This Unassuming Bookshelf Holds A Clever — And Funny — Secret

Judith Bolduc

November 18, 2015

If you’ve ever wanted to add a little mystery to your life, you’re not alone. Imgur user and inventive carpenterOhSkizz wanted a little mystery, too. Of course, the door they just repurposed doesn’t hide a secret lab or a dungeon. It leads to the bathroom, but hear me out.

The bathroom was built with two doors — one to the master bedroom and one to the living room — but OhSkizz found that living room door to be something of an eyesore. How could they repurpose it while still keeping the functionality? By hiding it with a bookshelf, of course!

1. First, a frame was made to hold the shelves.

2. And the shelves were built to rest inside.

 

3. Luckily, it was a perfect fit!

 

4. A very knowledgable building inspector was called in to check things out.

 

Inspector Dot gave her stamp of approval, so they were good to go.

5. To achieve a distressed look, they created a mixture of steel wool and vinegar.

 

That’s really, really, not lemonade. The liquid, when applied to raw wood, oxidizes and creates a weathered-looking surface. If you’re interested in trying it, check out this tutorial.

6. The steel wool and vinegar solution really makes an amazing difference. We thought this was stain at first!

7. When dried, the wood looks really rustic.

 

8. The back paneling was then added. The whole thing was attached to the door frame with hinges.

 

9. The hinges were covered up with some trim. Secret doors need to be secretive, after all!

 

10. The trim had to be sanded down slightly to ensure that the door could be opened and closed easily.

 

11. And it worked!

 

12. Of course, a secret bookshelf door needs a secret book latch.

 

13. They fixed a piece of wood and a screw inside the book, which pulls on some fishing line and opens a regular gate latch inside.

 

Complicated, but awesome.

14. This is the actual latch.

 

OhSkizz said that one day, they may replace all this with an electromagnet latch, or even some kind of automated system.

15. The whole thing is pretty genius.

 

16. The finished product!

 

17. In case you were wondering, it still leads to the bathroom.

 

Talk about privacy! And there’s always reading material.

Okay, so a bookshelf door might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to remodeling, but it’s certainly a fun, unique way to add some character to your house!