Often narrow and awkwardly shaped, halls, stairs and landings can usually take only a minimum of furniture. At first sight finding space for storage appears practically impossible, but walls will provide room for a wall-hung telephone and noticeboard and there is often just enough width for a shallow cupboard for outdoor clothing or for narrow shelves. Walls and windows can contribute by providing space for decorative displays.
Alternations to the understair cupboard can often considerably increase its storage potential or turn it into a useful cloakroom, shower space or laundry area. By removing side panelling the hall can be enlarged, providing room for a telephoning area or space for hanging outdoor clothes out of the passageway.
A hall alcove provides useful space for an office with desk and telephone.
A wall-mounted phone is useful when there is no room for a table.
Long, narrow hals
In many cases halls are so narrow that using space at the sides for standard width shelves or a shallow cupboard cuts down on essential passage space and therefore is not practical.
A wall-hung telephone means that a table is not necessary. Fix a noticeboard nearby if you want caller's messages passed on but make sure pad and pencil are included, along with a calendar and any family reminders. A couple of small wire bicycle baskets could be fixed with cup hooks to the wall below to hold mail. Alternatively, place the telephone and noticeboard above the radiator - which takes up spce, along a wall anyway - and add a single shelf on brackets. If you let it, this will soon become very popular with the family cat!
A simple made-to-measure noticeboard can be made from cork wall tiles stuck to a sheet of hardboard. Alternatively, use 6mm (¼in) medium density fibreboard as the backing, cut larger than the tiles to accommodate a timber moulding frame with mitred corners. Make it large enough and one cork tile could be replaced by mirror tiles.
A coat rack that screws to the wall is very simple to make. A piece of timber 20mm (¾in) thick and 100-150mm (4-6in) wide is a goog size for the base. Cut it to a length to suit its position and the number of items you want to be able to hang. Use double brass or chrome hooks or door knobs in a variety of sizes (door knobs are not suitable if you want to hang coats from the back loop but are fine for use with coathangers). Space hooks at least 200mm (8in) apart, (500mm (20in) if you intend to use with coat hangers). Measure, mark, then screw the hooks or knobs in position on the base. Finally, screw the rack in place on the wall. You could also include plastic-coated spring clips to take walking sticks and umbrellas.
End walls
It may be possible to use the wall surrounding a door at the end of a hall for narrow shelves. Based on the instructions on Divider Shelf Unit, build a box shelving system to cover the complete wall, leaving a door-sized space in the centre.
QUICK TIPS
To reflect light and provide a feeling of spaciousness glue mirror mosaic tiles on their fabric backing to the panels of traditional doors or all over a flush door.
Hall and landing windows
Glass shelves, placed at intervals across a window, provide space to display plants or a collection of glass or china. If you want to be able to change shelf positions use thin strip aluminium shelving supports screwed to the frame recess. For safety it is important to use lipped brackets that stop the glass from slipping, plus 6mm (¼in) glass with polished edges.
Shallow cupboards
Use an alcove to create a shallow cupboard with tall, narrow louvre or panelled doors (See Walk-In Alcove Cupboard). Alternatively, fit a floor to ceiling cupboard with sliding doors (see Sliding Door Wardrobe.
If you want to use cupboard to store outdoor clothing it will need to be a minimum of 30cm (12in) deep. Fit it with hooks (see Hinges And Hooks) or a coat rack or, if you have the width, fit a pull-out clothes rail that runs from front to back.
A rack for boots and shoes can be fitted into the base using three lengths of small dowel fixed into triangular shaped blocks of timber at each end to form a right-angled triangle so that the top rail holds the heels in position. Alternatively, use short lengths of thicker dowel slotted into a wooden backplate on which shoes can hang.
If you have the wall space for a large cupboard one section could be turned into a tool storage area. Cut out a board base and arrange tools on it, then fit it with spring clips and hooks where required. When it is screwed in place on the back wall you could add one or two narrow shelves for jam jars to hold nails and screws. Screw the lids of more jam jars to the underside of the shelf to provide twice the storage space.
On the landing a similiar cupboard could be fitted with shelves to take linen and small items of clothing.
QUICK TIPS
There is always room for a key rack. You could make your own by cutting out a simple house or family pet shape with a jig or fret saw from timber or painted board. Then screw a series of brass cup hooks to it to hold the keys. It is wise to place this well out of the reach of small children and away from windows.
Stair corners
Where stairs make a quarter or half turn there may be room for a corner cupboard (see Adding Doors To Corner Shelves). Triangular wall shelves will take up less space and could be fixed above head height and used to display favourite ornaments. Alternatively, you could use two or three hanging baskets on brackets screwed to the wall at different heights for a plant display. In most cases you will need to choose shade-loving varieties like creeping fig or maidenhair fen if they are to flourish.
Large halls or landings
If you are lucky enough to have a large hall or landing then you have the opportunity to use part of the space for a dining area, study or sewing room. In a confined sport fit a flap down table (see Fold-Down Kitchen Table and use fold-up chairs that can be hung on hooks on the wall when not in use.
A shelf across the corner of the stairs shows off plants, lit for above.
Space on a landing has been put to use here as a study and eating area.
CONVERTING THE UNDERSTAIR SPACE
Shelves under a staircase keep clutter out of the living room.
Opening up the understair space allows room for outdoor clothes storage.
Staircase structure
This is obviously the most useful understair area. You will need a height of 2m (6½ft) plus floor space of just under 1m x 1m (3¾ft x 3¾ft) to install a shower. A lavatory will fit into a space 700mm x 1m (2¼ft x 3¼) but some extra width of length will be needed for a basin.If space is tight, use either a corner or specially shallow basin that is sunk into the wall.
Where surrounding space is limited use two tall, narrow cupboard doors rather than a wider room door.
A washing machine and stacked tumble dryer will need less height, around 1.5m (5ft) and, depending on make, approximately 700mm by 700mm (2¼ft x 2¼ft) floor space.
How easy and inexpensive new plumbing will be will depend on how close this area is to existing plumbing in the kitchen and bathroom. If you need to move the gas or electricity meters you must consult the respective Boards.
Opening up from the side
If you remove partitions at the side of the stairs this area, depending on size, can be incorporated with the adjoining space to be used as a tiny study, sewing area or telephone space, or fitted with racks for out-door clothes storage. It can also be used much more efficiently for storage space.
If the staircase is positioned in an open plan living room the space underneath can be used like an alcove and fitted from floor to ceiling with a shelving system.
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