The client, in the design field herself, had firm ideas about what she wanted and had selected all of the materials herself. All we had to do was supply the craft.
We removed the existing drop ceiling and removed the shelving under the stairs.
We reconfigured the walls next to the stairs to maximize shoulder room and provide more head room at the bottom of the stairs. We installed a new drywall ceiling, the stone wall, cabinetry under the stairs, cork tile floor and stair treads, and new treads and risers for the stairs. We also cased the support post in matching oak. The doors at the bottom of the stairs are to a storage area with a window well that lets in nice daylight for half of the day. The area is lit electrically as well. We fabricated new shoji style doors to take advantage of that light.
The hydronic heating pipes and electrical lines to the rest of the house had been exposed prior to our arrival. The clients idea for access panels worked quite well and provide an intimate compression of space on that side of the room.
As a finishing touch we concealed the wiring and mounting for the plasma screen on the stone wall. See more photos here.