By converting the unused areas hidden in the roofspace, homeowners are able to add extra bedrooms, games rooms, or simply give themselves easier-to-access storage space, without having to move house or apply for planning approval. And with more of our lives now occurring under our own roofs, the additional space provided by an attic conversion is more popular than ever.

Without the ability to alter the roof’s pitch, however, the low-height areas of an attic room often remain unusable, and the resulting usable space is restricted by how low its functions can go. By positioning low-height features and activities in these nooks and crannies, attic rooms can make the best of the space they’re given.

But converted attic spaces aren’t the only ones that suffer from a lack of height. The tight

triangle of space found under staircases is a common character in architects’ Pythagorean

nightmares. With simple and clever alteration, however, these under-the-stairs cavities can also

use their restricted height as an advantage. Here is a recent examples of interior projects that

transform these low-height spaces for better use.

The main focus of this project was to bring as much light into the property as possible, but as

the main outer walls are all pitched, this left little space for storage. Using as much of the sloped

wall underneath the windows as possible, a small row of block shelving runs across the entire

width and depth of the living space and bedrooms. This allows the family home to be kept tidy,

with storage always close at hand.

As a neighborhood living facility, this narrow building offers small rooms for rent, but squeezing 

in as many rooms and shared spaces as possible means there’s little room for additional

storage. While part of the roof cavity was removed to make way for a well-lit outdoor terrace on

the floor below, the remaining area inside the attic was smaller still. Low-height shelving was

pushed back, extending the usable space in the attic as far as it would go and keeping the rest of the floorspace open.