Inspiration for secret rooms and hidden passageways is in great supply, especially when referencing Hollywood. From James Bond to The Matrix to Batman, Captain America, The Goonies, Indiana Jones and beyond, there is no shortage of cinematic examples from which to draw concepts for smaller scale — but no less intriguing — secret rooms at home.
It’s one thing to have an idea or a desire for a secret room and another to get one designed, built and functional. So, how do you add a secret room to your house? There are a few steps.
Determine its purpose. The seemingly endless possibilities that are out there for secret rooms can quickly overwhelm someone who is considering adding one to their home. So, it’s important to first understand the purpose the room would serve. Is it to secure valuables or protect firearms? Would it host monthly poker games, sports gatherings with buddies or wine tastings with friends? Or would it be a quiet retreat, offering a secret sanctuary tucked away from the energetic pace of the rest of the house? Understanding its role is the first step in creating a secret room.
Choose its location. Where will this secret room make the most sense in your home? Will you need to undergo a home renovation to add a secret room? Will you be able to repurpose a space you already have, perhaps an office or extra bedroom that isn’t being used? Or, are you able to add it to architectural renderings for a home that hasn’t even been built yet? Those are important questions to consider. And, it’s equally important to consider where a secret room will make sense on a floor plan when considering its purpose. For example, a panic room should be easy to access but not easy to find. And, a secret wine cellar should probably have some proximity to the living area as opposed to being closer to or linked to bedroom suites.
Select its features. Understanding a secret room’s purpose and location informs the features that the room will need, from its door type to the room’s size to its level of protection. A secret room that protects and secures firearms, valuables or family members will have very different features from one that acts as a novel and lively entertainment space. Panic rooms, for example, would include video monitoring of the exterior of the room while a hidden wine cellar may require environmental climate control and an entertainment space might call for special acoustics.
Are you considering adding a secret room to your home? At Creative Home Engineering we design and build custom spaces. Reach out to our team to discuss your vision.
Creative Home Engineering, a Gilbert, Arizona-based company, is the global leader in designing and manufacturing secret doors. From swinging bookcases to sliding walls to rotating fireplaces and safe rooms, Creative Home Engineering has been an innovative leader in the field of hidden passageway design for more than 20 years. Learn more at www.hiddenpassageway.com.