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Crystal and Scott Ransons converted part of a 200-square-foot room off their entryway into a custom under-the-stairs reading nook, replacing old carpet and adding built-in cabinets and a bench. The rest of the room is still being developed as an office and dog area.
Crystal and Scott Ransons have turned part of a 200-square-foot room off their entryway—once used for storage, toys and household clutter—into a custom under-the-stairs reading nook, Apartment Therapy reported. The completed corner includes a built-in bench, cabinets and a decorative faux fireplace, while the couple continues planning an office and dog area in the rest of the room.
The room had served several purposes but never settled into one. Crystal told Apartment Therapy that it had moved from storage and what she called a “junk-filled room of doom” to a playroom for her children, then to an entry closet for shoes and coats, before becoming cluttered again. Because it sits just off the front entry, the couple wanted it to contribute to the character of their 2005 home rather than function only as overflow storage.
They cleared the room, widened its doorway into a cased opening and removed the original brown carpet. In its place, they installed flooring that matched the rest of the house. The couple also added electrical wiring, then built a custom storage bench and cabinets with adjustable shelves beneath the stairs. Decor and a faux fireplace on a lower shelf completed the nook.
Apartment Therapy described the project as a do-it-yourself renovation by the couple. Crystal said it required substantial measuring and building, and suggested that people who find that work intimidating could use an IKEA hack to get a similar custom look. The article did not provide a project budget, and lists its cost as not available.
A Cluttered Room Gets a Defined Role
The project shows how the couple gave an awkward, multipurpose room a clear use without devoting all of it to one feature. The nook takes advantage of space beneath the stairs, while the remaining area is intended for work and pet use. For readers dealing with a storage room that has become a catchall, the reported approach offers a concrete example of dividing a room into distinct functions.
Its position near the entry also shaped the design. Crystal said she wanted a feature that would make guests pause when they arrived. The reading corner therefore serves both as a place to sit and as a visible part of the home’s entrance. That effect is Crystal’s stated goal; the article does not report independent assessments of the renovation’s impact on the home’s value or usability.
built-in storage bench for under stairs
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From Overflow Storage to Reading Corner
According to Apartment Therapy, the room measured about 200 square feet and was the home’s only extra room. Its uses changed as the family’s needs changed: it held storage, served as a playroom when the children were younger, and later became an entry closet before returning to general clutter. That history helps explain why the couple chose to assign different purposes to separate parts of the room rather than convert the entire area into a library.
During construction, Crystal and Scott found an additional space directly beneath the stairs. The article says they plan to turn that area into a hidden dog room. At the time of the report, the reading nook was finished, while a built-in desk and hutch elsewhere in the room were still being added.
“I could never figure out the best use of this space or its true potential.”
— Crystal Ransons, as quoted by Apartment Therapy
Project Cost and Details Unreported
Apartment Therapy lists the project cost as not available, so the materials and total expense cannot be assessed from the report. It also does not provide detailed measurements for the nook, the timeline for construction, or a full materials list. Crystal’s suggestion to adapt IKEA products is advice for readers, not a documented account of a specific alternative build.
The article does not say when the desk and hutch will be finished or give a completion date for the planned dog room. It also does not specify who completed each electrical task or provide information about permits or inspections. Those details are not established by the report.
Desk and Dog Room Still Planned
The reading nook is complete, but the couple’s work on the larger room is continuing. They are adding a built-in desk and hutch and plan to convert the space beneath the stairs into a hidden dog room. The report does not give a schedule for either project, so their completion timing remains unknown.
For now, the finished nook gives the room one established function. The next reported steps will determine how the office and dog area fit alongside it, but Apartment Therapy has not yet described those finished additions.
Key Questions
What did Crystal and Scott Ransons build?
They built an under-the-stairs reading nook with a storage bench, cabinets with adjustable shelves, decor and a faux fireplace detail.
What was the room used for before the renovation?
Crystal said it had been used for storage, a playroom and an entry closet for shoes and coats, before becoming cluttered again.
How much did the project cost?
The Apartment Therapy report lists the cost as not available; it does not give a total or itemized budget.
What does the couple plan to add next?
They are adding a built-in desk and hutch and plan to make a hidden dog room beneath the stairs. The report does not give a completion date.
What alternative did Crystal suggest for a similar look?
Crystal suggested using an IKEA hack for people who find measuring and building custom cabinets intimidating. The report does not specify a particular product or design.
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