Making Bunk Beds with Storage Work in Rooms with Alcoves

Bunk beds with storage can work very well in rooms with alcoves, but only if you measure the alcove precisely and decide early whether the bed goes into the recess or alongside it. In most period bedrooms, the alcoves either side of a chimney breast are too narrow for a bunk frame, so the strongest layout places the bunk along the opposite or side wall and uses the alcoves for shelving, a desk or a wardrobe. Where an alcove is wide and deep enough, a bunk tucked into it can feel built in and make the room look tidier.

Alcoves are typical of Victorian and Edwardian terraces and semis, and they shape every furniture decision in the room. A storage bunk adds another layer of planning, because drawers, staircases and shelving all need clearance to open and be reached. If you are comparing designs in our modern bunk beds UK range, the steps below will help you match the bed to the room.

Measuring an Alcove Properly

Alcoves are rarely perfectly square. Walls lean, plaster bulges and skirting boards vary in depth. Measure the width at floor level, at waist height and near the top of where the bunk would reach. Use the smallest figure as your working width.

Measure the depth from the back wall to the front of the chimney breast at several heights, too. Note the depth of the skirting board, any picture rail, and the position of sockets, light switches and radiators. A radiator in an alcove is common in older homes and may rule out placing a bed there altogether.

Remember that the overall frame width of a bunk bed is wider than the mattress. A single bunk designed for a standard mattress will need a little more room than the mattress itself, and designs with integrated stairs need considerably more. Check the full external dimensions in the product details before deciding.

Bed in the Alcove or Beside It?

If the alcove is wide and deep enough, setting the bunk into it creates a snug, cabin like effect. The bed sits flush with the chimney breast, the walls protect both bunks on three sides and the room looks neat. This works best with a simple ladder design, since staircases rarely fit within the recess.

More often, the alcove is too narrow for a bunk, especially once storage is added. In that case, placing the bunk on a full length wall elsewhere and using the alcoves for storage is usually the better plan. The alcoves then hold the things that would otherwise crowd the floor, and the bunk keeps its full storage capacity.

A third option, in larger rooms, is to place the bunk against the chimney breast wall but outside the alcoves, with its end aligned to the edge of the breast. This can work well, but make sure the bed does not block access to the alcove behind it.

Choosing the Right Type of Storage Bunk

Storage bunks come in several forms, and each behaves differently in a room with alcoves. Underbed drawers are the most compact option, adding storage without changing the footprint of the bed. They do need clear floor in front of them so they can open fully, so check that there is enough space between the bed and the opposite wall or furniture.

Staircase bunks have drawers or cupboards built into the steps. They are easier for younger children to climb than ladders and offer generous storage, but they add width to one end of the bed. Plan which end the staircase will sit at so it does not block a door, window or alcove.

Some designs include shelving at the end of the frame or a desk beneath the top bunk. These can be useful in small rooms, but they need careful positioning to avoid overcrowding the area in front of the alcoves.

Using the Alcoves for Storage

When the bunk sits elsewhere, the alcoves become valuable storage zones. Shelving is the classic choice, either fitted or freestanding. A tall unit in one alcove can hold books, toys and baskets, keeping the floor clear. Our modern bedroom furniture UK sale collections include wardrobes and drawers that can slot into an alcove if the measurements allow.

Freestanding shelving offers flexibility because it can move with you. Look through our modern shelving units UK range for designs narrow enough to sit within the recess. Leave a small gap on each side so the unit can be positioned without scraping the walls.

The second alcove might hold a small desk for homework or a wardrobe for clothes. If the room is shared, giving each child one alcove for their own belongings can help reduce disagreements.

Planning Drawer and Door Clearance

Storage only works if it can be reached. Underbed drawers need roughly their own depth in clear floor to open fully, plus a little extra to kneel in front of them. Wardrobe doors in an alcove need to swing open without hitting the bunk, and drawers in a staircase need to be accessible when the bedroom door is open.

Draw a simple plan of the room on paper, marking the bunk, the alcoves and any door swings. This quick exercise often reveals conflicts that are hard to spot when looking at the empty room.

Toys, Books and Everyday Items

Storage bunks are great for clothes and bedding, but toys often need something more accessible. Low baskets in the alcoves or a dedicated toy box at the end of the bed make tidying easier for younger children. Our children’s toy boxes UK selection includes designs that fit neatly into smaller spaces.

Books can live on alcove shelves or on a narrow ledge beside each bunk. A small shelf at the head of the top bunk, within reach but not cluttered, gives older children somewhere for a book and a torch.

Lighting and Sockets

Alcoves often contain the only sockets in an older bedroom. Before placing furniture, note where they are and make sure they will still be reachable. Each bunk benefits from its own reading light, and cables need to run safely without crossing the ladder or hanging over the guard rail.

Lighting the alcoves themselves can make the room feel larger. A small lamp on an alcove shelf or a wall light above a desk adds warmth and draws the eye into the recess, giving the room more depth in the evening.

Keeping the Room Balanced

A chimney breast is naturally symmetrical, and rooms with alcoves look calmest when that symmetry is respected. If one alcove holds tall shelving, consider balancing it with a similar height piece in the other, or a desk with shelves above. A bunk placed against a side wall, rather than in front of the breast, usually preserves this balance best.

Keep the colour palette simple. Painting the alcoves and shelving in the same colour as the walls helps them recede, while a contrasting colour inside the recess can turn them into a feature. Choose one approach and carry it through.

Practical Safety Points

Keep the top bunk away from alcove shelving so children cannot use the shelves as a climbing frame. Fix tall shelving units securely to the wall, which is essential in children’s rooms. Make sure the top bunk has guard rails on both sides and use a mattress of the recommended depth.

Chimney breasts in older homes sometimes have unused fireplaces. If yours is open, make sure it is safely closed off or guarded, and do not block any ventilation that the chimney relies on.

Further Reading

For more ideas on storage in children’s rooms, our guide to children’s bedroom storage furniture for UK family homes covers a wide range of options. If you are wondering whether a chest of drawers can squeeze into the remaining space, our article on fitting a chest of drawers in a small UK bedroom is worth a read.

Making It Work

Alcoves can feel like an obstacle, but they are also a gift for storage. Measure carefully, decide whether the bunk belongs in the recess or alongside it, and plan clearance for every drawer and door. With the right storage bunk and well used alcoves, even a compact period bedroom can feel organised and calm. Explore more bedroom and children’s furniture at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a bunk bed fit in a chimney breast alcove?

Sometimes, but many alcoves are too narrow once the full frame width is considered. Measure at several heights and compare the smallest figure with the external width of the bed.

Which storage bunk is best for a room with alcoves?

Underbed drawers are the most compact option. Staircase designs offer more storage but need extra width at one end, so plan where the stairs will sit before choosing.

What should I put in the alcoves if the bunk goes elsewhere?

Shelving, a small desk or a narrow wardrobe all work well. Giving each child their own alcove can make a shared room easier to manage.

How much space do underbed drawers need to open?

Allow roughly the depth of the drawer in clear floor, plus a little extra so someone can kneel in front of it comfortably.