apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

What if you put some bookcases across the back wall and a desk under the window and used it as a home office/computer area?

Or you could put some enclosed cabinets back there for your shoes, coats and other storage, place a bench under the window and keep your bicycle and dog bed there as a sort of mudroom/landing strip area?

Whatever you do, I hope you remove that runner from the stairway - It's unattractive and looks like it could be a serious safety hazard.

it's kinda perfect as guest area/office/library, no?

Yes runner is not to good,I'd remove it. The back wall needs to make some sort of statement so it feels like a defined area. I'd put shelves/ storage up against the back wall and make it into big storage/ home office, or paint it or make an accent wall. There are a LOT of different colors and furniture styles lighting strategies in the space , part of why it feel incoherent. Pick one base color scheme and work from there.

this space is currently dark and unwelcoming. this reminds me of a den, which in my own mind is a terribly outdated notion.

my suggestions are
-remove the brown runner on the stairs so that you can see the gorgeous wood and architecture of the staircase
-take the curtains off the windows. if you must have curtains, make them white or neutral and spread them open.
-additonal items i'm not so fond of: the dear head, the tablecloth, the black lamp.

otherwise, you have some great elements here. the staircase is actually quite striking and should be highlighted. you have nice wood floors, keep them exposed. the two chairs shown are nice too, so think about rearranging them.

do you need a dining room? do you want to have a more formal type of living room? do you have a collection that could be displayed - plants, books, artwork, musical instruments, antiques, etc.

Removing the runner will really open up the space and your room in general. Can you use some treads or something instead? One thing you need to do is give yourself a reason to go in that area. Maybe put a piece of art you really love to look at or a chair you really love to sit in back there.

If you don't need an extra sitting area...then don't make it an extra sitting area. There's nothing wrong with having a serene space in one's house. Maybe a nice striking floor lamp along the lines of a Noguchi akari floor lamp. A simple table. A minimalist tableau that is pleasing to look at.

Or be functional and use it to store and organize your daily goods.

For instance, I see a bicycle in the corner of the photo...perhaps the bicycle could have a home in this nook?

I also see random cluttery bits under the stairs. The runner kinda hides it. Sorry...this is apartment therapy and there's no room for random cluttery bits! Declutter and find a storage piece that attractively accomodates what remains. This is where IKEA excels. Fashion a kind of tansu chest under the stairs with Billy bookcases with doors or baskets to keep yourself organized.

Begin with removing that runner. It's hiding the nice wood.
I'm guessing that the green couch?(Can't really tell from the pic) would fit nicely under the stairs, making a cozy reading nook. Move the desk to where the green couch was. So that the chairs and couch face each other, and it might help to have the wooden coffee table in between. I'm not fond of that little grey/metal side table. It seems to clash with the wood and colours.

I think there's an awful lot of colour, which is fine, but it's competing with the darkness of the wood. I think the easiest thing to do is remove the drapes, and put up ones in a neutral colour.

Maybe you could add a large picture where the animal head is. I think also that there is too much visual clutter. There's so much going on, what with the bike, pet bed, multiple seating areas. Is there anywhere that the bike can be stored? The pet bed might be nicely "hidden" under the lower part of the stairs beside where the couch might go.

Anywho, hope that helps, just an idea!

Extra space, sigh, not a problem most of us have. I agree with JenPDX, if you don't need a sitting room dedicate the area to some other activity you do often. It looks like this area is right off your living room so if you like to entertain you could replace the chairs with a counter height table, stools and a bar/sideboard. I also agree with highlighting the staircase - a white painted stripe approx the width of the current runner would be modern and might brighten up the space. I'd also ditch those curtains.

I had the same problem at home, and I wish I could send you the pictures so you can appreciate the change it made to the whole area. What we did is take the exact same staircase you have, and softly and with love move it and install it on the back wall (you'll have to watch out for the measurments) You might need to make the landing a little bit smaller, but I'm sure some of the maths from school can be put into a good purpose. Then under the stairs put some bookshelves or a clutter box, doggy bed.
Definetly get rid of the red tableclooth, the blue curtians and the black lamp. You have some lovely pieces of furniture there which get lost with the other stuff you've got there.
I hope this helped, and I'm sorry if my english is not so good.

