Example photo by Pete Alexopoulos on Unsplash, not our project
Lewisham · London
Alcove units in Perry Vale, Lewisham
We make alcove units in moisture-resistant MDF and birch plywood for homes in Perry Vale. Each piece is finished by spray or by hand, in the colour you choose.
- Alcoves that are not square
- A desk that tucks into an alcove
- Cupboards in keeping with an older house
Ask about alcove units in Perry Vale
How we make alcove units for Perry Vale
Period rooms often have skirting boards, picture rails and cornices. Units can be cut around them, stop just below them or run neatly up to them, whichever suits the room. The plinth height can match the skirting so the units feel part of the room. We agree these details during the design visit. People normally come to us about tired cupboards in the alcoves and alcoves that are wasted space; the furniture is made from MDF made to resist moisture and birch plywood, then spray-painted or hand-painted.
London homes run from Victorian terraces and interwar semis to mansion blocks and recent flats, and your home in Perry Vale could be any one of them. Each brings different walls and floors, so the design of alcove units starts with a look at what you have. A period house may need scribing to bowed walls, while a newer flat may need fixings for plasterboard.
A quote in writing follows the design visit. It describes the design we discussed, the materials and the finish, so you know exactly what you’re getting.
- Location
- Perry Vale (SE23, SE26, SE6)
- Area
- Lewisham
- Cost
- Quoted for your room
- To begin
- We visit, measure, then quote
- Making
- Made in our workshop and fitted on site
- Materials and finish
- MDF and birch plywood, painted
- Fitting days
- Monday to Friday; Saturdays by arrangement
- Enquiries
- Our contact form
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Bespoke or off-the-shelf?
The depth of an alcove is set by the chimney breast. Standard cabinets can stand proud of the breast or sit too far back. We set the depth to suit the room. Off-the-shelf furniture is designed for no room in particular, while fitted furniture is drawn for the room it goes into. The finish is chosen to suit the space.
Parking is part of the price picture in London. 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. It is useful to talk about parking at the design visit, so we can plan for it.
Why choose us
- Designed for the room you have
- Scribed to uneven walls
- 300+ projects completed
- Saturday visits and fitting by arrangement
See our comparison of bespoke and off-the-shelf or how to compare quotes.
What happens on fitting day
However carefully a piece is made in the workshop, it still has to meet the room, and that happens on fitting day. Few walls in older London homes are truly flat or square, so we scribe the edges by hand to follow the wall, until the line is tight. How long the fitting itself takes depends on the size and number of units, and your quote sets out the fitting days. Before fitting day, we check the route in not just the room, so alcove units arrive in sections that fit through. We cover floors and doorways on the way in.
- To begin, message us from the contact page; a brief note on the room and the alcoves is enough, and mention if you live in a flat or up a few flights of stairs.
- At the design visit we measure the alcoves and also the way in: the front door, the hall and any stair turns. Parking is worth mentioning too, since a van often needs a permit or a paid bay in London.
- Your written quote sets out the design, materials and finish.
- The units are made in our workshop from moisture-resistant MDF and birch plywood, in sections sized to come through your door.
- On fitting day the sections come in, are joined in place and scribed to the walls. A spray-painted finish arrives done; a hand-painted one is applied once the units are in.
Getting ready for fitting day
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Leave a clear route from the front door to the room
- Empty the space we’ll be working in
Getting a quote
A quote begins with some details from you: the room, rough sizes and some photos if you have them. When you’re ready, use our contact form. We will then arrange a design visit and follow it with a written quote.
Related advice
Caring for painted furniture
A few practical points help before and after fitting day. Here are some things worth bearing in mind:
- Look for a chimney vent that needs to stay clear
- Move things out of the alcoves so we can measure properly
- Decide whether the units stop at the picture rail or run to the ceiling
- Bring the sizes of anything that has to fit in the cupboards
A soft, slightly damp cloth is all painted units usually need. Skip scouring pads and harsh cleaners, which can dull or mark the paint. Dry the surface afterwards.
