--- title: "Alcove Cabinets & Shelving London | Bespoke Alcove Storage | Bear Brothers" description: "Bespoke alcove cabinets and floating shelves for Victorian, Edwardian and period homes. Custom-built to fit chimney breast recesses exactly. Handcrafted in London." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Service", "name": "Alcove Cabinets & Shelving", "description": "Bespoke alcove cabinets and floating shelves for Victorian, Edwardian and period homes. Custom-built to fit chimney breast recesses exactly. Handcrafted in London.", "url": "https://bearbrothersfurniture.com/services/alcove-cabinets", "provider": { "@id": "https://bearbrothersfurniture.com/#localbusiness" }, "areaServed": [ { "@type": "City", "name": "London" }, { "@type": "AdministrativeArea", "name": "Essex" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Cambridge" } ], "hasOfferCatalog": { "@type": "OfferCatalog", "name": "Alcove Cabinets & Shelving", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Alcove Cabinets & Shelving" } } ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much do alcove cabinets cost?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A pair of matching alcove base cabinets with floating shelves above typically costs £3,500–£7,000. Single alcove units range from £1,800–£3,500. Price depends on cabinet size, door style and shelf count." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you match my existing room style?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — we replicate moulding profiles, door panel styles and paint colours to match your room's existing woodwork. We bring samples to the survey." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do the shelves really float?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — they're mounted on concealed steel brackets bolted into the wall. No visible fixings, brackets or supports. Each shelf supports 20kg+." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you build cabinets on one side only?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, though matching pairs create the most impact. We'll design a single unit that looks intentional rather than incomplete." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What paint colours do you use?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Any colour — Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, RAL or custom colour-matched. We spray in controlled workshop conditions for a factory-quality finish." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does the process take?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "4–7 weeks from survey to installation. Installation takes 1 day for a pair of alcove units." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you add radiator covers?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — we can incorporate radiator covers into the base cabinet design with appropriate airflow grilles." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you work outside London?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "We serve London, Essex, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire from our Epping workshop." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://bearbrothersfurniture.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Services", "item": "https://bearbrothersfurniture.com/services" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alcove Cabinets & Shelving" } ] } ] --- [![Bear Brothers Furniture](/assets/logo-Ca644qa7.png)](/) [Home](/)[About](/about) Services [Bespoke Bedroom Furniture](/services/bedroom-furniture)[Bespoke Kitchens](/services/bespoke-kitchens)[Built-In Cupboards](/services/built-in-cupboards)[Bespoke Loft Angle Furniture](/services/loft-furniture)[Under Stairs Storage](/services/under-stairs-storage)[TV Media Walls](/services/tv-media-walls)[Walk-In Wardrobes](/services/walk-in-wardrobes)[Home Office Furniture](/services/home-office-furniture)[Made to Measure Furniture](/services/made-to-measure-furniture)[Fitted Wardrobes](/services/fitted-wardrobes)[Alcove Cabinets & Shelving](/services/alcove-cabinets)[Bespoke Bookcases](/services/bespoke-bookcases) [Areas We Serve](/areas)[Our Work](/our-work)[Reviews](/reviews)[Specials](/specials)[Contact](/contact) [07782 238898](tel:07782238898)[Request Free Estimate](/contact) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Services](/services) 3. Alcove Cabinets & Shelving # Alcove Cabinets & Shelving That Look Like They've Always Been There Custom-built cabinets and floating shelves designed for chimney breast alcoves — transforming dead recesses into the most characterful storage