How has no one died on that staircase with the runner?!

One way to visually open it up would be to paint the staircase the same color as the walls. I would also add some warm and inviting lighting that is at the level of the seating. As it is, the deer head could interrogate whomever is sitting there. ;-) I agree with removing the clutter under the stairs. Also add a rug to warm it up and pick a color theme to give it some cohesive properties. The chairs and the draperies could be interesting on their own, but all together it doesn't feel like they were intended for the same room.

Last, I'd remove the haphazard picture arrangement along the stairs. It's too much clutter with the handrail.

Take out the curent staircase and install a spiral staircase. It will takee up less room.

"take"

Do you own or rent? If you own could you put risers on the stairs and use the nook under the stairs for storage? It looks like you use it for storage now, and you are using the runner to hide it?

I could also see you building in a little office nook back there. If you put something there that you use (like a computer) then there will be a reason to use the space.

The first thing I saw was also office, it seems like the perfect nook. I would face the desk at the nice big window and put a wall to wall bookcase on the wall where the antlers are.

And I would definitely close off the stair case, makes a neater, cleaner look. Plus you would have added storage.

Thank you all for your comments!

The stair runner is temporary and tacked down quite well. I am fostering a dog who is petrified of stairs and wood floors, so I made this runner so I could teach him how to climb stairs. As soon as he goes to his new home, the runner will be gone!

Thanks again for the help, AT readers!!!

-Darcie

I see you have your bike in the living room. Maybe use the area for bike storage?

Also, do remove the blue curtains and the black lamp. What stands out from the pics is not so much the awkward space, but the mismatched nature of the things in it.

Does anybody there play piano? What about making this a music space?

Or do you paint? You could set up an easel there.

Or an aquarium. I know that's not high design but it is soothing.

How much light comes in that window? Could it be a little sunroom-garden area?

Or you could set up a little game table and make this a place for playing cards.

Foosball?

Wine storage/tasting area?

Basically, what do you like to do? Dedicate this space to that interest. Make it a model train village. Or nook for your album collection. Or a bar area.

We can all come up with ideas but they won't have much to do with how you live your life.

Oh and once you've rededicated this area, then you can give me that flowered chair and footstool. I want it.

I wondered if there wasn't some reason for the runner -- I have a friend who has a huge psychological issue with open stairs -- they terrify her. (You might need to keep something on the stairs for the dog long term, though, since dogs are not comfortable with slippery wood.)

I think if it were my space, I'd do a combination of the previous things suggested. I'd clear everything out and put in an area rug and the brown leather chair in the corner. I'd remove the dark drapes and leave the window bare or maybe put up white sheers. I'd use the space under the stairs for bike storage, and put the pet bed near the chair. I'd look for something (Craigslist credenza?) for general "stuff storage" and also keep pet supplies there, like a leash and poop scoop, for example. I'd position it on the back wall to the left of the chair and hope it could also serve as an end table for the chair. I'd hang something attractive on the wall to make the space more finished like a big mirror or framed artwork. There might be room under the stairs for some shelving, too, if you need more storage.

Or, instead of shelves, maybe a hall closet style armoire?

I'd get rid of all the other stuff there now, especially the dead animal on the wall (sorry) and the red and white chair and footstool, which might find a different home...

Under the stairs:
RTA units, bought to fit (you'll probably need to customize 2 or 3), to turn it into an office alcove - or - off-season storage - or - an entertainment unit (if it'll be a media area then a great small-scale sectional sofa would turn the whole area into a TV room)

Just a big bookshelf or some other type of storage unit - minimal, clean.

DEFINITELY lose the runner and the curtains.

What about making it a nice dining area?

Actually I'm kind of digging it, but then, I'd want to read there.

I like the idea of putting the bike there. But there's also nothing wrong with just clearing out the space and doing nothing with it. Maybe put a sculpture or tall vase or some sort of little display in the corner.

