Example photo by Pete Alexopoulos on Unsplash, not our project
Tower Hamlets · London
Alcove Units in East End of London
We make alcove units for homes in East End of London, designed around the room you have. Your alcove unit is designed at a visit to your home and built in our workshop.
- Alcoves that are wasted space
- Tired cupboards in the alcoves
- Alcoves that are not square
Alcove units for your home in East End of London
Alcove units for homes in East End of London
In the area around East End of London, the largest groups of homes date from the years since 2000 (about 36%) and between 1973 and 1999 (about 21%), in the VOA’s 2025 council tax stock figures. For carpentry, the era of a house is a useful clue to how square its rooms are and what its walls are made of. The centre of East End of London is within about a quarter of a mile of the Commercial Road Conservation Area. Planning controls in conservation areas are mainly concerned with the outside of buildings, so fitting furniture inside a house doesn’t normally need permission. If in doubt, the council’s planning team can confirm. Since the zone was extended to the outer boroughs in August 2023, the whole of London has been inside the ULEZ. It applies to the vans that deliver and fit furniture in East End of London, as it does anywhere else in London. Parking and access are planned at the measuring visit.
If your home is one of the older houses near Church of St Mary, the alcoves beside a chimney breast are the natural place for alcove units. Living in a block of flats near Shadwell station? Then check any building rules on lifts and working hours early, and the sections will be sized for the way in. Near listed buildings like Church of St George in the East, less than half a mile south-west of the centre of East End of London, older homes may keep original joinery that alcove units can be designed around. If your own home is listed, check with the council before fixing into original features.
East End of London is about 1 mile west of Whitechapel, part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. We can visit homes in East End of London on weekdays, or on a Saturday by arrangement. Across Tower Hamlets, we cover East End of London, along with the rest of the borough.
Every home in E1, E1W and E98 is within our area for alcove units. Our area takes in homes on streets like New Road, Glamis Road and Steel's Lane, along with the roads around them, for alcove units and any of our other fitted furniture. Close by, we also work in Stepney (1 mile north-east), Ratcliff (1 mile south-east), Wapping (1 mile south-west), St George in the East (1 mile south-west) and Shadwell (1 mile south-east). Across the rest of Tower Hamlets, our area takes in Bromley (2 miles north-east), Old Ford (2 miles north-east), Poplar (2 miles east), Donnybrook Quarter (2 miles north-east), London Docklands (2 miles east) and Canary Wharf (2 miles south-east).
Landmarks near East End of London
The streets we cover here include those near Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives, Bishop Challoner Boys' School and St Mellitus College. There’s a railway station in East End of London itself: Shadwell station. Well-known places in the area include Surrey Quays Shopping Centre (1.3 miles south) and Tower of London (1 mile south-west). Not far away are Lavender Pond and Tower Hill.
Alcove units for homes in East End of London
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, depending on the look you want. The plinth height can match the skirting for a tidy line around the room. We agree these details during the design visit, before anything is made. Most enquiries start with toys and paperwork with no proper home and a desk that tucks into an alcove, and the answer is made at our workshop from moisture-resistant MDF and birch plywood, spray-painted or hand-painted.
Internal walls in newer homes are normally plasterboard on metal or timber studs, and the board will not carry a heavy load on its own. Around East End of London, where many homes were built since 2000, that shapes how alcove units are fixed: tall units stand on the floor and are tied into the studs, and shelves use fixings made for the board where there is no stud.
We write quotes in plain English. You will see what will be made, the boards used and the finish.
- Place
- East End of London (E1, E1W, E98)
- Borough
- Tower Hamlets
- Price
- Quoted for your room
- First step
- Design visit, then a quote in writing
- Made
- Made in our workshop and fitted on site
- Boards and paint
- MDF and plywood, painted to order
- Working days
- Monday to Friday; Saturdays by arrangement
- Contact
- Send us a message
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Bespoke alcove units or ready-made?
