Custom Built Shelving Units

SEND US A MESSAGE

What Can Custom Built Shelving Units Include?

Custom built-in shelving units can be planned as open storage or combined with other fitted furniture. Each section can have its own height and depth instead of following one repeated shelf size.

Depending on your room and storage requirements, your design could include:

• Wall-to-wall or floor-to-ceiling shelving
• Shelves fitted inside one or more alcoves
• Floating or supported shelves
• Fixed or adjustable shelf positions
• Different shelf heights for books, records and display pieces
• Lower cupboards or drawers
• A desk or work surface
• Sections for a television or media equipment
• Integrated lighting where it suits the design

If the installation is mainly intended for books, we can also discuss our Custom Built Bookcases.

How Do We Plan Shelving Around Your Room?

We begin by discussing what you want to store or display. The size and weight of books, records, equipment and decorative pieces affect the depth, spacing and support required for each shelf.

We then measure the available area and record the position of skirting boards, sockets, radiators, windows, doors and other nearby features. Walls, floors and alcoves are not always completely even, so the shelving is planned from the actual measurements of the room.

Before making the units, we agree on the main dimensions, shelf arrangement, materials, and finish with you. We also consider which items you use most frequently so they can be placed at a practical height.

Where Can Custom Shelving Be Installed?

Custom shelving can be designed for living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and home offices. It can occupy one section of a wall, continue around a corner, or use the full width and height available.

In a living room, open shelves can hold books, photographs and display pieces. Shelving in a hallway may provide shallower storage where floor space is limited. In a bedroom, shelves can sit beside wardrobes or above lower cupboards.

We can also make fitted shelving for offices, shops and other commercial premises. The layout can be based on the documents, supplies, products or equipment that need to remain accessible.

Can Shelving Be Combined with Cupboards or a Desk?

Open shelving can be fitted above lower cupboards or drawers, giving you visible storage and separate space for items you prefer to keep behind doors. The cupboard widths and shelf positions can be coordinated as one installation.

A desk can also be positioned between shelving sections or extended from one side of the unit. We can plan the surrounding drawers, cupboards, sockets and cable access around how the working area will be used. Related fitted workspace options are available through our Custom Office Furniture service.

If the shelving needs to accommodate a television and media equipment, we can plan the openings and enclosed storage using the same approach as our Custom TV & Entertainment Units.

How Can Shelving Work in Alcoves and Around Fireplaces?

Alcoves on either side of a chimney breast can be used for fitted or floating shelves. The two recesses may have different widths or depths, so we measure them separately and adjust the shelving accordingly.

You can choose open shelves throughout or combine them with lower cupboards. The shelf spacing can be consistent on both sides or varied for the items you intend to store. Where more enclosed storage is required, our Custom Made Alcove Units can combine shelving, cabinets and drawers.

We can also plan shelves around other room features, including windows, doorways and corners, while keeping access to existing fittings where required.

What Materials and Finishes Can You Choose?

We can make custom shelving using materials including MDF and solid wood. Painted MDF provides a smooth finish in a colour selected for the room, while oak or another solid wood can introduce a natural timber surface.

Shelves can be fixed or adjustable depending on the design. We also consider the length, depth and intended contents when planning their thickness and support points.

If the arrangement includes cupboards, the doors can be plain or Shaker-style. You can also discuss handles, open-backed sections and integrated lighting with us. We agree on these visible details before making the shelving.

Why Choose Custom Built Shelves?

Ready-made shelving comes in fixed widths, heights, and depths. This can leave gaps at the sides or provide shelf spacing that does not suit your belongings.

Custom built shelves are planned for the area where they will be installed. You can decide how much of the wall to use, how the shelf heights should vary and whether open storage should be combined with cupboards, drawers or a desk.

Planning the shelving before construction also allows sockets, skirting boards, radiators and other room features to be considered from the beginning.