Solving Alcoves

The fireplace becomes the natural place to pause, with these cabinet bookcases giving the room somewhere to keep books close by. Victorian-style door panel moulding echoes the existing wall panelling, while Farrow & Ball's 'Hague Blue' carries the deeper tone through the room. Inside, walnut veneer-effect interiors provide space for books and daily favourites, making it easy to unwind by the fire with something to read or simply enjoy a slower afternoon at home.

Bespoke wardrobes designed for the spaces standard furniture can't quite fit - sloped ceilings, tricky corners, narrow gaps, and all the 'surely we can use that space somehow' moments finally getting a proper answer.

A well-stocked pantry makes the next meal easier to think about. Shelving on three sides makes room for ingredients, utensils, and crockery, with real oak veneer shelves and solid oak strips adding strength. Reinforced with dividers, the storage keeps heavier things organised too, whether dinner needs to happen quickly or there's a whole weekend afternoon to spend in the kitchen.

Meet Rhydian!

Some books need a quiet shelf; others need to be within easy reach of small hands.

In the study of this listed building, open shelving keeps books accessible while concealed storage takes care of stationery and files, finished with a full-length stave solid oak countertop and oak-effect cabinet interiors. In another space, a wide space between two bedrooms has become a children's library, with adjustable shelving sized around children's books and ventilation carefully integrated around the existing radiator.

Two very different ways to make space for a growing collection. Which would suit the home better?

The best pantry storage is the kind that makes the weekly shop easier to put away and even easier to find later. Here, an unused stretch of hallway has been transformed beneath the stairs, with a new stud wall and reoriented doors creating a direct link to the country-style kitchen. A bank of drawers keeps daily basics close at hand, while adjustable shelving makes it simple to see what's running low before the next shopping week.

There's always that moment after a day outside when muddy boots need somewhere to go and coats need to be left to dry. Finished in 'Plum Brandy' with an oak theme, this boot room makes those daily jobs easier with a drying cabinet fitted with a waterproof bar heater. A solid oak boot bench, coat hooks, and soft-close drawers keep everything close at hand, while discreet LED lighting highlights the oak grain inside the coat hanging console. It’s the kind of space that makes coming back inside feel easier - boots off, coats hung up, and everything given a proper place before the rest of the house gets involved.

Storage ideas that quietly solve the parts of home life nobody talks about: the hallway bench that organises shoes; the alcove shelves for framed photos and candles; the coat cabinet that saves the doorway; and the under-stair space finally doing more than collecting things no one knows where to put.

Meet Ash!