Example photo by Pete Alexopoulos on Unsplash, not our project
Lewisham · London
Alcove Units in Lewisham
Alcove units in Lewisham: cupboards and shelves built into the alcoves beside a chimney breast. We make each piece in our workshop and fit it in your home.
- Tired cupboards in the alcoves
- Walls too uneven for standard furniture
- Alcoves that are wasted space
Alcove units in Lewisham
Flats, conversions and lettings
In a managed block, the building manager or concierge may need notice before we arrive. If there’s a lift, it may need booking, and its size matters when we plan the sections. Let us know about it when you get in touch.
Many London terraces have been converted into flats, which often brings a shared hall and tight turns on the stairs. Each section is sized with that in mind.
About our alcove units in Lewisham
Even a chimney that is been blocked or capped needs some ventilation to help stop damp. Units are planned so any vent stays clear, rather than boxing it in. If there are signs of damp on the chimney breast or in the alcoves, they’re best sorted before fitting so the new furniture starts on a dry wall. We make alcove units from birch ply and moisture-resistant MDF, painted by hand or sprayed, and people most often get in touch about alcoves that are wasted space and tired cupboards in the alcoves.
Windows, doors, radiators and sockets decide where furniture can and can’t go. In any home in Lewisham, those set the layout for alcove units before anything else. Then the cupboards, shelves and any space for a screen are arranged for how you use the room.
The quote comes in writing, so there is time to read it properly and share it with anyone else involved. It records the design, the materials and the finish we discussed.
- Location
- Lewisham (SE13, SE8, SE6)
- Area
- Lewisham
- Price
- Quoted for your room
- How it starts
- We visit, measure, then quote
- Where it’s made
- Made in our workshop and fitted on site
- Boards and paint
- Painted MDF and birch ply
- When we fit
- Weekdays; Saturdays on request
- Enquiries
- Our contact form
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Looking after your furniture
People planning alcove units often ask about these. They help before and after fitting:
- Sort out damp patches before fitting
- Bring the sizes of anything that has to fit in the cupboards
- Consider whether the units should reach the ceiling
- Look for a chimney vent that needs to stay clear
Load the shelves evenly rather than piling weight in the middle. Books weigh more than most people expect, and an even load keeps the shelves straight.
Every so often, check that hinges and handles haven’t worked loose, and adjust any door that starts to catch.
How we price alcove units
Each piece is designed for one room, so each price is too. What affects it comes down to:
- The number of doors and drawers
- How square the room is
- The width and height of the space
- Hanging rails, shelves, drawers and other fittings inside
The finish affects the cost: spray painting is done in the workshop, while hand painting can be done on site. The written quote reflects your choice, along with the size and fittings.
Getting in touch
Before the design visit, it helps us to know about:
- Rough sizes: width, height and depth
- Pictures showing the full wall, from floor to ceiling
- What kind of home it is, and which floor the room is on
- Anything fixed to the wall that the furniture needs to work around
To get a quote, get in touch through our contact form and tell us a little about the room. We then arrange a design visit to measure and discuss the design, and send you a written quote afterwards.
What it is made from
Shelves
Shelf heights are planned around your things so tall books and records have room. Upper shelves can be shallower for a lighter look.
Moisture-resistant MDF
With no grain to show through, MDF keeps the painted surface smooth and even. We choose the moisture-resistant grade for fitted furniture.
How fitting day works
Fitting day follows a set order: we protect the floors, bring the sections in, set them level, scribe them to the walls, fix them and finish them. Then the room is tidied and we look over the work with you. The time the fitting takes depends on the size and number of units, and we confirm the fitting days in your quote. It is useful to clear the room and the route in before fitting day, including pictures on nearby walls. Floors and doorways are protected before anything comes in. Then the sections come in and are joined in place.
- You get in touch about alcove units and the room they’re for.
- We visit to measure the alcoves and discuss the design, including the paint finish.
- A written quote follows, with the finish written in alongside the design and materials.
