Built-in storage is a fantastic way to optimise redundant living room alcoves, but unfortunately it can be very expensive, with installers often charging thousands.
When Georgia and Josh, social media stars behind The Haye Barne on Instagram, were quoted £4,300 for the work, they took matters into their own hands and chose to DIY it for a fraction of the price. This decision paid off, saving them a whopping £3,840.
If you're keen to find out how they did it and what you need to buy to get started, we’ve explained everything you need to know below.
Article continues belowWhat you will need
To build their bespoke alcove units, Georgia and Josh used the following:
- IKEA Metod Cabinets, 602.055.22 (x4) – available from IKEA
- IKEA Enkoping Doors, 805.057.65 (x8) – available from IKEA
- IKEA Utrusta Hinges, 805.248.82 (x8) – available from IKEA
- IKEA Utrusta Shelves, 102.056.09 (x2) – available from IKEA
- B&Q 12mm Pine Sheet, 1.2m x 2.4m (x2) – available from B&Q
- Build Base 9mm MDF Sheet, 1.2m x 2.4m (x1) – similar found on B&Q
- Planed Pine, 46 x 21mm (x14) – available from B&Q
- Base Moulding, 21mm (x6) – available from Wickes
- Barrel Moulding, 34mm (x2) – available from Wickes
- Half Round Moulding, 21mm (x2) – available from B&Q
- Skirting Boards R Us Skirting Board, 171mm 330 (x1) – similar found on B&Q
The couple already had items six to 11 on this list, bringing their total to just £460 for the resources.
Where to buy the materials
Available in black or white, this wall cabinet frame is moisture- and scratch-resistant.
These white doors are compatible with IKEA'S Metod cabinets and can be mounted on either the left or right side.
Made from durable melamine, these scratch-resistant shelves come in white, black-grey, or a wood-effect black finish.
Add a decorative trim to your alcove unit with this pine barrel moulding.
These hinges feature an integrated damper, so your doors shut slowly and softly.
This multi-purpose stripwood can be cut to any size.
How they did it
Georgia and Josh started off by building the cabinets, which they said was the quickest part of the job. Since their floors were not level, they ordered adjustable feet (like these furniture levellers from Amazon) to raise the height of the units and ensure they were stable and horizontal.
To make the Shaker doors look a little more decorative, they cut up moulding using mitre cutters and glued it on the inside with Stixall (available on Amazon). The IKEA Metod Cabinets were then put together and clamped using the shelf holes. To give the units a built-in storage look, they used 2x1 timber on the top and bottom for that custom feel.
At this point, the unit had gaps on either side, so the couple decided to fill them with MDF boxes. To do this, they cut MDF strips to the width of the gaps using scrap pieces of timber, forming boxes that could slide into the sides.
To raise the top unit, Georgia and Josh added 2x1 timber at the back, which was attached to the wall using brackets. The MDF tops were cut to size and then screwed in place.
The ladder frames were built using 2x1 timber, which was glued and screwed together. They then cut MDF to the same size, glued it onto the sides, and weighted it down while it dried.
On the MDF side of the ladder, Georgia marked out where each shelf would go and then glued and screwed them into the battens. The plywood shelves were cut to size by B&Q to save time and were then lifted into place on the unit.
Lastly, the skirting boards were cut and stuck in place using Sticksel, the units were primed and painted, and the doorknobs were added.
This project goes to show that you don’t have to spend a fortune to achieve beautiful, custom-looking results – and it might be easier than you think to put together your dream alcove unit.
For more budget-friendly DIY hacks, see how our content director Laura Crombie created her built-in pantry for just £350. Or learn about the 10 common DIY mistakes you should avoid.