Home office?
Dining area?
Extra small TV area?
Tiny guest bedroom area?

My taste would be either the dining area or maybe a home office/guest area.

Ok, Ive been a rental landlord for 7 years and lived on site where I worked with my husband for 17 years and we still are living here. We manage in a total living space of 640 sq ft 2 bed with 2 cats, and use to live in some of the one beds here that were only 550sq ft!
So with that being said, you can imagine I have just about come up with anything for roomsavers, space makers, makeover miricles, etc. (at least my family and friends and co-workers think so)...
To start with, I would run an "L-shaped" attached work space starting under the staircase (since you cant stand up there anyways) and wrap it around to end at the window wall so two of you can work, read, run lap tops, facebook or do whatever at same space.
You can either home make build something like this yourself and attach to the wall with L brackets underneath or go to local hardwares like home depot and they could help you pick out and get it installed for you.
Next, to add extra lighting in a small space like that, I would hang a circle, Rectangle, or Oval shaped mirror for interest and reflection of light directly across from your window which would be over your new office/reading area.
On the wall of other work space, hang some type of shelving (but dont overwhelm space) or depending on how many things you both have, you could even do corner shelves and storage spacing on the office desk corner and underneath as well, so no extra space is wasted.
Swivel thicker wooden chairs with fitted postures cut into them on coasterwheels are perfect for fitting this space for one at each place (see Diane Keatons white chair in her movie "As Good As it Gets" that she sat in when she was writing).
Place a few inspiring pictures on your walls there of one another maybe trips youve been on together, etc (print out in black and white then frame in B&W...
You can pull carpet off steps to open area back up and for a more contemporary feel, and at hardware store again ask for a spray or coverage for steps (non-slip) to apply or some other alternative idea from them that is removable in future that is placed individually to steps.
Next, the old trick of running a longer wall curtain rod across the window wall to make it appear your window is much larger will make the space seem larger as well! Then, just add extra panel to each side (preferrably lighter sheer neutrals or cream to white for just a diffused look is chic!
If you really wanted to upgrade, pull hand railing off of wall that runs to the bottom of stairs and replace with just a waist leveled arm rail maybe even in a metal of sometype, like black raught iron and the other rail also replace arm portion and supports with the same. (that would really up value to room) this brings nice contrast to materials used with wood and metals...
In regards to lighting, dont be afraid to experiment. Do wall sconces, hanging features that even run clear cords down wall and can be tacked in place and also desk lighting with new workspaces!
Cant be totally sure what the rest of your space is behind the lens, but you can also suspend flat screen tvs now as well from ceilings. So where it looks like you have couch seating, you could hang a somewhat modest screen for viewing entertainment!
a piece or two of furniture might have to go upstairs to unclutter the area and give you a fresh start for new ideas. And lastly, if you still need to store bikes there, you can buy bike clasps, mounts, and hangers or pulleys now so you can suspend them from the wall or ceilings. This also frees up more floor space and can look pretty cool.
(Suggestion, if bikes will be staying, consider painting the area walls bikes are on the colors or color of bike or close to it! This really punches up the excitement factor of your space then and it doesnt feel like a garage detail any longer...
Hope all of this helps you. You might have already done the room, so if true wish you well with new design whatever you choose and God Bless!
Tracidreams

Second suggestion (Just because Im a singer/songwriter/artist/photographer by nature). If either of you is a hobbiest in the field of Arts...
This space would make a KICK BUTT art studio with your work displayed on walls and the work space starting also again under stairwell and over (Small darkroom installed, pottery area, painting station, sketching table and eisle area, etc and install some track lighting. Paint the floor with something like battleship grey waterproof sealant, then you could actually really go for it and add a few faded geometric shapes to floor instead of rugs in place of them so clean ups are still easy. (you seal this after colors are down).
Purchasing an old showcase later on and attaching to one area of the wall would be slick as well for showcasing any art (jewlery, pottery, smaller art pieces, photos, etc)

So, if you dont use this idea, maybe someone else might be inspired to do it since I have never gotten to own a place yet where I can go all out crazy like this. Have fun all
Tracidreams