Most Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses have a chimney breast in the main rooms, with an alcove on each side. Many of the fireplaces have been blocked up or removed over the years, but the alcoves remain. Left empty, they collect clutter. Fitted well, they hold books, the television, games, papers and everything else a living room or bedroom needs to keep tidy.
This guide covers the main layouts for alcove units, how to measure for them, what to check on the chimney breast and walls first, and how to make new units sit naturally with skirting, picture rails and cornices. It applies just as much to interwar semis and converted flats that kept their chimney breasts.
Why alcoves suit fitted furniture
An alcove is a ready-made recess. It has a back wall and two sides, so a fitted unit is enclosed on three sides and sits flush with the front of the chimney breast. Off-the-shelf furniture rarely fits, because alcoves are seldom a standard width, and the two sides of the same chimney breast are often different sizes.
Fitted alcove units also make a room look calmer. The units frame the chimney breast, and with the fireplace or TV in the middle the whole wall reads as one piece. Our alcove units page shows the kinds of piece we make.
The main layouts
- Low cupboards with shelves above. The most common choice. Cupboards at the bottom hide the mess, and open shelves above hold books and objects. The cupboard top makes a useful surface.
- Full-height cupboards. Doors from floor to ceiling. These work well in bedrooms as alcove wardrobes, or in a living room where you want everything hidden.
- Shelves only. Floor-to-ceiling shelving for a home library. See our guide to built-in bookshelves for how to stop long shelves sagging.
- A desk in the alcove. A worktop at desk height with shelves or cupboards above, which suits a small home office. Plan for cables and a socket nearby.
- A TV or media alcove. One alcove holds the set-top box, speakers and games consoles, with space for cables and air to move. See built-in TV units.
The two alcoves don’t have to match. One might hold a cupboard and shelves, the other a desk. Matching the heights of the cupboard tops and shelves keeps the wall looking ordered even when the uses differ.
Measuring an alcove
We measure at the design visit, but your own rough measurements help you plan. Take each alcove separately:
- the width at the bottom, the middle and the top, because walls are rarely straight;
- the depth from the back wall to the front of the chimney breast, again at a few heights;
- the height from floor to ceiling, and to the picture rail if there is one;
- the height of the skirting board, and any sockets, switches or radiators in the alcove.
Don’t be surprised if the numbers vary. A small difference from top to bottom is normal in a period house, and that’s exactly what scribing deals with. Our guide on how to measure a room has more tips.
Check the chimney breast first
Before anything is fixed against a chimney breast, it’s worth checking for damp. A chimney that’s been capped or blocked should still be ventilated to help stop damp building up inside the flue. That usually means a vent in the chimney breast, which shouldn’t be covered by new furniture. If you see stains, flaking paint or a musty smell, have the cause put right before fitting.
We don’t do building work, and we don’t remove chimney breasts. If a fireplace is to be opened up, or the chimney needs attention, that’s for a builder, and gas fires are for a Gas Safe registered engineer. Our guide to building around a chimney breast covers this in more detail.
Thinking about fitted furniture? We design, make and fit it across London: we visit, measure and talk through the design, then send a written quote. Arrange a design visit.
Fixing to period walls
The back walls of alcoves vary a lot from house to house. In a Victorian or Edwardian terrace, the alcove on an external wall is usually solid brick. Internal walls and older ceilings may be lath-and-plaster, which needs care because the plaster can crack or come away if fixings are put in the wrong way. In newer homes and conversions, walls are often timber or metal stud with plasterboard.
Fixings must suit the wall. Shelves that will carry books need fixing into something solid: brickwork, studs or a support rail. We check the walls at the design visit and choose fixings to suit. If an alcove is on an external wall, a small gap or ventilation behind the unit helps avoid condensation. See fitted furniture on external walls.
Working with skirting, picture rails and cornices
Period rooms often have deep skirting boards, picture rails, cornices and coving. A new alcove unit has to meet each of these neatly. There are two common approaches:
- Cut the unit around them. The unit is scribed around the skirting and picture rail, leaving the originals in place. This keeps the room’s details intact.
- Carry the detail onto the unit. A plinth or moulding on the unit lines up with the skirting, so the unit looks as though it has always been there.
Where the cornice is ornate, units often stop just below it rather than trying to follow every curve. If your home is listed, check with the council’s conservation officer before fixing into original joinery. Our guide on listed buildings and conservation areas explains why.
Doors, shelves and finish
Cupboard doors can be plain and flat for a modern room, or framed with a panel to suit a period house. Shelves above can be fixed for strength or adjustable for flexibility. For long spans of books, a thicker shelf or a stiffening lip at the front helps stop sag.
We make alcove units from moisture-resistant MDF and birch plywood, finished by spray painting or hand painting in a colour agreed with you. Many people paint units the same colour as the walls so they blend in; others pick a deeper shade so they stand out. Our guide to choosing a paint finish has some pointers.
From design visit to fitting
When you get in touch, we arrange a design visit. We visit, measure both alcoves and talk through the design with you: what you want to store, how the room is used, and how the units should look. We then send a written quote.
The units are made in our workshop and brought to your home for fitting. Fitting on Saturdays is by arrangement. You can read the whole process on our how it works page.
Quick answers
Do both alcove units have to be the same?
No. The two alcoves are often different sizes, and each unit is made for its own space. Matching the heights of the cupboard tops and shelves keeps the wall looking ordered.
Can you fit alcove units around a radiator?
Often, yes, as long as the radiator can still give out heat. If it needs moving, that’s for your plumber, and it’s best done before the units are made.
What if the chimney breast has damp?
Have the cause looked at and put right before fitting. A blocked chimney should still be ventilated, and the vent shouldn’t be covered by new furniture.
Can a TV go on the chimney breast between alcove units?
Yes, and the alcoves can hold the boxes and speakers. New sockets or wiring are for your electrician.
Will alcove units work in a flat?
Yes. Many converted flats in London terraces kept their chimney breasts. The units are made in sections sized to get up the stairs and through the doors.
Related services
More advice
- Building Around a Chimney Breast: What to Know
- Built-in Bookshelves: Depths, Spans and Sag
- Storage Ideas for Victorian and Edwardian Terraces
- Fitting Furniture to Uneven Walls and Floors
- All advice
This guide is general information about fitted furniture. It isn’t legal, planning or building advice; for those, speak to the council, your landlord or managing agent, or a suitably qualified professional.