ things or seasonal clothing
• A cozy reading nook
• A small mudroom with a bench on one end
• An under-stair storage room with adjustable shelves for holiday decorations, and helmets and other sporting equipment, etc.
• A hallway linen closet for extra blankets
• A DIY under stairs dog nook with a bed and your pet’s own private closet space

As you can see, a little creativity goes a long way! What would YOU store in this under-stairs nook? Let me know in the comments or tag me @thediymommy. I’d love to see!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Brookfield Residential. As always, all of the opinions here are my own.

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