This kind of house space has had its ups and downs over the years. Wrongly positioned, stairways — like hallways — can rob otherwise useful living and working space from any floor plan. To avoid this wasted effort, stairways should be constructed one on top of another whenever possible.

Even though you’ve probably heard a lot of nice things about the spiral stairway, don’t believe all of them. Although this setup, which takes approximately 4 by 4 feet of floor space, is the most compact arrangement you can have, it’s also the most expensive, inconvenient, and dangerous. The novelty quickly wears off. Ask anyone who has had to raise children around a spiral.

The most economical and convenient choice is a standard straight stairway taking up about 8 by 3 feet of floor space. An altered version of the straight stairway that can be very acceptable is the landing stairway, consisting of a half flight of stairs that leads to a rectangular landing and then another half flight to the next floor level. The landing stairway takes up about 7 by 7 feet of floor space. It adds an extra touch to a room at a cost higher than that of a straight stairway, but without the hazards of the spiral.

When planning a basement, consider the practical advantages gained by an outside stairway. Bulky items can be carried from the back or side yard to the basement, and vice versa. This also increases the likelihood that you’ll use your basement for storage instead of just dropping everything in the garage.