Magical Storage

This week we’re delighted to bring you another success story –  this time, children’s bedroom storage with a real touch of magic.

Jali custom storage in childrens bedroom

Making the Most of Challenging Spaces

We’ve discussed before about the challenges created by limited space at home. UK houses are the smallest in Europe, and every centimetre matters.

However, even rooms with lots of space can be difficult to furnish. Awkward shapes, Unusual sizes, awkward shapes and features that interrupt a wall can make it tricky to install standard shelves or cupboards.

As a result, off-the-shelf furniture often fails to fit properly or wastes good valuable space.

Finding the Right Solution

Traditionally, homeowners had two choices. They could invest in expensive, disruptive work from cabinet makers or bespoke joiners. Alternatively, they could find a more flexible and satisfying solution with Jali.

Our latest customer to share her completed Jali project is Sue.

So, get comfortable — Sue is going to share her story.

Creating a Magical Space

Sue had recently converted her loft into a shared bedroom for her two children.

She wanted to create something special and she needed to find a clever way to store their toys, clothes, and books..

“We love children’s books, and I wanted to create a magical space where they could easily see and reach their favourite stories.

Designing Around the Room

The loft’s sloping ceilings created an issue. After considering the options, Sue decided the best place to store books was around the dormer window.

So rather than hiding the awkward shape, she turned it into a feature.

She designed a child-friendly window seat as part of the bookcase plan, creating a cosy reading area that made the most of the space available.

Here’s the space Sue had to work with, and the first part of the installation:

Start of a bespoke child's bedroom storage project

Choosing Jali Again

Sue had already used Jali twice before. She created custom bookcases and cabinets for her living room alcoves and master bedroom.

So, when she needed another bespoke bookcase, Jali was the first choice that came to mind.

Designing the Perfect Solution

Since her previous orders, Sue noticed that Jali had introduced several new options. She spent time playing on the 3D designer tool and experimenting with different ideas.

After trying out various designs, she created a solution that worked perfectly for the space in her room.

Complete Control Over Every Detail

Sue appreciates the flexibility that Jali offers.

Every dimension can be customised, from the depth of each shelf to the height of the skirting board. She could amend every detail to suit her needs.

The designer tool also allowed her to experiment freely. She saved multiple versions of her design before choosing the final one.

This made the whole process simple, creative and completely suited to her home.

In a Tight Space …

Stage 2 of a bespoke Jali child's bedroom storage project

Creating a Perfect Fit

Sue needed the unit to fit neatly into a tight space behind a door frame. She wanted a smooth, seamless finish with no gaps and no wasted shelving space.

Every millimetre mattered. In fact, when space is limited, even the tiniest measurements become important!

Getting Expert Advice

Before placing her order, Sue contacted Jali to check her design.

Mark helped review her plans and offered some useful suggestions. He shared a few small adjustments that helped her gain extra shelf space in several areas.

Those little tweaks made a big difference.

Building the Finished Design

Sue ordered three separate sections:

  • A wall-to-wall bookcase unit
  • Two shelving units placed above it, on either side of the window

Once she had assembled and painted everything, the pieces came together to create the look of one complete built-in unit.

The final result impressed the whole family.

Adding the Finishing Touches

The measurements worked perfectly, so Sue added a few personal details to complete her vision.

She made a foam cushion for the window seat using some beautiful map fabric she already had. She also added some fairy lights and, of course, filled the shelves with books.

Now, the children can easily see and reach their favourite stories. They have also enjoyed rediscovering books that were previously difficult to get to.

Jali bespoke bookcases in childrens bedroom

Hey Presto!

Amy from Jali spoke for us all when she told Sue that her photographs were “wonderful and you are a STAR mum. The whole team is really impressed and think your children are very lucky.” Childrens’ bedroom storage can be a real headache – too ‘twee’ and children will quickly grow out of it; too ‘on-trend’ and they won’t feel it’s really been done for them.

Jali bespoke bookcases around window in childrens bedroom

Voila!

We think Sue has got it absolutely, down-to-the-last-millimetre right – we totally understand her desire to use every bit of her limited space. Her photo, above, clearly shows the limitations of the door frame, right, and the dormer window space, left. And we love her joy at finding the perfect use for hoarded fabric – for example, we have a roll of French 1920s apricot colour, silk-velvet ribbon we are definitely going to use this Christmas!

Store books and toys in bespoke Jali bookcase