Staircase + Bookcase = Warm Functional Storage Area

Aesthetically and functionally, bookcases and staircases are really in the same family. This bookcase in a Tuscany, Italy home renovated by Sundaymorning and Massimo Fiorido Associati puts them even closer together by making the staircase an actual physical extension of the bookcase.

Each stair is simply an elongated shelf that extends far into the room’s open space. This allows for access to the skylight at the top of the staircase and also provides a spectacularly clever form of storage. Books, keepsakes, decorative items, and household items can easily be stored on the bookshelf part of the built-in.

Larger items can be stored in the elongated stair segments. Seen as one large piece of furniture, the bookcase/staircase is an impressive specimen. It takes up an entire wall of the home but is more whimsical than imposing.

The stairs don’t actually provide much of a functional service other than helping you to reach a large window in the ceiling of the home. The designers don’t say whether there is roof access through this window. Even if not, the natural light that beams down onto the rich wood makes this staircase look like a wonderful place to sit and while away an afternoon reading.