A home’s layout and architectural design is what gives it its footprint, its function and its overall feel. Home design trends in recent years have included open layouts that flow from room to room, multifunctional spaces that work for a variety of purposes, and transitional spaces — such as indoor-outdoor areas — that transform based on the needs, energy or weather in the moment.
What never changes, despite evolving floor plan design trends, is a desire for homeowners to make spaces work for them, to integrate interesting home design ideas and to make a house truly feel like a home — designed specifically for them. All of those things are true whether a home is custom built or purchased from another owner.
Everyone wants room layouts, design and style that speak to them. And adding a secret door could check several boxes on that wishlist.
Most people have a hobby. If not a hobby, a passion. And sometimes the items associated with those hobbies or passions require storage space. One way to add an innovative twist to an otherwise predictable storage space is by incorporating a secret door as the access point. And, because secret doors can be customized to individual specs and needs, they can include locking mechanisms, protection against forced entry or biometric access panels — all of which come in handy when a hobby or collection includes valuables, firearms or rare items.
Of course, secret doors can also disguise simple storage spaces, too. Everyone needs a catch-all space for items that don’t need to be on display, from holiday decorations to sentimental keepsakes to long-term food storage and prep.
Custom homes, built with architectural forethought from the ground up, rarely have spaces that aren’t intentional or already assigned a purpose. But, when those homes change hands, or when production homes find new owners, spaces can take on different meaning and utility.
Secret doors have the ability to bring new life or a new look to a space that otherwise might go unused.
Oddball spaces, with unconventional shapes or measurements, require creative reimagination so they can be utilized to their maximum potential. Think about quirky attic spaces or dainty coves that exist because of staircases or other architectural elements. It is those spaces where custom secret doors, that lift or slide or rotate, have the ability to completely transform an otherwise overlooked area into one with intriguing possibility.
The very concept of a secret door is one filled with novelty. The idea that a bookshelf could open to a secret room or a fireplace could slide to reveal a hidden retreat, is a pretty captivating one. And, it adds character to a space, and to a home as a whole, in a way few other architectural features can — particularly because the doors are customized to meet the specific needs of a space and the specific ideas of the homeowner. When coupled with innovative access functions, a creative secret door truly infuses a space with personality.
Learn more about our custom secret doors. Or contact our team to discuss specifications for a secret door you’re considering.
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.