Shop-bought shelving and cabinets can go in an alcove, and they’re normally cheaper. The trouble is typically the gaps: standard sizes seldom match the alcove, and walls that are not straight show up every gap. A bespoke unit is built to the alcove and scribed to follow the wall. In an open-plan room, standalone pieces can look scattered, whereas fitted furniture can define each part of the room.
How it is painted is part of the price: spray painting happens in the workshop, and hand painting can be done in your home. The written quote reflects your choice, along with the size and fittings.
Why work with us in East End of London
- Spray painted or hand painted, in the colour you choose
- Over 300 projects completed
- Moisture-resistant MDF and birch plywood
- Made in our workshop, then fitted in your home
See our comparison of bespoke and off-the-shelf and how to compare quotes.
How fitting works for alcove units
When we arrive on fitting day, the first job is covering the floors and protecting the way in from the front door. Next, we carry in the sections made at our workshop, one at a time. The time the fitting takes depends on the size and number of units, and the fitting days are set out in your quote. In a newer development, the lift, the concierge and set working hours may all need checking, so it’s useful to sort them out in advance. The furniture is built in sections that fit the lift and doorways.
- You get in touch and tell us about the room and the alcoves, and a rough sketch helps if you have one.
- We visit to measure the alcoves and talk through the design.
- Your quote follows, with the design, materials and finish set out, so you can look it over in your own time.
- We make the cupboards and shelves in our workshop, ready for a spray-painted finish or for hand painting on site.
- The units are fitted in your home and scribed to follow the walls. Then we go through the doors and shelves with you.
Getting ready for fitting day
- Book any lift and let the concierge or building manager know
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Get any new sockets or wiring done by your electrician before fitting day
Getting a quote
To get a quote for alcove units in East End of London, tell us about the room on our contact form. Tell us which room it is and roughly what you have in mind, plus any rough sizes. We will arrange a design visit, then send a quote in writing.
Related advice
Neighbourhoods near East End of London
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FAQs: alcove units in East End of London
How do you fit alcove units in a flat in East End of London?
We measure the route in as well as the room: the stairs, landings, lift and doors. Alcove units are built in our workshop in sections sized to fit that route, then assembled in your flat. It is useful to check any building rules and your lease before fitting day.
Do you cover homes near Shadwell station?
Yes. We cover all of Tower Hamlets and the rest of London. To get started, you can use our contact form with some details about the room.
Can the fitting be on a Saturday?
Yes, we can arrange Saturdays. Just mention it when you get in touch.
Do I need to be in when you fit?
We need access, so someone has to let us in. After that, you do not need to stay in the room, but it’s useful to be around at the end.
Can the two alcove units be different?
That’s your choice. A matching pair balances the chimney breast, but you might want a desk on one side and cupboards on the other. Shared details, like the plinth and paint colour, keep them looking related.
Are alcove units spray painted or hand painted?
Either a spray-painted or a hand-painted finish. A sprayed finish is very smooth and even, while hand painting suits a softer, traditional look and is simple to touch up. We will help you choose during the design visit.
Boards, parts and paint
Hand-painted finish
A hand-painted finish suits alcove units in a period room. The colour is agreed with you, and touch-ups are simple if the units get marked later.
Plinths and scribe strips
Most alcoves need scribing on both sides and sometimes at the top. It is what makes a fitted unit look fitted.
Before and after fitting day
These points come up often when people plan alcove units. They’re worth knowing before and after fitting:
- Make the alcoves easy to reach for measuring
- Note the sizes of large things you want to store
- Consider whether the units should reach the ceiling
- Look for a chimney vent that needs to stay clear
Do not let stored things block the chimney breast vent, even when the cupboards fill up. Air moving through the chimney helps keep damp away.
Use a mat under plants, vases and drinks. Dry any spills quickly.
Flats, leases and landlords
If your building is on a red route or a busy main road, unloading takes some planning. TfL runs the red routes, and the stopping rules are strict, so tell us about it at the design visit.
A lot of London’s terraced houses are now converted flats, which often brings a shared hall and tight turns on the stairs. We plan the size of each section around it, after measuring the route during the design visit.