Shelves with Cupboards

Our clients in Holcombe, Somerset needed plenty of storage as part of their traditional cottage refurbishment. They were keen to have a combination of shelves for books and also to display treasured ornaments and collectables.

Extra storage in the form of cupboards on the lower parts of the shelves provided a place to hide clutter, toys and other items they wanted to remain out of sight.

The cupboards with shelves were part of a larger free-flow open-plan concept kitchen and living area. They were going to be used in the dining area and helped demarcate this space from the kitchen and living areas in combination with a sofa on one side and a wall on the other.

We relished the opportunity to work with some brighter colours and to integrate some picture lights. A pale blue colour scheme was chosen to highlight the shelves as a feature in their own right, and also provided a colourful backdrop to their treasured possessions. This colourful piece of fitted furniture also contrasted with the plain white walls, marking out the space designated as a dining area and giving it its own identity within the space.

We worked carefully to design the right number of columns and shelves to fit the space. There is always a balance between filling the space available and also taking the manufacturing process into consideration. For example, you can’t have cupboard doors too wide or their weight can compromise the hinges.

We crafted the symmetry of the shelves with cupboards so the scale looked right in the space. We ended up with a beautiful symmetric 4-column design with narrow columns that bring a classic style and elegance to the room.