When shopping for furniture pieces, or when preparing for home building projects, I always want to end up having items that have double functions.
Whether it be chairs that can also be used as clothes hangers, or sofas that can be folded out into beds, multipurpose products are some of the most functional things in the home.
Imgur user OhSkizz certainly holds the same belief, but set out to complete his own DIY project. Ever since he was little, he had wanted a secret door in his home (no doubt, he was inspired by a secret door that would open up a path and lead to a chilling, dark cave). So when he finally purchased a home of his own, he decided to fashion one of the extra doors in the living room into something a little more unique…
Not only were the end results completely transformative, they also allowed him to utilize extra space in a really practical manner.
Scroll further to see photos documenting the process of his project. Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Imgur user OhSkizz's bathroom has two doors. One leads into the bedroom, and the other into the living room. He decided to add a very distinctive feature to the living room door...and turn it into a secret doorway.
After creating a door frame, he built the shelving insert. Screws and Gorilla Glue were used to secure the placement of the shelves.
After it was sanded down for a smooth, even finish, the door was test fitted.
The user wanted an aged, rustic look to the shelf. So, he poured vinegar in a jar and added steel wool to make a mixture that would help oxidize the wood and give it a grey-purple finish.
He found that the resulting color depended on how much tannins (a staining component that occurs in various woods) the wood naturally had. Oak, cedar, redwood, and fir have higher levels of tannins, while woods like pine have lower concentrations, and as a result will receive a lighter stain.
After the stain dried, back panels and hinges were mounted to the door.
After the trim was stapled down, the secret bookcase came closer to completion...
But the latch still had to be made. This was a no-brainer: naturally, pulling on one of the books had to do the trick!
He cut out a wedge from inside the book, and, with glue, inserted a piece of wood with a screw attached to the back. The piece of wood was also hinged on to the bookcase.
A fishing line was mounted to the screw, and allowed the book to move freely to open the latch. In addition, a gate latch was secured so that the door would also be able to lock from the inside.
Here's the finished product...
Despite being surrounded by the original white doorframe, no one suspected that this bookcase was in fact a working door. We'd love to see the priceless reactions of family and friends upon seeing this intriguing bookcase!
What did you think of this surprising element to the home? Please SHARE if you loved this functional and creative piece of furniture as much as we did.
