Homeowners Got Creative With These Hidden Rooms Full Of Big Secrets

Incredible | 1/9/20

When you were a kid, there were few things cooler (at least interior design-wise) than a bookshelf that was secretly a door to a hidden room. There's something so intriguing about fixtures and rooms that are hidden away or disguised as normal, everyday objects. You can use a secret room to impress guests, store valuables, or just to get away from it all. Sometimes you want to keep the best parts of your house away from prying eyes.

Keep reading to see some of the most secretive, exclusive, hidden rooms on the internet.

A Secret Study

A large study has a round, wooden door of some sort.
Christies International Real Estate
Christies International Real Estate

This study looks like it's straight out of Middle Earth. The large door could pass as a hobbit hole in New Zealand without any problem. It also helps that the rest of the room is emphasized with accenting wood. You have wooden floors, a desk, cabinetry, doors, and even the ceiling.

It's quite an ornate door so we have to ask: is it leading to an important place?

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An Entrance Straight Out Of Middle Earth

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The round door opens to the hallway.
Christies International Real Estate
Christies International Real Estate
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Sure enough, the giant, round cutout was a door but we didn't expect it to lead to a simple hallway. Why the homeowners would implement a round door like this? Maybe just for looks, but we appreciate the eye for design that these homeowners have.

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Does this mean that those double doors to the left just lead to a cabinet? It seems like an odd way to get in and out of a room. The round door looks like it was modeled after the door to a vault.

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Just A Regular Ballroom (Or Is It?)

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A large, white space features a skylight and recess lighting.
Beauchamp Estates
Beauchamp Estates
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This space may look like a regular foyer or ballroom, but there's more to this room than meets the eye. Can you figure out what's so special about it? First of all, the room is huge. There also isn't much furniture in it.

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Whoever might own this house is definitely an entertainer. There's enough space here to throw the party of the century. Just look at that skylight! Keep reading to see how this space can completely transform.

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Now It's A Swimming Pool

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A large swimming pool fills the space of the white room.
Beauchamp Estates
Beauchamp Estates
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Like a frozen-over lake that melts in the summer, those marble floors just turned into a body of water. If you look closely at the pool, you'll notice that the design at the bottom is the same as the design of the floor from the previous photo.

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That means, more than likely, that the floor sunk lower and filled up with water. There must be an intricate system in place to remove the water and bring the floor back up when it's no longer time to take a dip.

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Check This Out

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bookcase
Pinterest/aafaye02
Pinterest/aafaye02
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Ed Skoudis is a cybersecurity professional and the mastermind behind NetWars and CyberCity. Naturally, someone with such a vast knowledge of cyber crime has a secret room in his home office!

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From a first glance, it appears that this is a run-of-the-mill bookshelf, flanked by a medieval suit of armor. The only odd thing is that there are only a few books scattered on the shelves. Wait until you see what's behind the ordinary-looking bookcase, though.

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A Secret Study For Making Evil Plans

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hidden office space
Pinterest/aafaye02
Pinterest/aafaye02
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When you swing the doors to the shelves open, a large room is revealed. This is an office fit for a king -- at least, a king of cybersecurity. Three are multiple computer stations as well as plush rugs and a nice overhead chandelier.

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This is the perfect spot to safely work and rid the world of cybercriminals, one bad guy at a time. Although it's not visible in the photo, there's also a comfortable seating area against a wall of windows, so it could be a nice place to take a nap, too.

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That's Not A Normal Bookcase

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A man stands in front of two bookshelves and appears to be pushing a button.
Bruce McArdle/Youtube
Bruce McArdle/Youtube
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We know what you're probably thinking: we have already seen a bookshelf change into a door. However, this bookshelf is a little unique. For starters, you'll notice there are two bookshelf cases next to one another.

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Not only is this trick door twice the width of the last one, but it appears to operate differently. The last one opens up manually like a door. In this image, the man looks like he's pushing a button.

