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REVEALED: The Secret Door Bookcase

6/27/2020

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​by FaithTeel

The secret door is in, and we're finally done teasing you with "before" photos!

Well, maybe just a couple more to remind you first...
Before installing a secret door
Our client is a book lover - she loves them so much that she stacks them double-deep on the shelves. And like any true book lover, she's always dreamed of a library with a secret door.

This hallway was the perfect spot for one, especially since it had a rarely-used entrance to their attic storage.

We started with a drawing... you've probably already seen this...
Design for a library with a secret door
...and put it all together in the shop...
Testing the secret door in our Asheville cabinet shop
... then got onsite to install it.

Here's Glenn (my dad) holding up a sample of the fancy trim we used. Can you see the swoops in the plaster ceiling? This house is almost 100 years old and nothing is straight or level...
Checking the crown molding on the bookcase
... except for these beautiful new bookcases!  🤩
A library bookcase with a secret door in a home near Asheville NC
You can hardly tell which one is the secret door.

By the way, fun fact: if you scroll back up to look at the drawing, you'll see that the three bays of bookshelves aren't the same size. We had to do it this way because of the location of the attic entrance.

But the funny thing is that since you always see the bookcase from one side or the other because of the narrow hallway, you never notice. It just looks like a trick of perspective.
A hidden door in a home in Asheville, NC
Our client also had us replace two other, smaller bookcases as part of the same project. The first one was next to the stairs:
Before replacing sagging shelves
And there was another one at the far end of the hallway.
Before replacing a boring bookcase
We designed the one at the end of the hall to match the part with the secret door, with the same trim and molding details.

​The one next to the stairs would have looked odd with such heavy trim, so we sourced a more slender piece of crown, and also scaled down the trim.
Design for two blue bookcases in a hallway near Asheville NC
And just like the others, this one is extra-deep, with thick shelves, to accommodate a double layer of books.
Small blue bookcase in a stairwell
The one at the end of the hallway turned out particularly well. It's almost grandiose, but this is a homeowner who decorates with panache, so I know she can carry it off.
Blue bookcase in Asheville, NC
By the way, notice how these bookcases all have a double trim detail, as if there is a "case inside a case."

This detail was a real head-scratcher to install, but it was necessary to match the way the bookcase-door is built.

In fact, that's what hides the fact that there's a door there. Here's a couple of pics from the Murphy Door website to show you how it works.
How does a secret door work?
In this illustration, the left-hand part of the trim is attached to the bookcase. When you pull on that side of the case, it pivots on a pin hinge. Part of the doorway is blocked by the shelves, but there's plenty of room to duck in through the remaining gap.

Our client was very happy with the project - so happy that she told Arthur that she sat in the hallway for an hour one evening, just drinking in her awesome new library.
Home library in a hallway with a hidden door, painted Tiffany blue with crown molding
If you've got a special project you've always wanted to try, whether it's a secret door in your home library, or maybe the entertainment center of your dreams, give us a call. We love this stuff. ​
Call or email today


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Artisan Built-ins
Owner: Arthur Teel
​113 Rector Branch Road, Marshall, NC 28753

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  • Home
  • Gallery
    • By category >
      • Benches, daybeds & window seats >
        • Built in benches around fireplace
      • Built in shelving >
        • Built in floor to ceiling bookshelves
        • Built in shelving with lighting and windowseat
        • Custom floor to ceiling bookshelves
      • Cabinets
      • Custom Closets
      • Entertainment centers >
        • Arts & Crafts fireplace
        • Built in shelving around a fireplace
        • Modern entertainment center
      • Entryway >
        • English style mudroom cubbies
        • Entryway cubbies with bench and shelves
      • Fireplaces >
        • Built in entertainment center near fireplace - Asheville NC
        • Dark gray mantel with bookshelves - electric fireplace
        • Half height bookcases around a Craftsman fireplace
      • Furniture >
        • Entryway tables and sofa tables
        • The Lyrical Furniture Collection >
          • Round dining room table
          • Cherrywood writing desk
          • Curvy TV stand or entertainment center with sliding shelves
          • Kitchen island with curly legs
          • A pair of cocktail tables in walnut and cherrywood
      • Kitchen and dining >
        • Custom kitchen banquette seating with storage
        • Kitchen island with breakfast bar
        • Modern farmhouse table
        • Rustic modern built in desk
      • Laundry >
        • Laundry closet with built-in shelving
        • Laundry room and mud room makeover
        • Small laundry room makeover
      • Living room >
        • Low horizontal bookcases around a fireplace
        • Tall modern cabinet
      • Office >
        • Mail sorter cabinet and art desk - Asheville, NC
        • Office bookcase for a printer
      • Secret door
    • By style >
      • Contemporary / modern
      • Rustic
      • Traditional / transitional
    • All projects
  • Quality
  • What to Expect
  • Reviews
  • Pricing
  • Blog
  • Contact