What great timing you have, I just had this problem but with a new mattress we are buying for our basement guest room. I just went to back to the store last week to change my order to a split queen box spring after we got home and measured our stairwell and realized there is no way the queen box spring was fitting down there.

If you go the split box spring route, they will try to charge you twice as much for two half queens as they would for one queen box spring. Do not accept this!! The split should cost $100 more than the usual and don't pay more than $200.

Alternatively, we considered buying this but I kind of hate walmart so just went back to the store and haggled: http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=queen+split+box+spring

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Slumber1-Bed-Frame-Twin-Full/10151232?findingMethod=rr

Allows for a lot of storage under the bed. You have to use a dust ruffle.

I had the same problem. Since I'd just bought the box spring, the delivery guys took it back and brought over a split queen box spring a few days later. It cost about $100 more than the one I'd purchased.

split queen

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_08296666000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=33-81157482-2

I had a coworker with this problem. They had an older home. They bought a split box spring, problem solved.

We have a split queen box spring as well. Very common in older homes.

We had the same problem and ended up buying a split box spring.

This happened to us. The previous owners took their box spring by removing a window. We bought a platform bed. Very happy with it. Got it at crate and barel. We tried to cut the wood and fold the box spring in half but that was a monumental failure.

you can get a split queen box. very common in our neighborhood in chevy chase - I dont remember which store we went to but mattress discounters or sleepys or one of those in tenleytown, they all had them. works fine if you like your mattress.

You can also buy bed risers at IKEA (little plastic cones that go under the legs).

What size is the bed? I am assuming queen since you can get a split king. We had the same problem. My DH went to Ikea and got the slats that go under the queen beds. He was able to screw them into the bed rail (we have a Pottery Barn sleigh bed so it has a headboard and footboard plus side rails and $$$$$$) and it has worked perfectly for years now! Bed is lower than before but nothing drastic.

OP - it won't fit in the room or it won't fit up the stairs? Two different problems.
IF it will still fit in the room (once you get it there) can you send it through a window? I know it's high (since it's up a flight of steps) but if there's any way to do it...

We found a low profile box spring for our queen, which also wouldn't fit up the stairs. Measure carefully!

Cut the long slats of wood, so it folds like a book.

We just moved and our box spring won't go into our bedroom. We are thinking that our options are (1) platform bed that doesn't require a box spring (perhaps from Ikea) or (2) a split box spring. I'm trying to figure out what the best option is in terms of comfort, affordability, and appearance. Any suggestions appreciated. TIA!