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Hidden Away

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INCREDIBLY INGENIOUS Hidden Rooms and Secret Furniture 7-44 screenshot
Bruce McArdle/Youtube
Bruce McArdle/Youtube
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Everyone knows the old bookshelf is a secret passageway trick. This bookshelf door is a little bit different, though. It's actually made up of two bookshelves that part down the center to reveal an entrance to a secret room.

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You can't really see what's in the secret room in this photo because of the dim lighting, but maybe that was intentional. Some secret rooms should just remain secret. This is truly a classic hidden room.

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Stairs To Another Level

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set of hidden stairs
Pinterest/k0108475
Pinterest/k0108475
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This secret room is the ultimate in security. In the event of an emergency, the family can simply press a button and reveal a "panic room" where they can safely ride out any unfortunate situation. This is a trend that an increasing number of homeowners are turning to.

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Of course, the room could be used for fun activities too, like a hidden theater or game room. Not everything has to be so doom-and-gloom these days!

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A Stairwell Hidden In The Floor

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A living room floor is cutout and lifted to reveal a hidden staircase.
Trulia
Trulia
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This room looks pretty ordinary until the floor literally lifts up to reveal a staircase hiding beneath. If you wanted more floor space, after everybody is in this room you could close that trap door. You'd get more space to move around, not to mention that shutting that trap door is an excellent party trick.

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If you were visiting and the floor was closed, you'd probably overlook that an entrance was even there. Especially considering how glossy the floors are.

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What The Stairs Lead To

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The cutout of the floor from the previous room leads to a basement.
Trulia
Trulia
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As you may have expected, the staircase leads to the lower portion of the house. It appears to be a basement, which no one but the homeowners would necessarily know about. Unless you were looking for it, you might assume that the house didn't have this lower level at all.

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The staircase seems to lead down not one, but two flights of stairs. That's a lot of depth for a house that is seemingly without a basement. If these homeowners ever plan to sell, this would come as a pleasant surprise to potential buyers.

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A Floor Door

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A chair sits over a secret door in the floor that leads to a ladder.
notedeckofcards/Imgur
notedeckofcards/Imgur
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To the left, you can see what the room likely looks like when guests are over. You have a fireplace and a window on either side of a plush, blue chair. It would seem like that's all that's going on in this room. However, if you look closer, you'll notice something in the floor.

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That something is a small piece of metal that you'd probably only inspect if you were checking for something. Sure enough, the item is a handle to pull up a door carved into the wooden floor. This one doesn't lead to a staircase, but to a ladder going down.

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Netflix And Chill

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The ladder leads to a room below that has a large television and surround sound.
notedeckofcards/Imgur
notedeckofcards/Imgur
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Some men only dream of having a room to themselves, much less a hidden one. This space takes the typical "man cave" to a whole new level. To the left, you can see the ladder that someone would have climbed down in order to get to this room.

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From there, you have elevated wood planks that act as a wooden bench and could easily be dressed up for a bed. The space is dark and small, which is perfect for the theater setup that the homeowner has. With a large screen and surround sound, it's like a personal movie theater.

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A Ballroom Behind A Bookcase

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Pinterest/aninhahaeser
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This is definitely one of the more elaborate hidden rooms that we've seen. Built into the elegant wall of recessed, fully-lighted shelving is a door that opens into what appears to be a really large room. The tiling on the floor, the chandelier, and the arrangement of the furniture indicate that this might be a ballroom or another room where large groups of people can gather.

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That's real luxury right there! Most people don't have a ballroom in their home at all, let alone a hidden one.

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What's Behind The Poster?

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poster door
Pinterest/jorglo
Pinterest/jorglo
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The poster that this homeowner decided to use as a cover for their hidden doorway is very appropriate. Carter the Great was a famous magician, known for his amazing tricks and incredible acts.

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While we can't see much of what's behind the door, it appears that this hidden room might house a theater. Perhaps there's even a full stage back there where the homeowner can put on magic shows for their friends!

