How to Make the Most of Under-The-Stair Spaces

Designer Ami McKay creates a design that turns awkward into functional.

Install a home office wherever it might fit.If there’s one thing designer Ami McKay has learned from her son, it’s that kids love corners, nooks and crannies. So in designing this under-the-stairs workspace for a client’s three children, she made the most of what some might see as awkward architecture. The barnboard cabinetry is inset to retain that “cove” feeling, while scarlet accents, like the desk chair and rotary telephone, lend a playful pop of colour to an otherwise neutral home. Above the custom desk, a DIY linen-wrapped pinboard displays treasured travel mementos—a reminder of the good times that await those who get their homework done.