How to Design With Knee Walls

Put knee walls in your attic design plan. Use the top of the walls for a shelf to display items and put a door on the front to access hidden storage behind them. For example, store all of your extra linen inside of the knee wall, and then fold up your vintage quilts to set on top of it.

Place designs in your plans for cutting out existing knee walls throughout your home, such as under the stairway wall, to build custom cabinetry in. Tailor the specifics to the space that you have and what you want to store in it. For example, have closed doors to store family board games and open shelving to showcase a collection of antique books.

Design a knee wall in the bathroom for separating the toilet area from the tub. Use the same tile that is throughout the rest of the space, or add accent tiles or glass blocks for extra color or texture. For example, cover the front of the wall with pretty tiles and back up the side toward the tub with a laminate to hang hooks off for washcloths or a bag of bath toys.

Use a knee wall to visually close off the entryway of your front door. Design the wall to create the look of a formal, albeit small, welcoming space for guests. For example, set up tall potted plants to further block the area, or add hooks to the top of the wall to hang purses or scarves and cut out the bottom half to stick shoes and boots in.

Place knee walls in other areas of your home’s plans to separate areas. For example, design one to close off a reading area in your living room. Have the side facing the living area cut out to house movies and the side facing your reading chair cut out for your favorite novels and magazines.