Fix a Janky Murphy Door

3 years ago

We wanted a secret Murphy door, and our cabinet maker said with all confidence that they could build one themselves. Well they’ve been out three times to fix it, and this is what we’ve been left with.

It was originally swinging out and looked horrible. They rebuilt it and found out upon install that the new door didn’t fit. They then used the same door and just changed it to swing in, and this is their finished product. The painter has to come back out and fill in the nail holes & repaint it.

It very much does not look like a secret door. Anyone who comes over says “Oh cool. Y’all have a hidden door”.

I bought some white foam weather stripping that I’m going to put in the seam to hopefully make it look a little better, but I need more help.

What would you do other than buy an actual Murphy Door? How would you make it look better?

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Comments (10)

Susan
3 years ago
Would it help to have the trim moulding overlap the perimeter of the secret door a bit so it covers the gap??
Ashley K
Original Author
3 years ago
That was one of my suggestions, and they did overlap it more than it was before, but the door is still set back from the trim which is making that gap happen.
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palimpsest
3 years ago
Where's it go?

Honestly at this point I would be tempted to hang it up and just have them put a regular door there.

That's not looking well-crafted and because of where it is, it's more likely to be perceived as a gimmicky door than really be "hidden", even if it were more well executed than this.

I think they've shown they can't do it.

Don't put the weather stripping on that will make it even more clear that it's a door. No bookshelf is going to have weatherstripping on it.
Ashley K
Original Author
3 years ago
That’s kind of where I’m at too. We’re going to give the painters a chance to see if it makes a big difference. The weather stripping would be inset, so I don’t think it’ll look awful, but I know what you mean.
palimpsest
3 years ago
Having been through this process more than once, I have found that I will pick out things or design details based upon what I know people can accomplish well. If I don't think somebody will be able to execute something well, I skip it. I would rather have something plain executed well then something fancy that's not.
just_janni
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
^^^ you have to meet your craftspeople whee they are.

As soon as they are outside their comfort zone or skill level - the quality level decreases quickly
Ashley K
Original Author
3 years ago
We were going to order an actual Murphy Door, but the carpenter told us that they make them all the time and were confident in it. Apparently not. Lol
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
3 years ago
"As soon as they are outside their comfort zone or skill level - the quality level decreases quickly"

Pfffttt.

I talked an architect out of maple spheres on top of the newal posts in an auditorium years ago and into gloss black Corian. I had no idea how I was going to pull it off, but everyone loved them. I didn't make much money, but it when you're betting your money on your vision, it makes work exciting as hell, believe me.
palimpsest
3 years ago
One does have to take into account the Dunning Kruger Effect, on occasion.
PRO
Debbi Washburn
3 years ago
It was close. They should have brought the trim over even more.