Fitted Storage & Alcove Units

Well-planned storage is one of the biggest differences between a space that looks beautiful for one photoshoot and one that works beautifully every day. Fitted storage and alcove joinery help make sense of awkward corners, under-used niches and circulation spaces – turning them into calm, purposeful places for things to live. At Make Bespoke Studio we design and deliver bespoke storage and alcove units for high-end homes, apartments, hotels and amenity spaces.

Why fitted storage and alcove joinery matter

Storage needs are rarely generic. Different households and operators collect different things – books, shoes, toys, linen, luggage, equipment – and every building has its own quirks. Fitted storage lets us respond precisely to both, while keeping the overall scheme calm.

·        capturing under-used niches, alcoves and odd corners so that they feel intentional rather than leftover

·        freeing up main rooms by moving day-to-day clutter into well-planned built-in storage

·        keeping circulation spaces clear without losing opportunities for display or secondary storage

·        supporting housekeeping and operations in hospitality projects by putting the right storage in the right places

Making the most of awkward spaces

Some of the most satisfying storage solutions come from spaces that initially look unusable – under stairs, within eaves, around chimney breasts or in deep reveals.

·        Under-stair storage – Pull-out cupboards, drawers and open niches for shoes, coats, bags and everyday items, designed so that doors clear handrails and treads cleanly.

·        Eaves and loft spaces – Low-level cupboards, drawers and shelving that follow rooflines, making attics and top-floor rooms genuinely useful.

·        Chimney breasts and alcoves – Fitted cupboards and shelving around fireplaces, or concealed storage within false chimney breasts in more contemporary schemes.

·        Deep window reveals and bays – Window seats with storage beneath, side cupboards and shelving that work with existing geometry rather than fighting it.

These interventions often sit alongside Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery and Internal Doors & Screens, helping to stitch new storage into the character of the building.

Fitted storage in living spaces

Living rooms, snugs and open-plan spaces often need a mix of display and concealed storage – for books, objects, AV equipment, toys and everyday items. We design fitted units that support all of this without overwhelming the room.

·        Living room storage walls – Compositions of cupboards, drawers and shelving that may sit alongside or wrap around Media Walls & TV Joinery.

·        Snug and playroom storage – Robust, easy-to-use storage for toys, games and craft materials, with the ability to feel calm once everything is put away.

·        Hall and entrance storage – Slim shoe cupboards, coat storage and console units that keep entrances clear while still giving guests a good first impression.

Depending on the brief, these schemes might borrow from Libraries & Bookcase Joinery, Home Offices & Study Joinery and Home Bars & Back Bars to create multi-purpose elevations that still read as one coherent piece.

Bedrooms, linen cupboards and secondary storage

Not everything belongs in the main wardrobe. Fitted storage in corridors, landings and secondary rooms can take pressure off bedrooms and dressing rooms, making it easier to keep everyday spaces tidy.

·        Linen and towel cupboards – Shallow cupboards in hallways and near bathrooms, with ventilated doors and adjustable shelves sized to real linen stacks.

·        Overflow and seasonal storage – Secondary storage for suitcases, out-of-season clothing and bulky items, coordinated carefully with Wardrobes & Dressing Rooms so the whole picture makes sense.

·        Box rooms and small studies – Compact storage-heavy rooms that may combine overflow wardrobe space with occasional work or guest use.

We often treat these pieces as extensions of Wardrobes & Dressing Rooms and Utility, Laundry & Boot Room Joinery, using similar internal logic even when the external expression is quieter.

Utility, kitchens and back-of-house storage

Service areas carry a lot of the load in both residential and hospitality projects. Fitted storage here needs to be forgiving, durable and straightforward to use.

·        Utility, Laundry & Boot Room Joinery – Cupboards for cleaning products, laundry baskets, shoe storage and coat hanging, often combined with benches and drying space.

·        Bespoke Kitchens & Pantries – Larder units, integrated broom cupboards and secondary pantries that extend the usable working storage of the kitchen.

·        Tea Points & Breakout Kitchenettes – Concealed storage for crockery, glassware and supplies in amenity spaces, often hidden behind full-height doors or pocketing fronts.

In hospitality projects, similar thinking is applied to Locker Rooms & Back-of-House Joinery, Spa & Wellness Joinery and Hospitality Bars & Back Counters, where operational storage is essential but should never dominate guest spaces.

