A homeowner divided her open-concept living area with a partial wall for under $900. ... "I also like the idea of being able to visually frame the stairs," she said.

Unless the area under your stairs is naturally cool and well-ventilated you may well want to invest in a cooling system to ensure the temperature in the room is just right.

The desire of many homebuyers to do away with stairs in major areas of their homes has led to the popularity of today’s ranch plans and other variations on the one-level living theme.“Today ...