Sep 1, 20222 min read

DIY Alcove Shelving - Out with the old, in with the new

Whilst owning a period property comes with its pro's; such as a distinctive architectural style, traditional features and detailed finishes. On the flip side it also comes with one or two cons that can be difficult to navigate when you want to bring a modern feel to your space!

When I first moved into my home it came with a traditional in-built kitchen cabinet, which after some persistent persuading from mum, I opted to keep. I tried painting it a variety of different colours to see if I would warm to it, but it just wasn't for me.

I wanted to exploit the space the recess provide without concealing the rooms architectural features and was set on modern white alcove shelving. Before I knew it I had set myself up to a DIY task I had no idea I could achieve. Between myself and a very supportive boyfriend, we ripped out the original shelving and removed the glass paned doors and started from scratch!

From hours of sanding, to measuring out our MDF boards, filling cracks with polyfilla and drilling into walls, we did it all! It was no easy task and took every weekend over May and June, but eventually we completed three bespoke shelves to fill our traditional alcove in the kitchen.

It was then time for the fun stuff...A little KOZY styling!

I knew the shelves needed to be practical enough to store kitchen tableware, such as wine glasses and plates; but I also wanted to inject a modern feel into the space by minimalizing clutter and displaying statement decor pieces too.

With contrast and variety being key, I sourced a range of modern pieces from IKEA, John Lewis, H&M home, as well as Lofty's furniture warehouse and mixed old and new, hard and soft, round and square shapes across each of the shelves to create a visual talking point.

I played around with the heights and depths, as well as placing different textures along side one another.