Secret Bookshelf
A summer project for my parents
Bookshelf with door closed
Door open, trim closed
The tattered book in the center is the latch handle.
Closeup of the cable
Trim surrounding the door opens via cabinet door hinges
Latch mechanism: a gate latch is opened via the cable attached to a book
Closeup of the wall design
Skills
Construction
Interior Design
Timeline
Jun - Aug 2024
9 weeks
The Story
In 2001, my family moved into the house I grew up in. My parents converted the upstairs attic into a bedroom, which I shared with three of my brothers for most of the time I was in elementary school. After my last few siblings moved out of the house, it became a crowded storage room which doubled as a spare bedroom. The secret bookshelf converts my parent's attic into a usable office space and a spare bedroom, with a fun way to move between the two.
The bookshelf is made of maple plywood, finished with a dark walnut stain and polyurethane. To open the secret door, a book is pulled which opens a gate latch, unlocking the door. The trim surrounding the door swings open via cabinet door hinges, providing extra space to move furniture through the doorway.
Sketches
Door in the center with cabinets on the bottom
French doors with cabinets on the bottom
Door in the center without cabinets
Final ideation sketch:
Frame dimensions:
Fabrication
Click the video to see the process!!