Chester ThomasBespoke Furniture

Derby

Bespoke Under Stairs Storage in Derby

A cupboard designed from the actual staircase rather than assembled from a standard flat-pack shape.

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Bespoke Cabinetry for Derby homes

Derby's period houses and its newer family estates present quite different versions of the same problem: a cavity under the stairs that is rarely square, rarely a consistent depth, and usually finished with a single flat door that hides more waste than storage. We work from our Derbyshire workshop nearby and start every project with a site survey of the stair string, so the cabinetry we draw follows the actual pitch of the staircase rather than an assumed angle.

Kitchen and dining extensions are common across Derby's suburbs, and once the hallway becomes part of that wider space, the under-stairs cupboard is often the first thing tackled in the renovation because it sits right at the join between old and new. We design the run to work with the kitchen or dining layout beside it, matching worktop heights or cabinet lines where the two areas meet so the join reads as intentional.

Bedroom storage is a frequent secondary use in family houses where a staircase rises through more than one storey, leaving a second, smaller cavity on a half-landing or under a return flight. These spaces are often overlooked entirely, yet a shallow cupboard or a run of drawers built into them can take pressure off a bedroom wardrobe without any structural work. We assess every such cavity in the house during the initial visit rather than focusing on the ground floor alone.

A home study or a desk tucked into the hall is another use we see regularly in Derby, particularly in houses where a spare room has already been given over to something else. A shelf and drawer arrangement built into the taller end of the stair cavity can hold files and a printer without needing a dedicated room, provided the layout is planned around what actually needs to be reached daily.

Whatever the use, door and drawer fronts are set to the true rake of the stairs above them, and the finished cabinetry is fitted by the same team that measured and designed it, so any adjustment on the day is made with the original drawing in mind.

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Working in Derby

Derby's blend of older terraces and newer family estates means the stair cavities we survey vary considerably in shape and depth. Working from a Derbyshire workshop lets us return to site quickly if a template needs checking before manufacture begins.

Design considerations

Stair string profile
The pitch of the staircase is templated on site and carried through every door and drawer front.
Adjoining extension design
Cabinet lines are set to work with the kitchen or dining space the hallway now opens into.
Secondary cavities on the stairs
Half-landing or return-flight spaces are surveyed alongside the main cupboard rather than left unused.
Desk and file storage
Where a home study nook is wanted, shelving and drawers are sized for realistic daily use.
Runner capacity
Drawer runners are matched to the loaded weight of what will actually be stored.
Out-of-true walls
Variation in the hallway walls is taken up in scribed panels rather than left as a gap.

What can be included

  • 01

    Surveyed to the stair line

    Door and drawer tops follow the actual pitch of the staircase, taken from a site template.

  • 02

    Matched to kitchen or dining extensions

    Cabinet lines and heights coordinated where the hallway joins a newly extended space.

  • 03

    Half-landing and return-flight storage

    Smaller cavities on upper stairs assessed alongside the main under-stairs space.

  • 04

    Home study provision

    Shelving and a drawer arrangement sized for files and everyday desk items where a study nook is wanted.

  • 05

    Heavy-duty drawer runners

    Runners rated to the loaded weight of drawers, particularly at the taller end of the run.

  • 06

    Push-to-open cabinetry

    Handle-free doors specified where a clean hallway elevation is preferred.

  • 07

    Zoned interior layout

    The cavity divided into sections for shoes, coats and household items rather than one open space.

We survey and measure at the property, then design around the room as it is actually built.

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Materials & finishes

Specifications are developed with you during the design stage and sampled before anything is built. Nothing here is a fixed range; we will say so where a material is the wrong choice for the room or the way it is used.

  • Painted or veneered cabinetry

    Coordinated with adjoining kitchen, dining or hallway joinery.

  • Heavy-duty soft-close runners

    Specified to the loaded weight of each drawer.

  • Scribed solid timber end panels

    Cut to the stair angle and any out-of-true wall behind it.

  • Push-to-open hardware

    Fitted where a handle-free elevation is wanted.

  • Adjustable interior shelving

    Set to varying depths for the diminishing cavity or for a study nook.

  • Integrated cable routing

    Provision for cables where a desk or printer is included in the design.

How the work is done

We survey the stair string, any secondary cavities on the staircase, and the adjoining rooms before drawing the layout, so the cabinetry answers the whole house rather than one cupboard in isolation. Our full approach is set out at the process page.