Fitted storage in hospitality and amenity spaces

Hotels, members’ clubs and amenity floors rely on a network of built-in storage – some visible, some completely hidden – to keep day-to-day operations smooth.

·        Hotel Guestroom Joinery – Integrated cupboards, minibars and luggage storage wrapped into wall elevations, often read as part of Hotel Guestroom Joinery packages.

·        Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery – Storage walls for games, books, equipment and operational items, discretely integrated into lounges and co-working spaces.

·        Reception Desks & Lobby Joinery – Concealed storage behind desks and within lobby elements, keeping public areas clear of clutter while everything remains close to hand.

These pieces sit within broader Hospitality Joinery schemes, sharing details and materials with feature elements so that back-of-house practicality and front-of-house character feel aligned.

Doors, access and visibility

Because fitted storage often sits in circulation spaces or as background to other activities, the way it opens – and how much of its contents you see – is critical.

·        full-height doors and simple rhythms that keep corridors and small rooms feeling calm

·        push-to-open fronts where handle-free elevations are desired, balanced against practicality in high-use areas

·        ventilated or slotted doors where airflow is needed – for linen, plant or AV equipment

·        open niches or partially open bays used sparingly for everyday items or display, with the rest kept fully concealed

We align these decisions with Joinery Styles and pick them up again in Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery and Internal Doors & Screens, so that storage elevations feel like part of the architecture rather than applied furniture.

Materials, detailing and robustness

Fitted storage tends to be used heavily and often. Materials and details need to be robust, easy to maintain and appropriate to their context, whether that is a family home or a high-traffic amenity floor.

We draw finishes from our Materials library – timbers, veneers, lacquers, laminates, stones and metals – and map them against stylistic directions on Joinery Styles.

·        durable lacquer and laminate finishes in utility and back-of-house areas

·        timber and veneer where a warmer, more domestic character is required

·        simple, reliable hardware that can be easily adjusted over time

·        protective details at plinths, corners and high-traffic edges to keep units looking good for longer

Our process for fitted storage and alcove units

Our approach to fitted storage follows the same clear stages as our wider

Bespoke Joinery work, with particular emphasis on storage planning, clearances and coordination with services.

1. Brief & storage audit We begin by understanding what needs to be stored, where it is currently kept and what isn’t working – in homes, this might include toys, paperwork and seasonal items; in hospitality, it might be housekeeping, equipment or back-of-house stores.

2. Survey and opportunity mapping We review plans, sections and site photos – or visit in person – to identify alcoves, niches and awkward spaces that could work harder.

3. Layout options and elevations We develop options that test different combinations of open and closed storage, door rhythms and internal arrangements, often with simple 3D views where helpful.

4. Technical design & coordination We produce detailed drawings showing carcass construction, fixings, access panels, ventilation and integration with electrical, AV or mechanical services where required.

5. Materials and samples We propose finishes and hardware, preparing focused sample sets that sit comfortably alongside adjacent scopes on Types of Joinery.

6. Production & installation Fitted storage and alcove units are manufactured through our network of workshops and installed in coordination with contractors, with careful attention to setting out, scribing and final adjustment so that they truly feel built-in.

Connecting fitted storage into the wider scheme

Storage is rarely the headline act on a project, but it quietly underpins how well everything else works. We make sure decisions taken here are joined-up with the rest of the joinery package.

We link fitted storage decisions to adjacent scopes such as Wardrobes & Dressing Rooms, Home Offices & Study Joinery, Media Walls & TV Joinery, Libraries & Bookcase Joinery, Utility, Laundry & Boot Room Joinery, Bespoke Kitchens & Pantries and, in hospitality projects, Hotel Guestroom Joinery and Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery. All of this sits within the structures laid out on Types of Joinery and the stylistic direction defined on Joinery Styles.

Next steps

If you are planning fitted storage or looking to make better use of alcoves and awkward spaces, share your drawings, photographs and any storage notes or inventories with us.

We can respond with outline layouts, indicative capacities and how these units could connect with nearby Wardrobes & Dressing Rooms, Home Offices & Study Joinery, Media Walls & TV Joinery, Libraries & Bookcase Joinery and wider Residential Joinery or Hospitality Joinery packages. From there we move into detailed design, sampling and delivery in line with your programme.