in your home. [Request Your Free Estimate](/contact)[Call 07782 238898](tel:07782238898) London's period property specialists · Hundreds of alcove units installed ![Alcove cabinetry with shelving beside a period fireplace](/assets/alcove-fireplace-wide-Bln0ibJ_.jpg) ![Alcove cabinets with wall-mounted TV above fireplace](/assets/alcove-fireplace-tv-BnBRg5wq.jpg) ![Alcove display cabinet with glass doors](/assets/alcove-glass-cabinet-qRvdVXss.jpg) 10+ Years Craftsmanship 500+ Pieces Delivered 10-Year Structural Guarantee Fully Insured Free Design Consultation ## Alcove Cabinets & Shelving: What You Need to Know Chimney breast alcoves are one of the defining features of London's Victorian and Edwardian homes. They create natural recesses that are crying out for built-in storage — but their dimensions are never standard. Every alcove is a slightly different width, depth and height, and walls are almost never square or plumb. Bear Brothers builds alcove cabinets and shelving that fit these spaces exactly. We measure every dimension, template every angle and scribe every edge so the finished units look like original architectural features — not aftermarket additions. Our alcove units combine base cabinets (with doors, drawers or a combination) with floating shelves above. The design matches your room's existing mouldings, skirting boards and architectural character. We build for living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms and studies — any room with alcoves that deserve better than a freestanding bookcase pushed against the wall. ## What Happens When Alcoves Are Left Unfinished Dead space Empty alcoves contribute nothing to the room — no storage, no display, no visual weight. They make the chimney breast wall look unfinished. Freestanding furniture doesn't fit Bookcases and cabinets from shops are always too narrow, too wide, too deep or too shallow. The gaps they leave look worse than an empty alcove. Dust and dirt traps Gaps behind and above freestanding units in alcoves accumulate dust, allergens and lost items that are difficult to reach. Lost symmetry Mismatched or missing alcove furniture destroys the visual balance of a chimney breast wall. Symmetrical built-in units restore it. Missed character Period homes are valued for their architectural detailing. Well-designed alcove furniture enhances this character — generic units diminish it. ## How We Work 1 ### Alcove Survey We measure every dimension of both alcoves — width at multiple heights, depth, height to ceiling, and we check walls for square and plumb. No two alcoves are the same, even in the same room. 2 ### Design Base cabinets, shelf count, door style, handle choice and finish are all designed to match your room's architectural language. 3D renders show the completed wall. 3 ### Build Carcasses in birch plywood, doors in solid timber or painted MDF. Floating shelves are hollow-core timber with concealed steel brackets for clean lines. 4 ### Finish Spray-painted to your colour specification. We match existing woodwork colours — Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, any colour. 5 ### Install Fitted on site, scribed to walls, levelled on uneven floors and sealed at every edge. Shelves are levelled and secured with concealed fixings. ## Why Choose Bear Brothers ### Perfect Fit Built to the exact dimensions of your alcoves — no gaps, no filler strips, no compromises. ### Architectural Character Designed to enhance your home's period features. Mouldings, proportions and paint colours match the room's existing style. ### Symmetrical Balance Matching pairs of units restore the visual symmetry of a chimney breast wall — one of the most impactful improvements in a period room. ### Dual Storage & Display Base cabinets hide clutter behind closed doors. Floating shelves above display books, art and objects — organised, not cluttered. ### Solid Construction Traditional joinery and furniture-grade materials. These units outlast the house, not just the fashion. ### Clean, Dust-Free Scribed to walls with no gaps. No dust traps behind or above the furniture. ## Alcove Cabinet Styles Shaker-style cabinets with five-piece doors are our most popular choice for Victorian and Edwardian homes — they complement the period without being overly ornate. We build genuine Shaker doors with mortise-and-tenon joints. Contemporary slab-door cabinets suit more modern interiors or period homes with contemporary renovations. Push-to-open mechanisms create a completely handle-free look. Panelled cabinets with beaded or raised-and-fielded doors suit grander Georgian and Edwardian properties where a more formal look is