Example photo by Pete Alexopoulos on Unsplash, not our project
Barnet · London
Alcove Units in Colindale
Walls in older London homes are rarely straight, so we scribe the furniture to follow them. Our work on alcove units in Colindale starts with a design visit, and everything is made in our workshop.
- A desk that tucks into an alcove
- Alcoves that are not square
- Bare alcoves beside the fireplace
Alcove units for your home in Colindale
How we make alcove units for Colindale
Period rooms often have skirting boards, picture rails and cornices. We can cut units around these details, stop beneath them or run up to meet them, whichever suits the room. A plinth can be set to line up with the skirting for a tidy line around the room. We agree these details during the design visit, before anything is made. If you’re living with a desk that tucks into an alcove and furniture that doesn’t fit the alcove, alcove units made from moisture-resistant MDF and strong birch plywood, with a painted finish can solve it.
Homes built since 2000 are often open-plan, with the kitchen, dining and living space in one room, and many homes around Colindale were built in that time. In a room like that, alcove units can help separate the sitting area from the kitchen, without putting up a wall. Floors are protected throughout, as newer finishes mark easily.
Everything we agree during the design visit goes into the written quote: the layout and internal fittings, the materials and the finish. If you’d like to change anything, it’s easier before the furniture is made.
- Location
- Colindale (NW9, NW4, HA8)
- Area
- Barnet
- Price
- Quoted for your room
- To begin
- We visit, measure, then quote
- Where it’s made
- Workshop-made, then fitted
- Materials and finish
- Painted MDF and birch ply
- Fitting days
- Weekdays, and Saturdays by prior arrangement
- Enquiries
- Send us a message
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What alcove units cannot fix
Some parts of a job need another trade, like an electrician, a plumber or a Gas Safe registered engineer. Here’s what to know:
- Making good damaged walls before fitting
- New sockets or wiring (your electrician handles those)
- Redecorating, which is for your decorator
Not sure whether your space suits alcove units? You can send us a few details through our contact form and we will tell you. How it works.
Boards, parts and finishes
- Birch plywood
- Spray-painted finish
- Scribed side panels
- Panelled or flat doors
- Adjustable shelves
- Moisture-resistant MDF
- Hand-painted finish
FAQs: alcove units in Colindale
Can you make alcove units for a home in Colindale?
Yes, Colindale is within the area we cover, which takes in all of Barnet and the rest of London. We start with a design visit to measure the room and talk through what you need, followed by a quote.
I live in a flat in Colindale. How will the furniture get up the stairs?
At the design visit, we measure the way in along with the room itself. The furniture is made in sections that fit the stairs and lift, and put together in the room. If your building has rules on lift booking or working hours, or your lease needs consent for alterations, it’s worth checking those early.
Do both alcove units have to match?
That is your choice. A matching pair balances the chimney breast, but many people put a desk or a TV in one alcove and cupboards in the other. We can keep the details the same so they still look like a pair.
Do you move sockets for alcove units?
Your electrician handles sockets and wiring. Ideally it’s done before fitting so the sockets line up with the design. We then plan cut-outs and cable gaps around them.
How do I get a quote?
Simply send us a few details through our contact form. It is useful to send rough sizes and a few pictures, and we’ll arrange a design visit, followed by a quote in writing.
Can you fit a desk into an alcove?
Yes. A desk in one alcove, with shelves above and storage below, works well in many rooms. We plan the height and depth with you, with a route left for cables.
How fitting day works
Once the main sections are fixed in place, we hang any doors and fit any drawers or lids. We adjust each one so the gaps line up and it closes cleanly, and then we check it all again. How long the fitting takes depends on the size and number of units, and your quote sets out the fitting days. Fitting day starts by covering floors and setting out the sections. Each piece is levelled and fixed to suit plasterboard or block. Any hand painting can be finished on site.
- You contact us about the alcoves you want to fill, with a note of the room they’re in.
- We come to measure and talk through cupboards, shelves, heights and doors.
- A written quote follows, with the finish set out.
- The units are made at our workshop from moisture-resistant MDF and birch plywood.
