Most London houses built before 1940 have a chimney breast in every main room, and an alcove either side of it 300 to 450mm deep and 900 to 1,400mm wide. The alcoves are the reason fitted furniture exists in this city: nothing bought off a shelf fits them, and anything built into them takes no floor space, because the space is already recessed. This guide covers what to build in alcoves room by room and what it costs.
Alcove storage, in short
- Alcoves are never the same width; each is templated and built individually so the pair reads as one.
- Bedroom alcoves take full-height wardrobes; the breast between takes a dressing table, TV or shelf.
- Living-room alcoves take cupboards below and shelves above, or a media wall.
- Shallow alcoves (under 450mm) still take wardrobes with face-on hanging and doors set forward.
- Alcove wardrobes from £900 per metre; living-room alcove units from £1,500 per alcove. Prices include VAT and installation.
Why alcoves are never square
An alcove has three walls, none of them straight, and two of the three were plastered by hand a century ago. A left alcove of 1,080mm and a right of 1,115mm are normal. Each is measured at three heights and templated, its carcase is cut to the smallest dimension and the sides are scribed to the wall so there is no gap and no filler strip. When the pair are finished in the same door and the same colour, nobody sees that they differ by 35mm.
Bedroom alcoves: wardrobes
A bedroom alcove is a wardrobe waiting to happen. At 350 to 450mm deep the doors are set forward of the breast face by 150 to 250mm to make the full 600mm of hanging depth, and the return is boxed in flush; in a deep alcove the doors sit flush with the breast. Two alcove wardrobes give around 2 metres of double hanging and drawers. The breast between takes a dressing table with a lit mirror, a wall-hung TV or open shelving. See fitted wardrobes.
Living-room alcoves: cupboards and shelves
The Victorian answer, cupboards to dado height with shelves above, is still the right one. Cupboards at 900mm hide the things that make a living room untidy: games, cables, the printer, the router. Shelves above take books and objects, lit from a strip under each shelf or behind a top pelmet. The two alcoves can differ in role: cupboards and shelves on one side, a drinks cabinet or a desk on the other. Painted shaker fronts suit a period room; slab doors in oak or a super-matt suit a modern one. See fitted furniture for finishes.
Alcoves as a media wall
Where the TV wants the breast, the alcoves become the media wall: a low unit spanning the breast with the TV above it, cupboards for the box and console, lit shelving either side. The chimney breast can be clad in fluted panels or painted to match so the whole wall reads as one piece. The media wall guide covers layouts and cable routes.
Alcoves as a workspace
One alcove takes a desk at 720mm with shelves above and a drawer unit beneath; pocket or bi-fold doors can close it away at the end of the day. A 1,000mm alcove is enough for a laptop, a monitor on an arm and a lamp. See the home office guide.
Other alcoves
Hallways, landings and the space beside a stair often have a recess that behaves the same way. A hall alcove takes a coat cupboard and a bench; a landing alcove takes linen shelves behind doors. The under-stairs collection shows the neighbouring problem solved.
What alcove storage costs
Alcove wardrobes are priced like any other made-to-measure wardrobe, from £900 per metre at Level 3 of our price guide, so a pair of one-metre alcoves from around £1,800. Living-room alcove units with cupboards and lit shelving are typically £1,500 to £3,000 per alcove depending on doors and lighting. All prices include VAT and installation. See the price guide.
Frequently asked questions
What can you put in the alcove next to a chimney breast?
In a bedroom, a full-height wardrobe. In a living room, cupboards to dado height with shelves above, a media unit, a drinks cabinet or a desk. Fitted alcove furniture takes no floor space because the recess already exists.
How deep does an alcove need to be for a wardrobe?
Any depth works. Below 450mm the doors are set forward of the chimney breast to make up the 600mm hanging depth and the return is boxed flush; in a deep alcove the doors sit flush with the breast.
Why are my two alcoves different widths?
Hand plastering and settlement over a century. Each alcove is measured and built individually, and once both are finished in the same door and colour the difference is invisible.
How much do alcove cupboards cost?
Living-room alcove units with cupboards and lit shelving are typically £1,500 to £3,000 per alcove including VAT and installation. Bedroom alcove wardrobes are priced from £900 per metre.
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