Artisan Built-ins, Asheville, NC
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A "Tiffany blue" bookcase in a hallway... with a secret door hidden inside!

In one section in this hallway full of bookshelves, there is a secret door which allows a whole column of the bookcase to swing open and allow access to a hidden room. Can you pick out the door?
Blue bookcase in hallway with crown molding and secret door
Maybe this "before" photo will help.
Picture of hallway with attic door, before replacing bookcases
Our client was a children's book author, and she loved books so much that she had them double-stacked in her bookcases, which were beginning to sag. She knew she would need sturdier shelving, and she also wanted to make the best use of the hallway where she kept her home library.

Unfortunately there was a door to her attic which couldn't be blocked. So a hidden bookcase door was a natural solution, especially for a lifelong reader of mystery novels!

She also had a few other sagging bookcases in the same hallway which she was eager to replace, including this low pair of shelves just above her stairs...
Before replacing bookcases in stairwell
...and another skinny stack at the end of the corridor.
Before replacing bookcase in corner of hallway
We started by designing the large set of bookshelves with the hidden door. To save costs, we used a pre-made unit from Murphy door and matched the other two bookcases to the Murphy door.

Because of the configuration of the door, we knew we would have a lot of unused space above and below the shelves... and since our client has a flair for dramatic home decor, we suggested an old-fashioned dentil molding style of trim that went beautifully with the home's period architecture.
Artisan Built-ins' design for a bookcase in a hallway, with a secret door - showing the door closed
Here's another view with the bookcase door open. We were lucky to have just enough room in the narrow hallway for the door to swing!
Artisan Built-ins' design for a bookcase in a hallway, with a secret door - showing the door closed
In case you're wondering how the door stays so well hidden, here's a series of photos from the Murphy door website. The secret lies in the double layer of trim around the edges.
How does a hidden bookcase door work?
 The inner layer of trim is the door itself. One piece of the outer trim (on the left side in these photos) is attached to the door. The rest of the trim disguises the gap around the case. It all works on a pivot hinge.

Since our client wanted the other two bookcases to match the style of the large one, we included the double trim detail on all of them.

Artisan Built-ins' design for two more bookcases, one in a hallway corner and one in the stairwell
We had a little fun with this model... do you recognize the book covers masquerading as wall art? They're classic mystery stories for children.
Since the smaller bookcase would have looked a bit odd with heavy crown molding, we sourced a scaled-down version of the trim.

​It's these little details that set custom-designed furniture apart from the site-built kind of shelving you'd get from a trim carpenter.
The trim we sourced for the bookcases
Back at the workshop, we temporarily set up the door and tested the pivot hinge. It opens and closes like a dream.
Testing out the secret door
After we'd done as much work as possible in the studio, it was time to install the project on site.

This may have been one of our most complicated installations to date... not because of the secret door... we had planned very well for that and it fit perfectly. The challenge was in the floor and ceiling!
Installing trim on the secret door and dealing with a wavy ceiling
Can you tell how wavy the plaster is? The floor also had a one-inch drop in the center, below the door.

Fortunately we knew about this ahead of time, so we were able to make up the difference with careful trim details. ​This is another advantage of custom bookcases: they look like a seamless part of your home... even if that home is 100 years old and doesn't have a single level line to work from.
View of the bookcases from the left showing the false perspective
 By the way, there was another off-beat aspect to this custom bookcase design. If you scroll up and look at our original drawing, you can see that the three bays of shelves are different widths. There was no way to avoid this due to the location of the door... but you probably wouldn't notice it when you see it in person.

That's because you always see the unit from one side or another. It just looks like a trick of perspective!

​The next piece we installed was the case at the far end of the hallway. Check out the heavy-duty trim and the wonderful Tiffany blue shade (which we matched to the existing color on the walls).

This is one of our favorite of the three pieces, because it's so over the top. It almost looks like a frosted wedding cake.
Elaborate fancy blue bookcase with crown molding in Tiffany blue
Tall, narrow, ornate custom bookcase in pale blue - Asheville NC
Normally we build in a much simpler, more classic style, but this design was the outcome of our visit to the customer's home before we drew the design.

You see, one of our goals in our first visit is to get a sense of your personal taste so we can create a piece that works with the furniture and art you already have.

And this customer definitely decorates with flair, so she was thrilled to see that our design departed from the traditional Shaker style.
Close up of a pale blue bookcase with ornate trim
In fact, she told us she was so happy with the project that even before it was finished, she spent a whole hour one evening sitting in her hallway and drinking in the details.
Bookcase in a stairwell, with crown molding, painted Tiffany blue
The bookcase in the stairwell also turned out nicely. The uppermost shelves are just within reach. Of course, we had measured all of this carefully to make sure it would work for the homeowner.

The final product turned out beautifully, and it will continue to bring value (and intrigue!) to the home for many years to come.
After installing Tiffany blue bookcases in a hallway, with the secret door closed
If you have a special project you've always wanted to try, whether it's a secret bookcase door hidden in your home library, or an elegant set of bookshelves to warm up a room, give a call. We'll help you design the storage you've always dreamed about.
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Related:
Built-in shelves
Traditional / transitional

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Send us an email with your inspiration photos, and we'll give you a free ballpark estimate.
Email ArtisanBuiltins@gmail.com
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Artisan Built-ins
Owner: Arthur Teel
​113 Rector Branch Road, Marshall, NC 28753

ArtisanBuiltins@gmail.com
​www.artisanbuiltins.com
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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