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A Dresser Straight Out Of Narnia

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An opened cabinet reveals a passage into another room.
KelseyPolo/Reddit
KelseyPolo/Reddit
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Here we have an opened-up dresser with a few pieces of clothing hanging up. As you can see, the back has been cut open. Furthermore, the wall that the cabinet is pushed up against is not a wall at all.

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Either the homeowners opened up this wall or leaned the dresser against it in such a way as to hide the opening that leads to another room. For all we know, the space could have been intended as a walk-in closet attached to the room.

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From Middle Earth To Narnia

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A small play room is painted to look like Narnia.
KelseyPolo/Reddit
KelseyPolo/Reddit
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It's safe to say that the family who lives here is probably fans of the Narnia series. They also must know an artist because those walls did not paint themselves. The room is covered from wall to ceiling with scenery made to look like we just walked into Narnia.

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The fact that there aren't any windows is actually perfect since it helps to preserve the illusion of being somewhere else. The kids who own those toys must love playing in this space. It's a safe spot for them to feel like they can be on their own and away from parents.

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A Very Private Bathroom

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bathroom door
Pinterest/robertgstoner
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Even if it didn't house an incredible secret, we'd be big fans of this teal room with the detailed built-in shelving and paneled walls. It's so chic and stylish, and the bright color gives it a cool edge.

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Even better that the shelf opens to reveal a posh hidden bathroom. It's great for those times you don't want to make a trip all the way through your mansion to relieve yourself.

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A Trapdoor Pantry In The Kitchen

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kitchen trap door
Photo Credit: Pinterest
Photo Credit: Pinterest
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We hope this door in the floor is ultra-secure because it would be terrible to take a tumble down into that pantry. Have a clear cover is nice to be able to see what food you have in stock, but it can make it harder to notice if the door is open or closed.

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This secret space is probably fine as long as you don't eat too many midnight snacks. Otherwise, this is the perfect secret space for a gourmet chef.

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Down The Hatch

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hatch door in floor
Pinterest/cjmaiden
Pinterest/cjmaiden
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It's pretty hard to guess what's happening in this photo. We see a large, carpeted room with not much color at all except for a splash of red in the furniture and flooring. And in the background, it looks like a woman is disappearing into a... hole in the floor? What on Earth?

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But it turns out that the opening leads to something very exciting! Read on to see where the woman is going.

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Sliding Into View

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yellow play room
Pinterest/trendoffice
Pinterest/trendoffice
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That "hole" in the floor was actually a sophisticated trap door leading to a fun slide that drops its passengers off into a bright and sunny playroom below!

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This room feels much friendlier than the space above it, and looks like a place you could really let loose and have a good time. This home is in rainy London, so it makes sense to have an indoor area for the kids to blow off some steam.

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A Cupboard Under The Stairs

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The door below the staircase leads to a carpeted area with pillows and a wizard sign.
Courtney Bonney/Facebook
Courtney Bonney/Facebook
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Just as you may have expected, this area is not used for storage at all. Rather, it's a hangout area, likely for children. Similar to the Narnia playroom, this space is clearly based on a story, in this case Harry Potter.

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In the book, Harry is forced to live under the stairs since his caretakers refuse to provide him with a proper room. That's why you see the "Wizards Only" sign on the door. It's a good thing there's plush carpeting in there or it may be a little uncomfortable.

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Storage Tucked Away

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The built-in shelf holding a plant is revealed to be a door leading to storage.
Incredible Machines/Youtube
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Naturally, the button opens up the plant display, which doubles as a door to the space beneath the stairs. Since most stairs have spare storage beneath them, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that that's where this trick door led.

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However, the plant display can easily mislead someone into thinking that there was nothing to see on the other side. After all, not every staircase has to have a closet below it. Most areas below the staircase certainly don't have such a complex entryway.

