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Original poster

The room above the stairs with the ‘box’

58 replies

Pogmella · 30/09/2019 11:50

Do you know what I mean? Like a big shelf built in to allow head room on the stairs.

Considering remodelling our house and was hoping for super innovative solutions to maximise this space. Will be a nursery/toddler’s room of that helps.

OP posts:
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8
CaptainHammer · 30/09/2019 11:53

Most people I know, if it’s big enough, have a bed across it with storage underneath the other half without the box. Otherwise a cupboard or shelving above it.

dottyp0104 · 30/09/2019 11:56

I had a look at doing something with mine. Google 'stair bulkhead' or similar for ideas. Took me a while to work out what it was called 😂

SleepyFlump · 30/09/2019 11:56

As above - Had a bed across it in last house and hanging space in current house.

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ReginaGeorgeous · 30/09/2019 11:59

Ours is inside a cupboard in my daughter's bedroom (new build).

dad2hen · 30/09/2019 12:00

Just grabbed this off google as I was looking when I purchased our house, its my littles boys room and he has a cot bed up to 2 years so haven't done it myself yet but when he is old enough I will straight away!

If you hunt ikea you'll probably find all the stuff you need and just need to chop it up and screws bits etc to fit!

The room above the stairs with the ‘box’
dad2hen · 30/09/2019 12:01

just to add most aren't actually square, they're triangle people just box them as a triangle is useless.

Original poster
Pogmella · 30/09/2019 12:55

Ah mine is a square already and I don’t think it’s long enough to be a full bed on its own- these ideas are great and thanks for telling me the actual name @dottyp0104!

OP posts:
WisestIsShe · 30/09/2019 12:57

Mine is in the bathroom and I have a counter top basin on it.

ChardonnaysDistantCousin · 30/09/2019 13:00

Look up alpine chalets, they often have similar rooms and good solutions.

Disfordarkchocolate · 30/09/2019 13:03

We removed the cupboard above this and had a bed made to fit over it. We made sure the bed slid out so we could clean underneath (and not get the mould we had when there was a cabin bed). Ours was just slightly over a standard divan bed hight and we stored toys underneath in baskets. The room was transformed, it looked twice the size.

Our current house already has the cupboard removed. We may eventually have a bed made or we may have the cupboard put back in as the room is bigger.

Pootles34 · 30/09/2019 13:05

Ours is on our to-do list. The actual useless bit is much smaller than I thought - they boxed it off to waist height, when actually it's only about 6 inches tall.

A neighbour had a joiner in, he built a wardrobe around theirs - the triangle bit has been boxed off (but to much smaller degree) and is a toy box that her ds just chucked his soft toys into, with a wardrobe above that. The difference it makes is amazing!

Wilmalovescake · 30/09/2019 13:12

I’d get a carpenter to make a bed there, with storage underneath the other half.

ThatsALovelyBush · 30/09/2019 13:26

We’ve kept ours as ‘the box’ and use it for changing nappies on with a changing mat, nappies, wipes etc.

TheCanyon · 30/09/2019 13:40

We built wardrobes along that wall. The triangle bit is boxed in with shelves above.

StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff · 30/09/2019 13:57

It's the perfect height to stick a changing mat on it.

Bearfrills · 30/09/2019 14:50

I had a bed built over ours like in the picture a PP posted but because the space wasn't long enough for a bed we knocked through the wall and borrowed some space from the area above the stairs. A joiner did the whole thing, including boxing in the knocked out wall, for just over £900.

I can PM photos if you like.

Bearfrills · 30/09/2019 14:51

Actually, I don't know if photos can be PM'd

recreationalcalpol · 30/09/2019 14:55

Like PP, mine fits a changing mat and we used it for that

user1493413286 · 30/09/2019 14:56

We have that and we use it as a bookshelf/photo shelf and change DDs nappy on it. It’s really useful especially as DD can’t reach anything on it and when we move soon I’m wondering where we’ll put all the things that go on it.

museumum · 30/09/2019 14:57

Ours has a wardrobe built round it. You don’t need the space at the bottom of a wardrobe really.

BikeRunSki · 30/09/2019 14:59

Ours has been incorporated into a built in wardrobe.

ItsJustTheOneSwanActually · 30/09/2019 15:02

i had one in my room as a child - bed next to it and all my books and toys on it.

Likethebattle · 30/09/2019 15:29

I had that in my childhood room. It had a cupboard built around it so it was enclosed. When you opened the cupboard it started at hip height due to the bulkhead.

WhatsInAName19 · 30/09/2019 15:32

We stuck some timber edging to make a lip and I bought some foam which I covered with oilcloth to make a changing table. If we are still here when the nursery is outgrown then I will build a cabin bed over it.

wowfudge · 30/09/2019 15:33

I saw a DIY programme on TV recently (it was an old programme) where a DIY expert showed a couple how to drastically reduce the size of the box to fit a bathroom in the boxroom.