5 Simple & Affordable Ideas for Small Landings at Top of the Stairs

Struggling to decide what to do with the small landing space at the top of your stairs? We’re here to help. 

It’s not uncommon for the area or landing space at the top of your stairs to feel neglected, especially when it’s difficult to effectively make use of the space. You might have a narrow landing hallway, a small box room or an awkwardly-shaped room that you’re not sure what to do with. The good news is there are always options to consider with any upstairs landing space, you just need to be creative. 

Whether you have a large or small landing space, the smallest detail can make the biggest difference – but your options will obviously depend on the size and shape of the upstairs landing area as well as your staircase’s design.

Below we’ve provided five simple and cost-effective ideas for small landings at the top of the stairs.

Top Tips Before You Start

While you may be eager to get your upstairs landing space looking great, it’s worth noting that no design is worth compromising the space or safety of your staircase. As a general rule, we’d advise at least 36 inches of space on the landing to ensure there’s enough room to safely traverse the landing leading to the top of the staircase. 

If you’re looking to add in shelves, storage spaces or essentially anything that compromises this space, then you should consider alternative ideas for your small landing at the top of your stairs. 

How Much Space Do You Actually Have?

So, first things first, how much space do you have on your small landing? Is it more of a hallway leading to other rooms? Or is it a standalone small space, like a loft? Answering these questions will help narrow down your options.

For example, if your small landing space is big enough to be transformed into a snug room, then you will of course have more options. However, if you’re working with a narrow landing space that leads to other rooms, such as bedrooms and bathrooms, then you may want to focus more on the staircase wall design and possibly some small shelving options. 

Small Landing Spaces: DIY and Create Your Own Shelf or Table

If you aren’t able to find a pre-made table or shelf for your small landing space, you might want to create your own. This way, you know that the shelf or table you’re building will fit the dimensions of your small landing and you can customise it any way you like. This doesn’t have to be an expensive or timely investment either, for a small console table, all you would need is a plank of wood (the type of wood will be based on your personal preference) and two to four supporting legs, which can be wooden, metal or plastic. 

Whether you’re planning on creating a small table that’ll go flush against the landing’s wall or a series of shelves to decorate with plants or photos, be sure to measure the dimensions of your upstairs small landing space and ensure there’s still enough space for safe traversal. 

Small Landing Spaces: Combine Your Small Stair Landing With Your Staircase Wall

One of the best and most affordable ideas for small landing spaces at the top of your stairs is to simply match it with your staircase wall. If your staircase is L-shaped, you can make use of the space by continuing your staircase wall decor into the landing space. This could be with large framed photos (art, family photo or something else) or simply keeping it simple by continuing the staircase wall colour scheme up into the top landing space. This is a simple and affordable idea for those looking to keep things neat and tidy.

Take a look at our staircase decorating ideas for some more inspiration.

Small to Medium Landing Spaces: Create a Snug

If your landing space isn’t big enough for it to be a standalone room but there’s still enough space for it to become something in between, a snug might be the perfect option. Snugs work best in box-shaped landings but this is not a crucial requirement. As long as you have the space to throw some beanbags and a TV or a shelf for books, that’s all you need!

Small to Medium Landing Spaces: Create Library or Storage Area

If you’re the sort of person, couple or family that has collected a wealth of books over the years and have them piling up in the living room or other rooms at home, why not create a dedicated space for them? Having a small library or reading corner at the top of the house can be a really relaxing and attractive space for you to retire to whenever you like. All you’d need is some shelving for the books, a rug to line the floor and a comfy chair.

Complete Your Landing At the Top of the Stairs With a Stair Runner and Bars

If you’re happy with your staircase and landing wall design but feel your landing flooring needs renovating, why not consider stair runners and bars?

You can’t really redesign your small landing at the top of the stairs without addressing the staircase itself. As providers of stunning stair runners as well as bars and rods, we help you choose a design that matches or complements your staircase and home’s existing interior decor. Choose from patterned, block-coloured and bespoke designs that can be cut and measured to the correct size. 

Once you have found a stair runner for your stairs and landing space (we can discuss bespoke measurements for any curved stairs), combine your runners with elegant stair rods and bars for that essential, finishing touch. 

Take a look at our range of beautiful stair runners and rods – if you have any questions regarding measurements, please do not hesitate to speak to our staff.

Alternatively, for some top tips on how to design your staircase wall (like transforming it into a gallery wall), take a look at our handy guide here.