Loft conversions are common in London terraces and semis. They add a bedroom, a study or a bathroom at the top of the house, but they leave awkward spaces behind: low walls under the slope, a triangle of space behind the knee wall, and ceilings that fall away just where you’d put a wardrobe. Standard furniture rarely fits.
Fitted storage can use these spaces well. This guide covers the main ideas for eaves and sloping ceilings, what to check before anything is built, and how the furniture gets up to the top of the house. One point first: we build storage in lofts that are already converted or boarded. The conversion itself, and anything that needs Building Regulations approval, isn’t our work.
The shape of a converted loft
Most converted lofts have three kinds of awkward space:
- The knee wall. A low upright wall where the sloping ceiling meets the floor area. Behind it is the eaves space: a long, low triangle.
- The slope. The sloping ceiling itself, running from the top of the knee wall up to the flat part of the ceiling.
- Dormers. Box-shaped projections with a window, which create recesses at each side.
Every one of these can take fitted furniture, made to follow the angles exactly.
Eaves cupboards in the knee wall
The space behind the knee wall is often the largest store in the house, but a small hatch makes it hard to use. Fitted eaves cupboards replace the hatch with proper doors along the knee wall, so you can reach in at several points.
They suit suitcases, seasonal clothes, boxes and anything you don’t need every day. Inside, a simple floor and a shelf or two make the space easier to use. Doors can be hinged or sliding, and they’re shaped to suit the wall’s height.
Drawers in the knee wall
Deep drawers built into the knee wall bring the back of the eaves space out to you. They work especially well in bedrooms, where they can replace a chest of drawers and clear floor space.
Because the eaves space is a triangle, drawers can be deeper at the bottom than the top. The design follows the slope behind. Drawers need room in front to open, so plan where the bed and other furniture will go.
Wardrobes under the slope
Hanging space is often the hardest thing to fit into a loft room. A wardrobe under the slope uses the full height where the ceiling is high, and steps down where it falls. Long items hang at the tall end; shirts and jackets hang lower down; shelves and drawers fill the lowest part.
Doors can be cut to follow the slope, with angled tops, so the wardrobe looks built-in. Sliding doors are harder under a slope, so hinged doors are more common. Our guide to fitted wardrobes under a sloping ceiling 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.
Shelves and desks in dormers
The recesses at the sides of a dormer suit open shelving, small cupboards or a desk. A desk set into a dormer gets good daylight from the window and makes a quiet study. A window seat in the dormer can add storage underneath.
Plan for sockets and cables early. Any new socket or wiring is for your electrician. See designing a built-in home office.
Insulation, ventilation and what’s behind the wall
A loft conversion is built to meet Building Regulations, including how it’s insulated and ventilated. Fitted storage shouldn’t undo that work. Before anything is built:
- find out where the insulation is, and don’t remove or squash it to make room;
- keep any ventilation openings and gaps clear, so air can move as the conversion was designed;
- check for pipes, cables and water tanks behind the knee wall;
- look for signs of damp or condensation in the eaves, and have the cause looked at before fitting.
The eaves space can be colder than the room. Clothes stored there may benefit from ventilation inside the cupboard. If you’re planning a conversion and want to know about approvals, see GOV.UK’s guide to Building Regulations approval or the Planning Portal.
Getting the furniture upstairs
Converted lofts are reached by the highest and often the narrowest stairs in the house, sometimes with a tight turn at the top. Fitted furniture is made in our workshop in sections sized to get up the stairs, round the landings and through the door, then joined and fitted in the room.
That’s why we look at the route as well as the room at the design visit. If you live in a flat at the top of a converted terrace, there may also be shared stairs and building rules to think about.
If your loft isn’t converted yet
We don’t do loft conversions. If your loft hasn’t been converted, talk to an architect or loft conversion specialist first. It’s worth mentioning to them that you’d like fitted storage, so things like the position of the knee wall, sockets and lights can be planned with it in mind.
If the loft is boarded but not converted, simple storage may still be possible, depending on access and how the loft is used. We can look at that at a design visit.
Measuring a sloping ceiling
Rough measurements help you plan. Measure the height of the knee wall, the highest point of the room, and the horizontal distance from the knee wall to where the slope meets the flat ceiling. Note any windows, radiators, sockets and access hatches. Our guide on how to measure a room has more tips.
At the design visit we measure the angles properly, talk through what you want to store and send a written quote afterwards. To arrange a visit, get in touch.
Quick answers
Do you do loft conversions?
No. We build storage in lofts that are already converted or boarded. The conversion itself is for a builder or loft conversion specialist.
Can a wardrobe go under a sloping ceiling?
Yes. It’s made to follow the slope, with long hanging at the tall end, shorter hanging lower down and shelves or drawers in the lowest part.
Will eaves storage affect my insulation?
It shouldn’t. Storage should be built without removing or squashing insulation, and with ventilation openings kept clear.
Are drawers or cupboards better in the knee wall?
Drawers bring the back of the space out to you and suit bedrooms. Cupboards suit bulky things like suitcases. Many rooms use both.
How does the furniture get up narrow loft stairs?
It’s made in sections sized for the route in, then joined and fitted in the room.
Related services
More advice
- Fitted Wardrobes Under a Sloping Ceiling
- Storage Ideas for Victorian and Edwardian Terraces
- Fitted Furniture on External Walls: Damp and Ventilation
- How to Measure a Room for Fitted Furniture
- 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.