Case Study: Bespoke Under Stairs Storage Unit with Carpentry Creations
Client: Carpentry Creations
Project Type: Bespoke under stairs storage unit - design, CAD drawings & CNC supply
Partnership: CNC Supply by Elite Carpentry Services
Location: Private residential property
From pencil sketch to CNC supply: A full-service trade collaboration
At Clifford Design House, we work with skilled carpenters and joiners across the country to take bespoke joinery projects from early concept through to a fully production-ready outcome. This project with Carpentry Creations is a brilliant example of how our CAD studio and CNC supply service can work together as a seamless extension of a maker's own workflow.
The result? A stunning bespoke under stairs storage unit - olive green hand-painted, panelled doors, pull-out drawers, internal shelving and a distinctive curved end detail, installed and finished to a standard that perfectly matched the character of the property.
The Brief
Carpentry Creations came to us with a hand-drawn sketch, a set of site photographs, and a clear creative direction. The space - a traditional hallway with travertine tile flooring and a decorative painted staircase - called for a built-in storage unit that could make the most of every inch of the under stairs void.
The approximate width of the unit was noted on the sketch at 177cm, with the layout showing three main sections: a tall section following the diagonal rake of the stair, a central mid-height section with ventilation details, and a full-height end cabinet. All three sections featured panelled doors in a style sympathetic to the period property, with lower drawers running the full width.
The client had one particularly interesting design challenge: the end of the unit needed to feature a curved radius detail to mirror the curved wall on the opposite side of the hallway - a subtle but important design decision that tied the new joinery seamlessly into the existing architecture. Arriving at a practical solution for that curved end panel was one of the key design conversations on this project.
Our role: CAD Design & CNC Supply
Carpentry Creations brought the gorgeous craftsmanship, we brought the technical translation and the material supply.
What we provided:
Full 3D CAD design developed from the hand sketch and site photos, modelled to reflect the exact spatial constraints of the under stairs void
Detailed specification drawings showing elevations, internal configuration, door layouts, drawer positions and the radius end panel detail
A complete colour and material specification - painted finish in a muted olive tone (swatch confirmed by the client), with natural oak veneer internal carcasses and drawer boxes
CNC-cut components supplied ready for assembly, with the curved end panel resolved and produced to the agreed radius
Multiple 3D views and rendered elevations for client sign-off before a single piece of timber was cut
The drawings showed the unit in context - set against the existing staircase, door and hallway - so the end client could fully visualise what they were approving, with no surprises on installation day.
The Design Challenges
Working around a non-standard space. Take it from our team, the under stairs void is a space that looks straightforward until you start drawing it! The raking ceiling, the varying heights across the width, the existing door opening on the return wall, and the travertine plinth detail at floor level all had to be carefully considered and reflected in the CAD model before any manufacturing began.
The curved radius end detail. This was the most distinctive element of the brief. The client requested that the far end of the unit carry a curved profile to echo the curved wall opposite - a detail that gives the unit a bespoke, characterful quality that a standard square-ended cabinet may not have achieved in this period property. The curved section was created using formers that were made on the CNC, which allowed James to bend mdf around to create the shape with ease, ensuring a clean, consistent radius that would have been difficult and time-consuming to achieve by hand.
Designing in character with the property. The home had strong period character - ornate stair spindles, decorative mouldings, panelled doors throughout. Rather than a contemporary flat-panel approach, the design adopted traditional frame-and-panel door construction with raised moulding detail, a deep ogee skirting base, and bar handles in an aged brass finish.
The Outcome
The finished unit is exactly what a good bespoke under stairs build should be: generous storage that disappears into the hallway and feels like a natural extension of the home.
The three-section layout gives the homeowner flexibility - the tallest section opens to reveal stepped internal shelving ideal for baskets for everyday items; the lower drawers run on smooth full-extension runners and are perfectly proportioned for shoes and accessories; and the full-height end cabinet provides clean, closed storage for longer items.
Installed against the travertine floor, painted white staircase and neutral walls, the unit in its olive green finish reads as a confident design statement — grounded, traditional, and clearly made to last.
Why this collaboration worked
Carpentry Creations are local to our area, a repeat client and had worked within our network before, so when this brief came in, we were able to move quickly. The hand sketch gave us a clear starting point; our job was to translate that intent into something that could actually be built to the tolerances required, and to supply the CNC components that would save time in the workshop.
This is exactly the kind of project our trade service is built for: a maker with the skill to produce exceptional work, who needed a design and technical partner to handle the drawings and cut components - so they could focus on the build itself.
Services used on this project
CAD Studio - 3D modelling, elevations, specification drawings and client-facing visuals
CNC Supply - Components cut from our CNC service, as provided by Elite Carpentry Services, including the curved end panel
Design Support - Brief interpretation, material and finish specification, design resolution
Working on a similar project? Whether you have a sketch, a set of measurements, or just a brief conversation to start with, we'd love to hear about it.
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