Read our full process

Explore our work

Our published case studies show completed commissions in detail, from the brief through to installation.

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Bespoke Cabinetry in Derby — your questions answered

Design

Can storage be included on a half-landing as well as the main stair cupboard?
Where a staircase rises through more than one storey, a half-landing or return flight often leaves a smaller, secondary cavity that is easy to overlook. We assess every such space during the initial visit and can include a shallow cupboard or drawer run there alongside the main under-stairs design.
How does the storage relate to a new kitchen extension next to it?
We coordinate cabinet lines and, where relevant, worktop or unit heights across the join between the hallway and the new kitchen or dining space, so the two areas read as one considered design rather than a cupboard fitted afterwards. This is agreed once the extension layout is settled.
Can a small home study be built into the under-stairs space?
A shelf and drawer arrangement at the taller end of the cavity can hold files, a printer and everyday desk items without needing a dedicated room. We plan the layout around what genuinely needs to be reached daily, rather than fitting shelving for its own sake.
Will the doors follow the line of the stairs above them?
The top edge of each door and drawer front is set to the surveyed pitch of the stair string, so the run reads as one design rather than a series of separately fitted panels. This depends on an accurate template taken on site before manufacture begins, since no two staircases share exactly the same rake.

Materials

What finish works well alongside a kitchen extension?
Painted or timber-veneered cabinetry can be matched to new kitchen or dining joinery, or finished distinctly where the hallway is meant to read as a separate space. We agree this once the wider room scheme is known, taking cues from cabinet colours and hardware already chosen for the extension.
Why do drawer runners need to be heavy-duty here?
Drawers under the stairs are often deeper and more heavily used than a typical hallway drawer, particularly toward the taller end of the cavity. We specify runners rated to that loaded weight so drawers continue to glide smoothly rather than sagging or catching once they are regularly loaded and unloaded.
Can cable routing be included for a desk area?
Where a study nook is built into the taller end of the cavity, we can include provision for cable routing to a printer or laptop, agreed at drawing stage once the intended use is confirmed and the position of the nearest power point is known.

Installation

Is the staircase structurally affected by the work?
No structural changes are made to the stairs; cabinetry is built to fit against the existing stair string and surrounding walls. Installation is carried out by the same team that designed and manufactured the unit, so any final adjustment on site follows the original drawing.
How is an out-of-true hallway wall handled?
Older Derby terraces in particular can have a hallway wall that is noticeably out of true by the time it reaches the stairs, and a cupboard built square to a fixed dimension would leave a visible gap along one edge. We measure the actual wall line and level during the survey and take up that variation behind the cabinetry with a scribed panel, so doors and drawer fronts sit flush and consistent along the whole length of the run rather than tapering away from the wall.

Practical

How much storage can a typical Derby staircase provide?
This depends on the height, depth and length of the cavity, so we assess it case by case during the survey rather than quoting a standard figure. Dividing the space into zones for shoes, coats and household items generally makes better use of the volume than one open cupboard.
Can cleaning equipment be kept separate from coats?
A dedicated zone with its own door or drawer can be built in for cleaning equipment, kept apart from coats and shoes so nothing gets marked. We plan this division once we know what the household wants to store and how often each item is used.
What happens to the shallow end near the floor?
The lowest section of the cavity, where the ceiling meets the floor, is rarely deep enough for hanging storage but can still take flat items such as shoe trays behind a smaller door. We design the run so this part still contributes rather than being sealed off.

Cost & quotations

What affects the cost of this kind of project?
Cost depends on the internal layout, the balance of drawers to doors, finish, hardware and the complexity of the stair geometry, rather than a single fixed price for the space. Get in touch through the contact page so we can discuss your staircase and what you need to store.
Does including a study nook change the cost?
Adding shelving, a fitted desk surface or cable routing for a study nook involves more design and manufacturing than a simple coat cupboard, which can affect the overall cost. We discuss this once we understand how you want to use the space day to day.

Chester Thomas

Do Chester Thomas design under stairs storage in Derby?
We design, manufacture and install under stairs storage for households across Derby and the surrounding area from our Derbyshire workshop. Each project starts with an on-site survey of the stairs and any secondary cavities in the house, since these vary considerably from one property to the next.

Related bespoke services

Part of our wider work

Speak to us about your bespoke cabinetry in Derby on 07542 822456, email info@chesterthomas.com or send us the details.

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