- The units are built in our workshop from moisture-resistant MDF and birch plywood. If you chose spray painting, that is done in the workshop too, for a smooth, even surface.
- We fit the units in your home and scribe them to the walls.
- New paintwork takes a while to cure fully, so treat the surfaces gently at first.
How to prepare
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Get any new sockets or wiring done by your electrician before fitting day
- Move furniture and belongings away from the wall
Getting a quote
If you already have something in mind, tell us; if not, we can work it out together at the visit. At the design visit, we measure up and talk the design through with you, and the written quote then sets it out. To arrange a visit, fill in our short enquiry form.
Related advice
Also near Lewisham
What else we make in Lewisham
Questions we’re often asked
Do I need permission for fitted furniture in a conservation area?
Usually not: conservation area rules mainly cover the outside of buildings, and fitted furniture inside a house does not normally need planning permission. Listed buildings are different, as works inside that affect their character may need listed building consent from the council. If you are unsure, the council can confirm.
Can parking be tricky on fitting day in Lewisham?
It can be: much of inner London is covered by controlled parking zones. Depending on the street, a visitor permit, a paid bay or a bay suspension through the council may be needed, and suspensions often need notice. It’s useful to let us know about parking during the design visit.
Do you cover Lewisham?
Yes. We work in Lewisham.
How do I get started?
Simply tell us about the room on our contact form. Rough sizes and a few pictures help, and then we arrange a visit to measure and talk through the design.
Can the fitting be on a Saturday?
Yes, by arrangement. If a Saturday works better for you, say so when you contact us.
Who moves the sockets behind the alcove units?
Electrical work isn’t something we do. If you want sockets moved or added, your electrician should do that before we fit. We plan the units around the sockets, with cut-outs where needed.
Lewisham homes and alcove units
About 37% of the homes in the streets around Lewisham went up before 1919, and about 32% since 2000, on the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax figures for 2025. We take that into account during the design visit, since older and newer walls take different fixings. The centre of Lewisham is within about a quarter of a mile of the Mercia Grove Conservation Area. Conservation area rules mainly cover the outside of buildings, so fitted furniture inside a house doesn’t normally need planning permission. If in doubt, the council’s planning team can confirm. The boroughs run controlled parking zones across much of inner London. That usually means a van in Lewisham needs a visitor permit, a paid bay or a bay suspension through the council. It’s useful to let us know about parking at the design visit.
Close to Ladywell Fields? Alcove units can be planned to frame a window with a view rather than block it. Queen's House, about 1.4 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area. If your own home is a period one, walls that bow and floors that slope are why alcove units are scribed to fit rather than pushed into place. For an older house near St Stephen's Church, picture rails and cornices give alcove units a line to finish at.
Lewisham is part of the London Borough of Lewisham, about 1 mile north-west of New Cross. Anywhere in Lewisham, the process is the same: a design visit, a written quote, furniture built in our workshop and fitting in your home. Our work takes in places right across the rest of London, large and small.
We cover every part of the SE13, SE8 and SE6 postcode area for alcove units. If your home is on a street such as Station Road, Lewisham High Street and Lewis Grove, or close by, we can arrange a design visit for alcove units. The B220 runs close to Lewisham, so if your home is on a main road, mention it when you get in touch. Other places close to Lewisham include Ladywell (1 mile south-west), St Johns (1 mile north-west), Hither Green (1 mile south-east), Blackheath (1 mile north-east) and Lee (1 mile south-east). Elsewhere in the rest of London, we also cover Surrey Canal (2 miles north-west), Sydenham (3 miles south-west), Perry Vale (2 miles south-west), Bell Green (2 miles south-west), Forest Hill (2 miles south-west) and Downham (3 miles south).
What’s near Lewisham
We fit furniture in homes around Prendergast Vale School, St Joseph's Academy and The Watch House, among other places. There is a railway station in Lewisham itself: Lewisham station. Nearby you will also find Lewisham Shopping Centre (less than half a mile north-west) and University Hospital Lewisham (0.6 miles south-west). For a walk, there is Brookmill Road Local Nature Reserve.