Spread heavy loads and keep the heaviest things on lower shelves. Overloaded shelves are the main cause of sagging.
DIY, flat-pack or bespoke
Off-the-shelf furniture can be a sensible choice. If the walls are straight and the space suits standard sizes, it often does the job, and it’s easy to buy.
Where bespoke earns its keep is in rooms that are not square. Older London rooms tend to have leaning walls, sloping floors and alcoves of different widths.
What alcove units can’t fix
Our work is the furniture itself: designing it, making it in our workshop and fitting it. That means:
- Removing or altering a chimney breast, which is structural work
- Replastering, which is a plasterer’s job
- Redecorating, which is for your decorator
If in doubt, you can drop us a line using the contact form and describe the room. How it works.
Boards, parts and finishes
- Adjustable shelves
- Birch plywood
- Scribed side panels
- Moisture-resistant MDF
- Panelled or flat doors
- Hand-painted finish
- Spray-painted finish
Built-in living-room furniture in Perry Vale
About 43% of the homes in the area around Perry Vale went up before 1919, and about 21% between 1919 and 1939, according to Valuation Office Agency council tax figures (2025). It is a good starting point, though every room is still measured, as two homes of the same age rarely match. The National Heritage List records 8 entries within half a mile of the centre of Perry Vale. You can check whether a particular building is listed on Historic England’s list. TfL’s red routes have strict stopping rules. If your home is on or just off a main road, it is useful to mention it. We’ll plan where the van can stop.
If your home is one of the older houses near Christ Church, walls that bow and floors that slope are why alcove units are scribed to fit rather than pushed into place. If you live near Mayow Park, alcove units can be arranged to keep the window and the light clear. The wider area includes historic houses such as Kingswood House, about 1.7 miles west. For a period home anywhere nearby, picture rails and cornices give alcove units a line to finish at.
Perry Vale is about 3 miles north of New Cross, part of the London Borough of Lewisham. Whether your home in Perry Vale is a terraced house, a flat or a newer build, we measure the room as it is and design around it. Our work takes in places right across Lewisham.
We make alcove units across the SE23, SE26 and SE6 postcode area. Whether you live on a street such as Como Road, Mayow Road and South Road or on one nearby, we can visit to measure up for alcove units. We also cover Bell Green (1 mile south-east), Sydenham (1 mile south-west), Bellingham (1 mile east), Southend (1 mile east) and Forest Hill (1 mile north-west). We also make alcove units in nearby places such as New Cross (3 miles north), St Johns (3 miles north), Deptford (3 miles north), Lewisham (2 miles north-east), Surrey Canal (4 miles north) and Hither Green (2 miles north-east).
What’s near Perry Vale
Around Perry Vale, we cover homes near Capitol Cinema pub and Forest Hill School and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Forest Hill station, about 0.5 miles north-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include St Christopher's Hospice (1.1 miles south-west) and Horniman Museum and Gardens (0.9 miles north-west). Not far away are Dacres Wood.
FAQs: alcove units in Perry Vale
Is parking a problem for fitting in Perry Vale?
It can be: much of inner London is covered by controlled parking zones. A van may need a visitor permit, a pay-and-display bay or a suspended bay, which the council arranges, often with notice. Let us know what parking is near you at the design visit.
Can you fit furniture in a home close to Forest Hill station?
Yes. We cover all of Lewisham and the rest of London. You can use our contact form to arrange a design visit, and let us know about parking and access at the same time.
Which finishes are there for alcove units?
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’ll help you choose at the measuring visit.
Do I need to be in when you fit?
We need someone to let us in at the start of the day. It also helps to have someone around at the end, so we can go over the finished furniture together.
Can the fitting be on a Saturday?
Yes, Saturdays are possible by prior arrangement. Just mention it when you contact us, and we will see what we can do.
Can you fit a desk into an alcove?
Yes. You can have a desk in one alcove and cupboards in the other. We will plan the desk around how you work.