Before and After: A “Blank, Empty, and Sad” Spot Beside the Stairs Becomes a Major Design Moment

There are, sometimes, awkward corners or walls in houses that you just don’t know what to do with. Stairways — and the spaces next to and underneath them — are often major culprits. But instead of thinking of these nooks and crannies as awkward or hopeless, think of them as blank canvases, prime for plants, frames, floating shelves that look like built-ins, hooks, lamps, and so much more.