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Not So Average

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A woman stands in the living room of a modest apartment.
Lubos Bakyta/Youtube
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Here we have a somewhat small apartment. The glossy hardwood floors and bright walls open up the room as much as they can, but that still doesn't allow for a dining room as far as we can tell.

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To the right, you can see a modest kitchen that flows into the living room. The woman is reaching towards a small surface that's been secured to the floor and is probably what the owners use as their dining table.

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A Secret Dining Area

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A table and chairs lift out of a space in the floor that was previously covered by a rug.
Lubos Bakyta/Youtube
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Especially in urban areas, finding a place with a formal dining room can be just about impossible. These homeowners decided to make the most out of their space by setting their table and chairs into the floor.

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What appears to be no more than just an ordinary rug in the center of the living room is a cover for the secret compartment that holds a table and chairs. Some sort of device lifts the dining room set out from the floor and the room becomes a large space where guests can dine.

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A Classic Trick Bookcase

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A bookcase is actually a door to a hidden room.
BaconJacobs/Imgur
BaconJacobs/Imgur
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This is one of the more classic hiding tricks. We've probably all seen a movie where a bookshelf opened to another room. However, most people don't expect that unusual features such as those in movies would actually exist in real life.

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Especially considering that the bookshelf is flush with the wall, it doesn't seem at first that it would open. Rather, it appears to be a built-in that came standard with the house. Instead, the shelving mimics a door, swinging open to reveal a room.

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Studying In Secret

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A small room without windows has a leather chair, side table, and small fireplace.
BaconJacobs/Imgur
BaconJacobs/Imgur
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If you've ever felt like you just needed some time to yourself in the peace and quiet, you'll appreciate this room. It may be on the small side, but that's all you really need when you're alone, anyways.

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Though there aren't any windows, that just allows for more privacy. With a leather seat and footrest, a heater that looks like a fireplace, and a reading lamp, it's the perfect spot to catch up on a good book.

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A Crazy Staircase

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A staircase with careful woodwork appears to have an opening.
Courtney Bonnet/Facebook
Courtney Bonnet/Facebook
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The first thing that's obvious about this staircase is the fact that it has impeccable woodwork. Whoever these homeowners are, we hope that they appreciate architecture and have a taste for the incredible design here.

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However, the design does appear to be, in part, a coverup. It is so intricate that it almost distracts from the obvious crease below the staircase where a door might be. Many staircases have spaces below them, though. Perhaps this one is special.

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A Hidden Playroom

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playroom shelves
Pinterest/frnnd856
Pinterest/frnnd856
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Having a playroom in your home is just about one of the coolest things a kid could ask for. Unless you're talking about a playroom that has a secret room hidden in its walls!

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This spacious rec room has a wall of shelves holding all sorts of fun toys and games. What visitors might not realize at first, however, is that the ample shelves open up and lead to another room! We can see that the hidden lair is painted bright red, but the rest of the room is a complete mystery.

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A Passageway To A Different Sitting Area

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a hidden sitting room
Pinterest/scandanedo46
Pinterest/scandanedo46
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This home, with its stylish wood-paneled walls, exudes chic comfort. That red sofa built into the hallway wall looks like a great place to curl up with one of those books or even with a newspaper. And look! The shelf swings open and shows us that there's another room just inside.

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The secondary room has another comfy-looking spot for sitting and reading. It's unclear what else might be hiding in there but we're willing to guess that the room is outfitted with everything you'd need for a leisurely afternoon.

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A Door On Wheels

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Rolling-door in the wall
Pinterest/BrightGreenDoor
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One factor to take into consideration when planning a hidden room or secret space is its ease of access. You want to be able to quickly get into the hidden area when the need arises!

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The people who installed this secret storage area were smart to include wheels at the bottom of the hidden door. This way, it's a breeze to open and close, which might not be the case without the wheels.

