Sword display niche with smart moodlighting.

There's never anywhere convenient to hang your swords.

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One of the things I enjoy most about designing bespoke spaces is looking beyond what is there today and seeing what a space could become.

During this home extension project in Stourbridge, an existing recess left behind after removing the original patio doors needed to serve a practical purpose. On the kitchen side, it provided access to the pop-up extractor mechanism and ductwork, meaning the opening couldn't simply be filled in permanently.

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Rather than seeing it as something that needed hiding, I saw an opportunity to create a completely bespoke display feature that would become part of the finished home.

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Many builders would simply box the opening in and move on. I prefer to look for opportunities to add something unique wherever possible.

 

Seeing Opportunity Where Others See Empty Space

Every home has awkward spaces, unused alcoves or structural recesses that are often overlooked.

Rather than disguising them, I enjoy exploring whether they can become something practical, beautiful or completely personal to the homeowner.

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Features like this don't just make a room look different, they make it feel unique. They're often the details that guests notice first and become talking points long after the project has been completed.

By this stage of the extension, the customer had already trusted me with many of the design decisions throughout the project, so creating something bespoke for this space felt like a natural progression.

 

Designing Around the Customer

The homeowners are huge Lord of the Rings fans, so we decided this would become a dedicated display niche for their collection of replica swords.

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Rather than simply hanging them on the wall, I wanted the display to feel as though it had always been part of the architecture of the room.

The swords were mounted onto an MDF backing panel wrapped in a textured crushed velvet fabric, creating a subtle backdrop that allows the collection itself to remain the focal point. Around the recess, I built a floating frame that creates a shadow gap between the wall and the display panel, allowing concealed LED lighting to wash evenly around the perimeter.

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The finished effect gives the impression that the entire display is floating within the wall.

 

Smart Lighting with Complete Control

The integrated LED lighting isn't simply decorative.

The system is fully controllable, allowing the lighting to be adjusted from warm white through to cool white, with brightness also fully dimmable to suit different times of day and different moods.

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Because the lighting is integrated into the wider smart lighting system within the home, it becomes another feature the homeowners can enjoy every day rather than simply an ornament on the wall.

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Small details like this help transform a bespoke feature into something that genuinely enhances the overall experience of living in the space.

 

Precision Construction Behind the Scenes

Although the finished display appears beautifully simple, there was a significant amount of planning and precision involved behind the scenes.

The access panel still needed to remain removable for future maintenance of the extractor system hidden behind it, so the entire display was designed to lift away cleanly whilst remaining perfectly aligned when installed.

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Careful spacing was required to position each sword accurately, conceal all fixings and create consistent lighting around the entire display. Every edge, gap and proportion was considered to ensure the finished feature looked balanced from every angle.

Like many bespoke projects, it's the unseen design and craftsmanship that make the finished result appear effortless.

 

A Bespoke Feature That Reflects the Homeowner

This project perfectly demonstrates why I enjoy bespoke work so much.

It's not about adding features simply for the sake of being different.

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It's about understanding how the customer lives, what they're passionate about and finding opportunities to incorporate those interests into the fabric of their home.

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The finished display is practical, completely personal to the homeowners and unlike anything you'll find in an off-the-shelf solution. It has become a genuine focal point within the dining area and a feature that naturally starts conversations whenever friends and family visit.

 

Looking for Bespoke Design Ideas?

If you're planning a home extension, kitchen renovation or bespoke interior project in Stourbridge, the West Midlands or the surrounding areas, I'd be happy to help you explore ideas that make your home truly individual.

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Whether it's creating clever storage, architectural display features, media walls, custom lighting, bespoke cabinetry or making better use of awkward spaces, I enjoy finding creative solutions that combine practicality with great design.

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Every bespoke project starts with a conversation. If you have an idea, or simply a space you're not quite sure what to do with, I'd love to hear about it.