Built into the alcoves
Alcove Cupboards in Winchester and Hampshire
We make alcove cupboards and shelving for the space either side of a chimney breast. Each unit is made to the alcove it goes in.
We make alcove units for living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms, mostly in houses that still have their chimney breasts.
The two alcoves beside a chimney breast are rarely the same size. We measure each one separately and scribe the units to the walls, so there are no gaps at the sides or back.
A common layout is a cupboard at the bottom with shelves above. The cupboard hides things you do not want on show. The shelves take books, ornaments or a speaker.
Doors can be plain, shaker or panelled to match other joinery in the room.
What goes into alcove units
- Each alcove measured separately
- Cupboards below, shelves above
- Scribed to uneven walls
- Painted or hardwood finishes
Alcove shelving
Open shelves can run the full height of the alcove or sit above a cupboard. Fixed shelves are set into a frame, which stops them sagging under books. Floating shelves are another option where the wall is solid enough to hold them.
Built-in alcove units beside a TV
Alcove units often sit either side of a TV on the chimney breast. Cables can run behind the units, and one cupboard can hold the TV equipment. If you want the TV and a fire built into the wall itself, that is a media wall.
See also: media walls.
Other built-in shelves and cupboards
The same approach works under the stairs, around a window seat or in a box room.
See also: bespoke joinery, alcove and under stairs storage.
What alcove cupboards cost
The cost depends on the size of the alcoves, the number of doors and drawers, and the finish. We price each job once we have measured.
See also: fitted alcove shelving cost.
Alcove cupboards across Hampshire
We measure every wall and alcove on site before designing, because no two rooms are the same.
Where we work
Based in Hampshire since 2007 and working across the county.
Houses we work in
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces
- period cottages
- 1930s semis
- rooms with chimney breasts
Fitted joinery we have made
Ask about alcove cupboards
Cupboards and shelves made to fit the alcoves either side of a chimney breast.
Alcove cupboard questions
- Can both alcoves match if they are different sizes?
- Yes. Each alcove is measured on its own, and the units are made so the fronts look the same.
- Can alcove units hold a TV and its equipment?
- Yes. A cupboard can hold the equipment, with the cables run behind the units.
- Can I have floating shelves instead of a cupboard?
- Yes, if the wall can take the fixings. We check this when we measure.
- Can the units match joinery already in the room?
- Yes. Doors and mouldings can be matched to other joinery in the room.
Read up before you commit
- Fitted Alcove Shelving Cost: Chimney Breast Storage Explained
A guide to fitted alcove shelving either side of a chimney breast, covering floating versus framed construction, finishes, and what drives the cost.
- Alcove shelving and understairs storage: costs and layouts
How alcove shelving and understairs storage are actually built, what changes the price, and how to plan around meters, pipes and the stairs above.
- The cost of bespoke joinery: what you are paying for and why
Realistic prices for fitted joinery, what drives them, and how to compare quotes.
Other joinery we do
The short version
Alcove cupboards are made to the alcoves you have. We measure each side, agree the layout with you and fit the units to the walls.
Ask about alcove cupboards
Send us the alcove sizes and a photo, or we will come and measure them.