What to do with this space?

[marvellousmaplesyrup]

Hello all.

We've recently bought our forever home. Fab location and a wonderfully old building but it needs a lot of work.

The one area we need help on is the stairs. The property used to be two old cottages that have been combined to make one large one. The stairs are in an odd place and whilst we don't want to move them, I'm looking for ideas that we could incorporate into the space.

I've attached some pictures - there is a book shelf half way across the stairs and a weird space with a big sill that is crying out to be used as a slide down the stairs by toddlers (we've just had a baby and want to sort this out before then!).

I was thinking of filling this gap with small wooden logs, with an oak beam at the bottom, encased behind some Perspex, but I'm not sure if that would be too fiddly?

Help please - what would you do with the space?

Bumpity Bump

Anyone...?

Could the black shelf be removed and the wall just be left an open expanse?

How about a traditional bannister rail with spindles up the ski slope?

I'd go for some floating shelves to fill in the space - I've attached an example picture which are not a nice colour but something that shape hung upside down to fill your triangle shape would look nice I think.

You could use it for post, keys etc and have some decorative bits too.

Is it deep enough for books? If so, build shelving into it.

I looked at the pictures before I read your post and my first thought was "take the shelf out and it would be a fab slide". My late DH had one in his house when we were dating and my kids loved it. Admittedly they were a bit older, so maybe not with a baby and toddler.

Built in bookshelves if it's deep enough.

This looks good.

I would put in shelves and have lots of books.

Fill in a tunnel and have a laundry chute which is also a laundry storage until you open the trapdoor at the bottom.

Box in above it and store shoes and hats / gloves etc