Interiors

Under stairs makeover plans: command centre

Do you wish that you had one spot in your house where you can organise EVERYTHING? Well then you need a family command centre! Preferably one that’s functional and beautifully styled too.   

Let me start by telling you that my husband is a total plonker! Not in the ‘Rodney, you plonker’ sense I might add. Nope, my husband is literally a plonker – merrily plonking his belongings on whatever surface happens to be handy.

IT DRIVES ME NUTS!

We have a more than ample coat closet, a logical place to store your boots and bag after a hard day’s work, you might think. Well not in my husbands mind – he likes to put them right outside the living room door for all to see and frequently trip over. GRRR!

His keys, wallet and phone get dumped anywhere and surprise, surprise when he needs to leave the house in a hurry he can never find them! DOUBLE GRR!

Now don’t panic, I don’t intend to spend the entire duration of this blog post bashing my husband or whining about my first world problems. Thankfully, what he lacks in ability to put things away, he more than makes up for with cooking skills, fixing things and generally being an all round good egg.

But it was his incessant plonking that spurred me on to dream up this little idea. A little station to get this family organised and curb his plonking ways. In america it’s know as a command centre – I’m not sure what us Brits would call it. Basically it’s going to be a family organisation area – where we can see at a glance upcoming events, our menu plan and keep paperwork/husbands random crap.

My ideas grew and grew into a total under stairs makeover, complete with reading den, fairy lights and a place for my son to store his school things. Cool huh?

Under stairs area currently

A while ago we had the idea to put my son’s table in this space, but unfortunately it has become another cluttered surface. Here’s how the space is looking right now.

I’m cringing at the thought of you looking at this sad little space – but I promise it will have a happy ending.

So what does a family command centre consist of exactly?

Well, let me run through the plans with you:

  • Calendar
  • Menu plan
  • Somewhere handy to keep mail and paperwork that needs actioning
  • A place to file paperwork
  • A space for shoes*
  • Storage for my husbands keys, wallet and phone
  • Phone charging spot
  • Reading den
  • A place for J’s school bag and PE kit

*Now I do love living in a townhouse, but there are certain issues you face as a townhouse dweller. Whilst the aforementioned coat closet does indeed provide plenty of space for all our shoes, our front door is on the ground floor and access to the garden is up on the first floor. I know #townhouseproblems. So we do actually need a few pairs of shoes on the first floor.

As always it all needs to be transformed on a small budget!

Here’s a little mood board so you can get an idea of the look I’m going for:

Under-stairs-makeover-plans:-command-centre

(photo credit: Planner – Primark, Succulent & Brass Container, Letter Rack – Sainsburys, Basket – Home Sense) 

So here are my first actions:

  • Clear out under stairs area
  • Decide on a paint colour for the back wall
  • Paint the back wall

You don’t want to miss the command centre reveal!

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Want more interior inspo? Take a look at my nine favourite place to get decor ideas.

What would you include in your command centre? Let me know in the comments!

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6 Comment

  1. Lauretta Wright
    July 21, 2017 at 11:25 am

    What a great space! i’m really looking forward to seeing the finished space – these are fab plans and great products to introduce!

    1. Caroline
      July 21, 2017 at 8:35 pm

      I’m already stumped at the first hurdle, trying to decide on paint for the wall at the back! Grey, blue – maybe a chalkboard paint? ?I’m so indecisive! ?

  2. Juan Sandiego
    July 22, 2017 at 4:58 pm

    I always thought command centres were for people living in huge American-style houses. Really, who needs that? But then, when I go in my kitchen all I see it clutter on every single surface: old receipts, mail, magazines, CDs, a 2015 calendar? I look forward to seeing what yours looks like. So maybe I can make a mini-command centre in my kitchen 🙂

    1. Caroline
      July 24, 2017 at 1:50 pm

      Yes Juan, you need one too! ?There’s always certain places in our house that clutter builds up and under the stairs is the worst. Can’t wait till it’s finished!

  3. Anne Marie
    July 25, 2017 at 9:58 am

    What a great idea… I can’t wait to see the results, but I’m sure it will look fab! And such a good post too, enjoyed reading it so much… but I had to google word PLONKER 🙂 And I have to say… my house is a plonker too! And my daughter 🙂

    1. Caroline
      July 25, 2017 at 2:49 pm

      Ha ha – it’s one of those random English words I’m afraid. It has quite a few meanings. Hopefully it makes sense now thanks to google : )

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