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A Secret Button

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A plant display sits in a built-in shelf below a staircase.
Incredible Machines/Youtube
Incredible Machines/Youtube
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At first glance, this appears to be a plant display next to a staircase. However, you'll also notice that the copper statue to the left is turned upright. Straight out of a movie, the head of this mysterious figurine opens like a jewelry box to reveal a glowing button.

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However, it still could be all for show. The homeowners might have the item opened like that to trick guests into pushing a button that doesn't do anything, or could just like the appearance of the strange item out of an appreciation for treasure hunt films.

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No Ordinary Wall

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green vase
Pinterest/jhigbejax
Pinterest/jhigbejax
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If you're ever visiting this home and find yourself lost, just look for the large, lime-green vase in the hallway and you'll be set. The vase is the tell-tale indicator that there's a room hidden behind the stone wall, because you certainly wouldn't guess there was anything out of the ordinary there otherwise!

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It appears to be a large bar behind that secret opening, making it the perfect place to while away the hours until someone finds you.

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A Secret Tardis

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hidden theater
Pinterest/babble
Pinterest/babble
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This homeowner is clearly the biggest Dr. Who fan on the planet! They even have a TARDIS (that's the time-traveling phone booth from the series) in their home, that secretly conceals a hallway.

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The entryway leads to... what else? A private theater. It's obviously the best spot in the world to binge on Dr. Who. We wish we had a better shot of the theater itself, but can guess that it's pretty spectacular.

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Just A Simple Staircase

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stairs
Pinterest/pinideias
Pinterest/pinideias
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Here we see what appears to be a basic stairway leading up from the basement or ground level of a home. Nothing too exciting, really, apart from the stylish wood detailing.

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But as we know, looks can be deceiving. Can you guess where the secret opening is here? You'll see it in the next picture, but try and guess first. Perhaps there's a switch hidden in those shelves somewhere, or maybe the staircase will retract to reveal a doorway.

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More About This Space

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stairs-open
Pinterest/pinideias
Pinterest/pinideias
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It turns out that the entire rear wall recedes and we're able to get a peek of the room beyond. It appears to be one of the entries, to the home, perhaps at the basement level as we theorized earlier.

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The stairs might lead to a master bedroom or other room that the homeowners prefer to keep separate from the rest of the house, whether for privacy issues or security concerns.

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A Secret Trapdoor

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floor cellar
Pinterest/sapnwnewbie
Pinterest/sapnwnewbie
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Just think... if you visited the people who live in this gorgeous home, you might never have a clue that they own an extensive wine collection. That's because they keep their precious bottles stored securely underground, in a cellar that's invisible to the outside world.

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Once the door is opened, though, you can see that there's quite an impressive collection just down the stairway. Those must be some valuable bottles!

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A Personal Sauna

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Twitter/Mathieum3005
Twitter/Mathieum3005
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Blended in perfectly with this wallpaper design is the subtle outline of a secret door. Push it open and a heavenly sight awaits -- a luxurious steam sauna! It's the perfect place to unwind after a long day.

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The only reason we can think of to keep a glamorous sauna like this a secret is if you have a bunch of rowdy friends who would try and crash it all the time. Otherwise, we think an amenity like this should be shared!

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Come Read A Book Here

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book nook
Pinterest/msulmanali2970
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How clever is this idea! A bookshelf opens to reveal the perfect secret: a cozy, comfy nook for curling up with a good read. We love that there are two different seating options, meaning that the book-lover who lives here can invite a friend to join them in their secret space.

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What's really super is that this room really doesn't take up much more space than the shelf on its own would. Perfect!

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The Most Adorable Crawlspace

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great room for hide-and-seek
Pinterest/CaityPerry82
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The child, or children, who live here have it made! This looks like one of the most fun playrooms ever. And although their "secret" room isn't completely hidden, it can only be accessed through that small crawl-through door near the bottom.

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There are plenty of spots to pop your head out and say hello (or try and surprise people)! What an inviting and creative space for a kid to grow up in.