Increase the functionality of your home by adding storage to your staircase

One common element of residential architecture is a central staircase leading up to the second floor visible from the front door. As this is the central traffic route of the home, it only makes sense to enable all who enter through this door easy access to the upstairs portion of the house as well, rather than making them walk around in order to get upstairs. Particularly if you are lucky enough to have a grand balustrade, this stairwell can be quite welcoming to everyone who walks in. 

But not every home features such a grand staircase, and many simply have the steps off to the side as a matter of convenience. If this is the case in your home, you may be dealing with a section of oddly shaped wall underneath the stairs. Because of their visible placement right near the main doorway, many homeowners wish to add some decorative flair onto this small wall, rather than leave it plain. One option that's growing in popularity among homeowners is to build storage into the staircase. 

Rather than simply leaving it plain, many individuals are choosing shelving as their desired type of storage for this location. This is the ideal spot to put family pictures and other treasures, or if the shelves are a bit deeper it can  make for excellent organization system as well. Rather than the traditional "cupboard under the stairs," which has never seemed very appealing, adding visible storage to the outside can make a staircase just as functional but increase its visual impact. 

Of course, if you want your front stairs to pack a real punch, consider changing out your current stair parts for more beautiful ones. There's nothing quite like a polished handrail and impeccable bottom tread to make a home feel warm and welcoming to everyone who walks in the door.