My BIL built a house that has this built-in book case in a hallway, and it swings out (rollers-it's huge) to reveal a secret room.

It's awesome! His kids think so!

Check out Houzzlinks, including [this[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/secret-passage-phbr0lbl-bl~l_43396) one.

Many long for that secret passageway to Narnia!

Thank you for those links....I think we know where we can add a bookshelf secret door, but what in the world does one do in a secret room? Like, what's in there? Where does it go to? What do you do in a secret room? LOL! That's seriously where I am right now! Ok, so my initial thoughts are: secret cigar room (but, then we would need extra $$ for air filtration and I don't really even want my husband smoking cigars given family history of lung cancer). Or secret door that leads to an outside door to "secret" enclosed patio? My creativity in this area is dead.

My SIL also did the swing out bookcase. The room functions as theit office. It's right off the family room, and it has windows and doors to the outside just like the family room. It's not really that secret, if you study the exterior you would figure it out eventually.

.I think we know where we can add a bookshelf secret door, but what in the world does one do in a secret room?

Secret stuff.

Check Pinterest for more ideas. I've also seen outswing bedroom doors used and covered fairly cleverly.

In this neck of the woods, they can be storm shelters, gun/armory rooms, wine rooms, safe rooms, long term food storage rooms, even a man cave. Remember out of sight, out of mind.

I think your DH needs to come up with what it will be used for, since it's his request. :-)

Music room?

How 'bout a game room? As small or large as you want. With video games, a card/poker table, air hockey and/or pool table. If your pic is current (beautiful family, BTW), you have 2 small children and one kid at heart ;-) I think having a space for all of them to enjoy is a good idea, since your children will probably be intrigued by a secret room too. It could double as a safe room/storm shelter for increased practicality.

"I think we know where we can add a bookshelf secret door, but what in the world does one do in a secret room?

Secret stuff."

Lol...you sound like my husband, which is why I'm in this predicament. Our initial plans, based on a meeting with the builder and my husband, also included a 15x16 foot "Golf Lounge." WHAT IN THE WORLD?????? After that, I had to step in. Men.....

Ok, what do you think about a "secret door" between the outside/exterior down to a mudroom in the basement (for changing out golf shoes....we will be living on a golf course), hidden behind this door:

(I know I initially said "no basement" ideas, but I'm not sure how to make it "function" with anything other than man cave stuff!

Sunny days...great idea.

'Secret Crypt'.

AWESOME!!!

Probably more expensive than you want to consider....but what about a secret passage to back spiral staircase that goes from the second floor hall (behind a bookcase would be best) to big walk-in pantry on first floor and game room in basement?

Okay, that's what I would do! LOL But I watched a lot of Scooby-Doo as a kid : )

http://gfestblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-to-get-your-own-batcave-entrance.html

"Sunny days...great idea."

Thanks, @ILoveRed - we're pretty happy with the way ours turned out!

Do you want a secret passage? Or do you want a secret room? My parents have stone wall in the LR with the fireplace and an arched door, the door is on the same step as the hearth, so it isn't really secret, but feels like it. It leads to the library, which also has a door to the hall around the corner. It's all wood-paneled with built-ins and a corner window, very cozy and secret-ish, but it is used quietly daily.

so, you could have a secret passage bookcase or hidden door, but it leads to a room you actually use, and is even cooler if the room has another entrance.

My upcoming build will have a few "secret" things.

One will be into a safe room in the basement(really a tornado shelter but people think safe room sounds cooler LOL).

I will also have a hidden door to slide groceries into pantry from the foyer. I may make that a full sized door disguised as a bookshelf, not decided yet.

We will also put a gun safe somewhere in a false walled room. (as well as store paperwork important documents there).

The builder that is doing our house has also put lofts in kids bedrooms, not exactly secret but a cool spot for kids to have a little fort area.

If I had a layout where this would work, I'd love a secret door into a powder room. Or a wet bar like in a James Bond type movie.

The most disconcerting "secret" room I've come across was accessed from a closet corner of a finished basement of a small bungalow. Walk up the stairs there and you found yourself in a large cathedral-ceilinged room with a wall of windows looking onto the ravine behind the home. I couldn't understand where this room with no access at grade to the rest of the house came from! Turned out to be the original attached double garage with the garage doors still on the front covered by a false wall.

At one point, I had a house plan that had public study/library space with regular hallway entrance and an adjacent private study in the master wing. A secret door joined the two.

Our house has a small secret walk-in closet behind my husband's closet. You open up a shelving unit and there it is. We keep Christmas gifts hidden in it. We plan to put a similar closet in our new house with a fire safe in it.

Check out these people:

http://www.hiddenpassageway.com

And if you want to keep it secret, please don't show it on the construction drawings. Something of this nature can be handled between you and the person doing the work.

In order for a secret room to be worthwhile, you need to have something you really want to keep secret. For example, a grow room, an armory, a safe room, etc.

If you're just looking to indulge a childhood fantasy, honestly, there are so many other places you will need this money. I also wouldn't want to constrain my designer with something that is likely going to get edited out later once reason settles in.

In initial talks with my builder I mentioned I would like to have a built-in gun safe that was pretty much out of sight or hidden. He said that was doable and they had also built secret safe rooms in some their homes. I'm considering designing in a very small secret room that would function as a safe room as well as storage of guns/valuables. If it fits into the design/budget remains to be seen but it is on my wish list.

I recently visited a large mansion built in the 20's. It had a "speakeasy" in the basement that could only be accessed by a hidden door in the upstairs library. The paneling was unlocked by a latch in a cabinet about 8 ft away and a narrow door swung over an "alternating tread stair" to a basement room where there was a quarter circle bar diagonally across from built-in benches for a table with an adjacent room for wine racks.

Today you must be careful to not trigger the code requirement for a window for ventilation and/or emergency escape.

I would have a hard time justifying the expense of a secret door unless I could do something practical with it. I really like some of the hidden pantries I've seen posted on the kitchens forum.

If cost and practicality don't work out, maybe your DH would be satisfied with some concealed cabinets. These fit between the studs and also come with wooden shelves. I think it would be nice to have one near the door to the garage for keys, or as a medicine cabinet (especially if a bathroom is tight on space.) You use your own art or photo and of course switch it at any time.