How Deep Should Alcove Cabinets Be? Balancing Storage and Room Space

For standard book storage, 220–250mm internal depth accommodates both paperback and hardback formats comfortably. For AV equipment (streaming boxes, hard drives, amplifiers), a minimum of 300mm is required and 350mm provides useful clearance for cabling at the rear. For clothing and soft storage in a bedroom alcove, 450–500mm enables use of standard clothes hangers. For general display and decorative objects, 200–220mm is sufficient and does not project excessively into the room.

In rooms where the alcove does not project far enough to accommodate the required storage depth, the cabinet can project forward of the chimney breast face by 50–100mm without looking out of place. Beyond 100mm of projection, the unit begins to feel furniture-like rather than architectural. In very tight rooms — hallways and compact living rooms particularly — a shallower cabinet with well-specified interior organisation provides better room proportions than a deep cabinet that dominates the space.