Split Level Entry Storage Built In — Bench, Hooks and Cubbies
You walk in the front door onto a small landing with stairs up and stairs down, and nowhere to put shoes or coats — a built-in made for that landing.
Split level entry storage built in to fit the landing: JMB Builders builds a shallow bench with shoe cubbies, a hook rail and a shelf, or wall-hung cabinets, sized so the door still swings and the stairs stay clear. Painted or stained to match the trim. Priced per project, quoted from your photos within one business day, anywhere in the Twin Cities metro.
- Priced per project
- Sized to the split-foyer landing
- Bench, cubbies, hooks, wall cabinets
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
The split-level and split-foyer house is everywhere in the Twin Cities suburbs, and its entry is the same in most of them: a small landing inside the front door, a half flight up to the kitchen and a half flight down to the family room. There is rarely a closet, and the shoes end up on the stairs.
A full mudroom locker does not fit there. What does is shallow: a bench a little deeper than a shoe, cubbies under it, a hook rail on the wall above and a shelf for hats and gloves. Where the landing has a side wall, wall-hung cabinets keep the floor clear. Everything is sized around the door swing, the railing and the first step, so no one trips.
We build it on site, scribe it to the walls and the floor, and finish it to match the trim. It can be painted or stained. Painting is quoted as a separate line, or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself.
What you supply
- Photos of the landing from the front door and from the stairs
- Rough measurements of each wall, the door swing and the first step
- What needs a home: shoes, coats, backpacks, dog leashes
- Your paint or stain color, or a sample of the trim to match
What JMB supplies
- A layout drawn to your landing, sized around the door and stairs
- Bench, cubbies, hook rail and shelf built on site from plywood and poplar or MDF
- Wall-hung cabinets where the floor must stay clear
- Everything fastened into studs and scribed to the walls
- Trim and caulk to match the entry
- Photos of the finished entry in your job folder
- Painting or staining quoted as its own line
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Bench only vs. bench, hooks, shelf and cabinets
- Open cubbies vs. doors or drawers
- Paint-grade vs. stain-grade wood
- Scribing to uneven walls and floors
- Moving a railing, outlet or heat register
- Painting or staining, quoted as its own line
Photograph the landing from the door and from the bottom stair, with a tape measure along each wall.
How long it takes
Bench and hook rail: one day. With cabinets and shelf: two days, plus paint.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Shallow bench and cubbies
A bench a bit deeper than a shoe, cubbies underneath and a cushion if you want one. Fits most split-foyer landings.
Hook rail and shelf
A trimmed rail with hooks at adult and kid height and a shelf above for hats and gloves. Works even when the floor must stay clear.
Wall-hung cabinets
Shallow cabinets hung on the side wall for gloves, dog leashes and mail. No floor space used.
Split Level Entry Storage Built In — Bench, Hooks and Cubbies: questions, answered
What storage fits in a split level entry?
Shallow storage: a bench a little deeper than a shoe, cubbies under it, a hook rail and shelf above, and wall-hung cabinets on a side wall. A full mudroom locker is usually too deep for a split-foyer landing. We size it around the door swing and the stairs.
How deep should a split level entry bench be?
Shallow enough to leave the landing and door clear, deep enough for shoes in the cubbies below. We measure your landing and door swing and draw it before building, so it fits the space you actually have.
Can you add a closet to a split level entry?
Sometimes. A closet needs wall space the landing often does not have. Where there is a side wall, shallow wall cabinets or an open hook and shelf setup usually work better than a closet with a door that has to swing.
Can the built in match my existing trim?
Yes. We finish it with a casing or cap profile close to the trim in your entry, and paint or stain it to match. Painting is quoted as a separate line, or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself.
Is it built on site or ordered?
Built on site from plywood and hardwood or MDF, scribed to the walls. Split-foyer landings are rarely square, and site building fits them better than a stock cabinet.
What about the railing and heat register on the landing?
We work around them where we can. A register in the way can be moved or a grille cut into the bench toe kick. A railing change is looked at case by case and done to code.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All built-ins pages
Where we work
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