Alcove Shelving Ideas + Prices
A Smarter Alternative to Fitted Joinery
ON&ON’s made-to-measure alcove shelving combines the tailored fit of bespoke joinery with the flexibility of a modular system. Designed and manufactured in Britain, it brings shelves, cabinets and desks together in a simple, contemporary design, supplied finished and ready to install.
Unlike permanently fitted joinery, you can adjust your shelving layout as your needs change, reconfigure the system for another room or take it with you when you move home.
Alcove Shelving Ideas - Not Just for Books
Try transforming any spare alcove space into extra clothes storage, a compact home office, study spot or new home for your TV and audio systems.
Every ON&ON alcove system is:
- Cut to fit your alcove, with shelves up to 5m long
- Strong on plasterboard, cavity or solid walls
- Fitted in hours, with no painting or mess
- Customisable with cabinets, lighting, hangers and wall desks
- Planned around your sockets, cables and wiring
Made to Measure, Strong Enough for Books
Our aluminium shelves are designed to hold heavy loads, even on plasterboard or cavity walls. Available in two shelf depths—25.5cm and 34.5cm—and in black or white finishes, you can also choose solid wood fronts for a warmer aesthetic.
Alcove Cupboards and Cabinets
Combine your shelves with made-to-measure wall cabinets, ideal for hiding clutter or storing multimedia equipment. Cabinets are load-bearing and designed to support heavy items like large books, vinyl or files
Alcove Cabinets with Wood Fronts
Try combining our black or white cabinets with oak or walnut wood fronts. Both drawer units and fold-down door cabinets can be finished with oak or walnut fronts. You can also match the shelves above with the same wood finish or create a contrast using our standard black or white shelves.
Alcove Shelving with Lighting
Make the most of your shelving with concealed under-shelf lighting. Mounted into the front of the shelf to create a continuous wash of light along the shelf. Lighting shelves can be used on single or multiple shelves depending on your design and effect required. All the cables and leads are hidden inside our vertical wall rails and then connect to a power driver that is mounted either below a low shelf, cabinet or desk before being plugged into a wall power socket. Compatible with a standard plug socket, and fully integrated to hide cables within the system.
We recommend:
- Connecting with Philips Hue Bluetooth smart plugs for extra control
- App or switch-controlled lighting
- Timer and routine settings via mobile or tablet
We have tried a few systems and would recommend Philips Hue bluetooth switches and plugs really because the interface is so simple. See below the Hue smart plug working with our Alcove shelving.
Alcove Shelving Examples with Prices
Every system is made to measure so price depends on the size of your alcove, your chosen finishes and whether you include cabinets, desks or lighting. Alcove shelving unit prices range from £700 to £2,000. Take a look at some examples below, or explore more alcove bookshelves here.
| Example system | Size (W × H) | White or black | Oak fronts | Walnut fronts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcove bookcases x 5 shelves (B) | 110 × 181cm | from £772.00 | from £881.40 | from £1,006.80 |
| Alcove bookcases x 6 shelves (A) | 110 × 196cm | from £906.00 | from £1,050.12 | from £1,200.60 |
Delivery is extra. Send us your measurements for a free design and quote, or download the alcove design and pricing guide.
Free Design & Planning Service
Our in-house planners will design your alcove shelving free of charge. Get expert advice and multiple design revisions until you’re 100% happy. Our planners do this via phone, email or site visit.
How to get started:
- Measure the height and width of your alcoves
- Take a photo of each wall (so we can see any sockets or switches)
- Send us an idea of what you are looking for and we’ll do the rest
Download Measurement Guide | Download Alcove Shelving Pricing Examples 2026
Fitted in Hours, No Painting
ON&ON’s alcove shelving is designed for simple fitting by any competent DIYer or handyman. All systems come with:
- Setting out drawings
- All fixings included
- Step-by-step installation guide
Need help? See how to fit alcove shelving in 12 steps, or see our technical downloads page.
Alcove Shelving Options Compared
Before we started ON&ON, we tried to create our own alcoves. Here's how the options compared.
| Option | Fit | Time in your home | Painting | Changing it later |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freestanding bookcase | Leaves gaps around it | Assembly only | None | Moves easily, can't be resized |
| Flat-pack shelves on brackets | Fixed sizes | Quick for one or two shelves | None | Hard to fit or adjust many shelves |
| Joiner or carpenter | Exact | Usually several days | Primer plus one or two coats | Fixed in place |
| DIY build | Exact, if you're handy | Several days | Primer and paint | Fixed in place |
| ON&ON | Exact, made to measure | Hours | None: arrives finished | Adjust, extend or take it with you |
This is how ON&ON started: building shelves for our own homes, in London flats where every centimetre counted. If you'd rather build your own, we like Practical DIY's alcove guide and Metro's 10 steps.
Alcove Shelving FAQs
Will the shelving fit if my walls aren’t straight? Yes. We leave a 10–15 mm gap at the end of every shelf, cabinet and desk. The parts don’t touch the side walls, so they float in the alcove and allow for walls that aren’t square, straight or plumb.
How do I measure my alcoves? Measure the height and width of each alcove, and take a photo of each wall so we can see sockets and switches. Our measurement guide shows where to measure. If you’re in our site-visit area, we can measure for you.
How much weight can alcove shelves hold? Our aluminium shelves are designed for heavy books. Each bracket on our 25.5 cm-deep shelves holds 20–25 kg, so a shelf on two brackets takes 40–50 kg. Brackets for 34.5 cm-deep shelves hold 25–30 kg each, and our desks and cabinets are stronger still.
How wide can alcove shelves be? Our seamless aluminium shelves come in lengths up to 5 m and are cut to the width of your alcove, so even a wide alcove gets one continuous shelf.
Can alcove shelves go on plasterboard? Yes. The system holds heavy loads on plasterboard, cavity and solid walls, with fixings for your walls included.
How much does alcove shelving cost? Most of our alcove systems cost £700 to £2,000, depending on the size of your alcove, your finishes and whether you add cabinets, desks or lighting. Our planners design your system and quote for free.
Can I add LED lighting to alcove shelves? Yes ON&ON lighting shelves have led lights designed into them. All the cables and leads are hidden inside our vertical wall rails and then connect to a power driver thats mounted either below a shelf, cabinet or desk before being plugged into a wall power socket.
Can I fit alcove shelving myself? Yes. It’s designed for any competent DIYer or handyman, and comes with setting-out drawings, all the fixings and a step-by-step guide. Most systems go up in hours, with no painting.
If you need any more help please speak to our planning team for help. If you want to buy an alcove system please send us an enquiry. How to buy page and send us a planning enquiry.
Many thanks ON&ON