- We bring them to your home and fit them in place. Any scribing to the walls is done on the day.
Before fitting day
- Move furniture and belongings away from the wall
- Book any lift and let the concierge or building manager know
- Clear the walls of pictures and shelves
Ask for a quote
The quote is built from the design visit. We take full measurements, see how true the walls and floors are and work through the design together. Afterwards, we send a written quote, so you can take your time with it. To arrange the visit, message us from the contact page.
Advice
Flat-pack or bespoke?
If you’re handy, a simple shelf or a standard wardrobe in a square room is a reasonable DIY job. It gets harder with sloping ceilings, out-of-level floors and lath-and-plaster walls.
Flat-pack and off-the-shelf furniture has its place. In a room with square walls and standard sizes, it can work well, and it’s quick to buy.
Living-room storage in Colindale
About 50% of the homes in the neighbourhood around Colindale went up since 2000, and about 24% between 1919 and 1939, going by the Valuation Office Agency’s 2025 council tax figures. We take that into account during the design visit, since older and newer walls take different fixings. There are 8 entries on the National Heritage List within half a mile of the centre of Colindale. Being near listed buildings does not make a home listed, and you can check any address on Historic England’s list. Newer homes are more common around Colindale than across Barnet: about 50% date from 2000 onwards, against about 19%, going by the Valuation Office Agency’s 2025 council tax figures. Newer homes often have stud walls and compact rooms, so fixings and sizes are planned with that in mind.
If you live in a flat close to Hendon station, it helps to book the lift and tell the concierge before fitting day. Close to Sunny Hill Park? A room that looks out on trees deserves a design that leaves the window alone. For families living near Colindale Primary School, shelving with deep cupboards below keeps books, games and school things in one place.
Colindale is about 3 miles east of Finchley, in the London Borough of Barnet. Colindale is part of the area we cover, and the process is the same everywhere we work. Our work takes in places right across Barnet, from the busiest high streets to quiet residential roads.
Design visits and fitting in NW9, NW4 and HA8 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Our area takes in homes on streets such as Cecil Road, Booth Road and Ajax Avenue, whether you want alcove units or another piece made for the room. Colindale is near the A5150, so if your home is on a main road, mention it when you contact us. We also cover the places around Colindale: West Hendon (1 mile south), The Hyde (1 mile south), The Burroughs (1 mile east), Hendon (1 mile south-east) and Kingsbury (1 mile south-west). Other parts of Barnet we cover include Finchley (3 miles east), Barnet (5 miles north-east), East Finchley (3 miles east), Whetstone (4 miles north-east), Edgware (2 miles north-west) and Friern Barnet (4 miles east).
Local landmarks in Colindale
In Colindale, that includes homes near Saracens High School, Moon Under Water pub and Kisharon College, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Hendon station, roughly 1 mile south-east. A little further out are Edgware Community Hospital (1.3 miles north-west) and Church Farmhouse Museum (0.9 miles east). For a walk, there is Copthall South Fields.
Is bespoke worth it?
Off-the-shelf units come in the colours the maker chose. Ours are painted in a colour agreed with you, either spray painted in the workshop or hand painted. They can match the walls, the woodwork or neither. Big standalone units can dominate a compact room, whereas fitted pieces painted to suit the walls sit back into the space.
In London, parking can affect the price. Much of London is covered by controlled parking zones, so we may need a visitor permit, a paid bay or a suspended bay near your home. Tell us about parking at the measuring visit.
Why work with us in Colindale
- Scribed to uneven walls
- Every London borough and the City of London covered
- Built around your room
- 300+ projects completed
Practical tips
These points come up often when people plan alcove units. They help before and after fitting:
- Note any vent or air brick on the chimney breast
- Talk to your electrician early if you want new sockets
- Decide whether the units stop at the picture rail or run to the ceiling
- Let us know about stairs, parking and access early
Keep any chimney vent clear once the units are in, even when the cupboards fill up. Air moving through the chimney helps keep damp away, which protects the units too.
Spread heavy loads and keep the heaviest things on lower shelves. Most sagging comes from shelves carrying more than they were planned for.