How to fill a blank wall with fitted shelving / storage / cupboards

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

We have a 'blank' wall (i.e., nothing in it except power sockets) in our living room, against which we current have a TV cabinet, a unit that holds our stereo and some records etc, and a bookcase. We're chronically lacking storage, places to put books in, tidy stuff away etc, so we want to fill this wall with shelving and cupboards (and maybe drawers).

My first idea was to recreate the chimney breast, with alcove shelving either side above cupboards that was originally there. I got a carpenter to quote to do this using MDF (for everything, 'chimney breast' included), and he came back with £950 fitted, which didn't seem too bad at all to me?

But I think that was raw MDF - which will then need to be painted and home-decorated MDF doesn't look great does it? Can you get coated / laminated / prepainted MDF?

The alternative is to just fill the space with storage with some kind of modular / pre-pack / self-design system. We definitely want cupboards at ground level on either side with space on top for our TV on one side, and stereo on the other, and we definitely want lots of bookshelves higher up - but other than that are quite flexible on how it looks.

We don't want to spend very much as we're not going to be there for long. I've been on some of these self-design sites (Pickawood, Jali) and the cost soon starts mounting up when you'recovering a surface this size (3.7mx2.5m).

I'm after recommendations of where to go for this sort of thing, rather than the actual design.

Thanks!

Comments (4)

Daisy England
5 years ago
As opposed to MDF why not use MFC? Look on the Egger website for a full range of colours. Granted it doesn't give that highly expensive look but it doesn't need painting and there's so much colour/wood grain finish that it might suit.
adrianlowery thanked Daisy England
Suzanne C
5 years ago
Have you tried using kitchen units? Using wall units at various heights and top boxes (that go above the fridge) look smart at the bottom and then have a oak work top cut to size on top. Ikea is a cheap option as you can have drawers behind cupboard doors etc..
adrianlowery thanked Suzanne C
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I wouldn't be ashamed, that's kids! What do you use the mini room off the study for? Does the ikea unit have storage baskets? Apparently the kallax replaced your unit so they do the branas basket which should fit? They're £15 each though so not cheap. That may then hide some of the stuff. What if you were to paint it in a chalk or really matt paint and maybe pop an ornament or 2 on top, do you think that would blend better? I would either move your bench elsewhere, or get some baskets to go underneath. You could look at a storage bench ( there are a handful on ebay with free p&p that aren't too dear or have a look at maybe an old fashioned wooden blanket box ( although my nan used to have one and I was convinced it was a coffin!). They are quite big and store a lot and could look good? Have you heard of streetlife? I signed up to it a few weeks ago and people also offer unwanted items on there so may be worth a look. It's definitely worth getting a cupboard costed up
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adrianlowery
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks both! I was trying to use Jali last night - and you can't design a cupboard unit that is wider than 3 metres... Useful!
minnie101
5 years ago
I might be wrong but I've used Jali once a few years ago and mine was mdf as i recall it was a nightmare to paint! I also thought mdf was more stable than wood? TBH your quote sounds really good, as long as it's constructed properly I can't see it being an issue, I'd speak to your carpenter about any concerns. can you not build a stud frame for the chimney breast and use dry lining instead of mdf (although someone told me a while ago you'd never know it was mdf, whether that's true I don't know!)

How to fill a blank wall with fitted shelving / storage / cupboards

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Daisy England

Suzanne C

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How to fill a blank wall with fitted shelving / storage / cupboards

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Daisy England

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