appropriate. ## Floating Shelf Design and Installation Our floating shelves are not the thin MDF boards sold in DIY stores. They're hollow-core constructions with solid timber faces, mounted on concealed steel brackets bolted to the wall. Each shelf supports 20kg+ without visible fixings. Shelf depth matches the alcove depth (or is set slightly shallower for a deliberate shadow line). Shelf thickness is proportioned to the alcove width — typically 30–40mm for a domestic scale. We can incorporate lighting — LED strip lights under shelves illuminate the display surface below and create ambient warmth in the room. ## Working With Out-of-Square Alcoves In our experience, fewer than 10% of London alcoves are truly square. Walls lean, floors slope and ceiling heights vary. We template every surface and build scribe allowances into the carcass design. The scribing process — hand-fitting each panel to follow the wall's actual surface — is what makes bespoke alcove furniture look genuinely built-in rather than pushed into a gap. It's the detail that separates craft from catalogue. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How much do alcove cabinets cost? ### Can you match my existing room style? ### Do the shelves really float? ### Can you build cabinets on one side only? ### What paint colours do you use? ### How long does the process take? ### Can you add radiator covers? ### Do you work outside London? ### Related Services - [Built-In Cupboards](/services/built-in-cupboards) - [Bespoke Bookcases](/services/bespoke-bookcases) - [TV Media Walls](/services/tv-media-walls) ### Areas We Serve - [North London](/areas/north-london) - [East London](/areas/east-london) - [Hackney](/areas/hackney) - [Cambridge](/areas/cambridge) - [Bishop's Stortford](/areas/bishops-stortford) - [Chelmsford](/areas/chelmsford) - [Brentwood](/areas/brentwood) - [Essex](/areas/essex) ## Ready to Complete Your Chimney Breast Wall? Book your free alcove survey. We'll measure your recesses, design matching units and give you a fixed-price quote — no obligation. [Request Your Free Estimate](/contact)[07782 238898](tel:07782238898) [![Bear Brothers Furniture — bespoke fitted furniture London and Essex](/assets/logo-Ca644qa7.png)](/) Family-owned workshop crafting bespoke [fitted wardrobes](/services/fitted-wardrobes), [kitchens](/services/bespoke-kitchens), [media walls](/services/tv-media-walls) and storage from sustainably sourced timber since 2013. [07782 238898](tel:07782238898)[info@bearbrothersfurniture.com](mailto:info@bearbrothersfurniture.com) Unit 5, 135 Lindsey St, Epping, CM16 6RE [](https://www.instagram.com/bearbrothersfurniture)[](https://www.facebook.com/bearbrothersfurniture)[](https://www.tiktok.com/@bearbrothersfurniture)[](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/bearbrothersfurniture) ### Quick Links - [Home](/) - [About Us](/about) - [Our Services](/services) - [Our Work](/our-work) - [Customer Reviews](/reviews) - [Special Offers](/specials) - [Contact Us](/contact) - [Areas We Serve](/areas) - [Privacy Policy](/privacy-policy) - [Terms & Conditions](/terms-conditions) - [Cookie Policy](/cookie-policy) ### Bespoke Furniture Services - [Bespoke Bedroom Furniture](/services/bedroom-furniture) - [Bespoke Kitchens](/services/bespoke-kitchens) - [Built-In Cupboards](/services/built-in-cupboards) - [Bespoke Loft Angle Furniture](/services/loft-furniture) - [Under Stairs Storage](/services/under-stairs-storage) - [TV Media Walls](/services/tv-media-walls) - [Walk-In Wardrobes](/services/walk-in-wardrobes) - [Home Office Furniture](/services/home-office-furniture) - [Made to Measure Furniture](/services/made-to-measure-furniture) - [Fitted Wardrobes](/services/fitted-wardrobes) - [Alcove Cabinets & Shelving](/services/alcove-cabinets) - [Bespoke Bookcases](/services/bespoke-bookcases) ### Areas We Serve - [Furniture Makers North London](/areas/north-london) - [Furniture Makers East London](/areas/east-london) - [Furniture Makers Hackney](/areas/hackney) - [Furniture Makers Cambridge](/areas/cambridge) - [Furniture Makers Bishop's Stortford](/areas/bishops-stortford) - [Furniture Makers Potters Bar](/areas/potters-bar) - [Furniture Makers Chelmsford](/areas/chelmsford) - [Furniture Makers Brentwood](/areas/brentwood) - [Furniture Makers Essex](/areas/essex) - [View All Areas →](/areas) © 2026 Bear Brothers Furniture. All rights reserved. [Services](/services)[Areas](/areas)Handcrafted in Epping, Essex [Call Now](tel:07782238898)[Free Estimate](/contact) We use essential cookies to run this site and optional analytics cookies to see how it is used. [Cookie Policy](/cookie-policy) AcceptDecline