Showroom and workshop in Dorking · visits by appointment
Mon to Thu 9 to 4 · Fri 9 to 3 · Sat 9 to 2
Understairs storage · Made in Dorking since 1995
Home/Understairs Storage
Turn the most awkward space in the house into drawers, cupboards and shelving that fit it exactly. Designed and hand-built in our Dorking workshop and fitted across Surrey and Sussex.
[Hero photo: bespoke understairs drawers and cupboards]
Over 30 years of hand-built wardrobes.
Every panel cut and edged in our own workshop.
On all movement of our sliding doors.
Rated by our customers.
Understairs storage
[Photo: understairs storage following the slope]
The space under the stairs is in almost every home, and in almost every home it is wasted. Too often it becomes a dark cupboard where coats, the vacuum cleaner and anything without a proper home get pushed in and forgotten. Finding anything means emptying half of it onto the hall floor.
The problem is the shape. The ceiling slopes, the space gets shallower towards the back, and no standard cupboard or chest of drawers fits it. That is exactly why it suits bespoke furniture. Because we design and make everything ourselves, we can build storage that follows the line of the stairs precisely, using every inch from the tall end to the shallowest corner.
We start by finding out what you actually need to store: coats and shoes by the front door, laundry, cleaning supplies, pet food and leads, or simply the everyday clutter that needs somewhere to go. Then we design a solution around it, with built-in drawers, custom shelving and cabinets arranged so the things you use most are easiest to reach.
Every piece is made in our Dorking workshop from high-density Egger panels with 2mm ABS edging, finished in colours to suit your hallway, and fitted by our own team.
Showroom visits by appointment.
Storage options
[Photo: understairs pull-out drawers]
Every staircase is different, so every design is too. Your understairs storage can combine:
Built-in drawers: deep drawers that use the full depth of the space, on full-extension runners so you can reach right to the back.
Cabinets with doors: for a clean, tidy finish that hides everything away.
Custom shelving: open or behind doors, at heights that follow the slope.
Dedicated zones: spaces planned for laundry, shoes, pet products, cleaning supplies and other items.
Hanging space: for coats near the front door.
The tallest part of the space is usually best for full-height cupboards, while the lower end suits drawers that you can pull out rather than reach into.
Ideas by use
[Photo: understairs boot room storage]
01
Coats on hooks or rails, shoes on shelves or in drawers, and a place for bags and keys, so the hallway stays clear.
02
Somewhere for the ironing board, vacuum cleaner, mop and cleaning products, all behind closed doors.
03
Food, leads, beds and toys stored neatly together, so everything is in one place.
04
Drawers and shelves for the things every home has too much of, organised so you can actually find them.
Why bespoke?
[Photo: understairs storage built to the slope]
[Photo: understairs open shelving and cupboards]
Closed doors and drawers give a clean, calm finish, which suits a hallway that guests walk through. Open shelving works well for things you grab every day, such as shoes and bags, or for displaying books and favourite pieces. Many designs combine the two, with closed storage lower down and open shelves where they are easy to see.
It is the same approach we bring to our made-to-measure wardrobes: measure every angle, design around how you live, and build it to fit perfectly.
[Photo: understairs storage matching the staircase]
Finishes
Your understairs storage can be finished in the same wide range of colours and materials as our wardrobes and furniture, from Super Matt and High Gloss to woodgrain and painted oak effects. You can match your existing doors and skirting, pick out a colour from the hallway, or choose a feature finish that makes the storage a focal point.
If your staircase is painted or has timber treads, we can choose a finish that complements it, so the storage looks like part of the staircase rather than something added afterwards. Samples are on display at our Dorking showroom, and you can see every option on our customisation options page.
Planning around what's already there
[Photo: understairs storage with access to the meter]
The space under the stairs often hides things that still need to be reached: a gas or electricity meter, a consumer unit, a stopcock or a tangle of broadband cables. A good design keeps these accessible rather than boxing them in. We look at what is in the space during our survey and plan doors, removable panels or open sections so you can always get to them.
Ventilation matters too, especially if you plan to store shoes, coats or laundry. We will talk through how air can circulate so the space stays fresh.
Our process
[Photo: measuring the space under the stairs]
01
Send photos, call us, or book a visit to our Dorking showroom.
02
We survey the space under your stairs, including the slope and depth.
03
We design drawers, cupboards and shelves around what you need to store, as hand-drawn or CGI images.
04
Every panel is cut and edged to fit in our workshop.
05
Our own installers fit it in place and check everything with you.
Why choose us
[Photo: our Dorking workshop and team]
An independent, family-oriented company that has been making wardrobes in Surrey for over 30 years.
We design, make and fit everything ourselves, so quality never leaves our hands.
Across our manufacturing and installation team.
2mm ABS edging on every panel and a 10-year warranty on all sliding door movement.
Trained in-house and CSCS-carded.
Federation of Small Businesses members with £5m public, employers’ and product liability cover.
Reviews
“I need some replacement sliding doors for a built in wardrobe in a flat in Guildford. I contacted a number of companies; Sliding Wardrobe Warehouse were outstanding in terms of response and quality of work. No problems at all; highly recommended.”
Andrew Walmsley · Google review
“Great wardrobes fitted over 10 years ago, still working perfectly and looking great!”
Maggie Thorpe · Google review
“We went to the showrooms in Dorking where we had a warm welcome from Mark who gave us all the information we needed on the Shaker style doors that we wanted. On the day of the installation the fitter, also called Mark, did a very professional job and cleared away afterwards.”
John Brooks · Google review
Areas we cover
[Photo: understairs storage we fitted in a Surrey home]
From our Dorking workshop, we make and fit understairs storage for homes in:
FAQs
[Photo: finish samples in our showroom]
Can’t see your question? Call us on 01306 741488 or ask during your showroom visit.
A mix usually works best: full-height cupboards in the tallest part of the space, and drawers in the lower part where reaching in is awkward. The right combination depends on what you need to store, which is why we design each one individually.
Yes. We can fit drawers, shelving and cabinets into an existing understairs cupboard, or open up the space completely for a fully fitted solution.
Yes. We measure the slope precisely and build the storage to follow it, so the space is used right to the shallowest corner.
Yes. Understairs storage can be finished in the same colours and materials as our wardrobes and furniture, so it suits your hallway.
Yes. Shoes are one of the most common things people want to store under the stairs, and we can plan shelves, drawers and hanging space around them.
Yes. We plan the design so meters, consumer units and stopcocks stay easy to reach, using doors or open sections rather than boxing them in.
Often it is most worthwhile in a smaller home, where every bit of storage counts. Fitted drawers and cupboards can hold a surprising amount and free up space elsewhere in the house.
It depends on the size of the space and the design. We will give you a realistic timeframe when we agree your plans.
Yes. Most understairs designs combine both, with tall cupboards where the ceiling is highest and drawers in the lower part of the space, so everything is easy to reach.
Every design is priced individually, depending on the size of the space, the mix of drawers, cupboards and shelving, and the finishes. We give you a clear quote once we have measured up and agreed the design.
Send us a photo or book a home visit, and we will show you what your understairs space could hold.