Secret Doors
The art of concealment
You don’t have to be Harry Potter or James Bond to enjoy the novelty of secret access and egress via a seemingly invisible door or panel – Groth & Sons can build hinged door panels for discreet storage or concealment, along with secret door bookcases that offer inconspicuous access to adjoining rooms. The illusionary effects are endless and can be achieved using leather-bound book spines, tromp l’oeil or decorative panels. Secret doors can also be used in conjunction with wainscot panelling to great effect.
Personalisation
There is something quite wonderful about the surreptitious withdrawal from one room to another or equally being able to stand in front of what is conceivably a fixed wall or bookcase and with just a simple push being able to walk through your hidden secret door bookcase, a little bit of magic, with perhaps a nod to the world of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five.
To add to the illusionary effect of secret doors, Groth & Sons have employed numerous ideas: they have hung framed artworks directly to the wall which moves with a mobile wall panel, and they have engaged the use of elaborate artworks in oils and acrylics to add that very personal statement, incorporating images tailored to their client’s requests. This may combine personalised book spines, images of sentimental value, or a collection of their clients most treasured possessions.
Practicality
A recent project saw the completion of a secret door leading into an entire room for the storage of medical files which totally segregated them from the sight of the adjoining home library cum music room. This allows the two areas within the space to have their own narrative, providing an aesthetic, yet very practical outcome.
Another project saw the client purchasing the adjoining apartment in a North Shore residence and rather than access from one front door to the other entry was provided via a secret door which is part wainscot panelling, adorned with gold-framed artwork. I know that on more than one occasion, they have played tricks on their guest by their stealthy disappearance once backs are turned, only to reappear once again, as if by magic, leaving their visitors slightly nonplussed.
This highlights the fun which can be achieved by the designer, but the emphasis should not be just on sheer folly, a secret door can allow the designer to play with the narrative of the space and engage it for very practical reasons.
Design elements
For an internal space to work well, it must first and foremost address one’s needs in terms of functionality, but a design that is exclusively functional may not always meet our requirements for self -expression. To create a mood , space should be comfortable, relaxing, and stimulating and should connect to the emotions intended for the space usage. By incorporating a secret door bookcase, not only is this a distinctive and fun approach to an interior space, but it is also a very useful design element and one that can evoke an emotional response, creating a very special narrative to an interior space. Implemented appropriately the effect can be comforting, reassuring, and arouse the senses.
Integrated artworks
This image shows an elevation with elegant wainscot wall panelling to the base and above the dado rail, there is an art work covering the entire wall. Captured in acrylics are a few of the client’s favourite things, the sheet music has a much-loved piece which is transcribed note for note, and the envelope has the owner’s grandmother’s handwriting, and a corner of the note paper reveals part of the detail of an old family apricot jam recipe. Visitors are always too engrossed in the artwork to ever work out that a section of the wall leads off to a marble-lined bathroom.
Let’s talk secret doors
Have you been thinking about a secret door for your space? Don’t wait any longer – call Groth & Sons!
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Hidden doors in your home
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Other Services
Residential library design
Groth & Sons, the bespoke library outfitters, specialise in the design and construction of home libraries and custom bookcases and love every part of the process.
Custom Joinery
Unique pieces from Pilasters and pedestals, through to entablatures and other architectural elements. Add a little flare to your interior.
Wall Panelling
Enrich existing design elements and add architectural interest to your interior. From wainscoting through to decorative boiserie.
Kitchens
A well designed and comfortable kitchen is one of the greatest attributes to a good life and happy household. It is the social hub, the think tank, a provider of nourishment and pleasure.
Custom Ladders
A well-designed and crafted library ladder is a thing of beauty and does set a tone to the room, transporting you to another world, turning a row of built-in bookshelves into a potential film set.
Home offices
The innovative designs of Groth & Sons built-in furniture offer ample display storage and clever concealment of 21st C office technology interfaces, creating spaces that make time spent here more enjoyable, more efficient and therefore more productive.
Replica Book Panels
Groth & Sons Replica book panels equate to over ten times the volume of the real book alternative making them a “No Brainer” from a logistical point of view
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