A few weeks ago, I shared our fully remodeled bathroom, and after that, I was so excited to reveal its secret: a toilet paper shelf hidden behind a print, between the studs (!!). This is the type of creative feature that I LOVE to incorporate where I can: something surprising, and useful, and a fun little secret.
(Of course, it’s not so secret anymore considering it’s my favorite feature to show off, but that’s alright.)
The best part about sharing it with all of you is that you loved it too! So, today, I decided to do a little round up of other secrets in beautiful homes. I’m talking hidden rooms, doors, storage, and more! Because while our moms may have taught us that keeping secrets is wrong, it’s also pretty fun…at least this version is.
Plus, that shelf is hardly the last secret I want to incorporate in our home—so this is a heaping scoop of inspiration for me, too. Ready? Let’s tell some secrets.
Secret Pantries
As you know, I love a beautiful pantry. But, they’re not always the most organized, and the entrance isn’t always convenient. You’re left having to break up your cabinetry with a pantry door, right? Wrong!
As Studio McGee proves, you can keep that clean, polished look in the kitchen while hiding a pantry in plain sight. Want to see how it works? Here’s a video version that I love to watch on repeat:
Who wouldn’t want this in their house?? Just for the cool factor alone, we LOVE this option.
And here we have a slightly simpler version of the pantry hiding among a wall of cabinets. In both cases, the hidden pantry creates such a clean look in the kitchen, so there isn’t an obtrusive door breaking everything up. A nice idea that results in SO much storage.
Hidden Rooms
Pantries aren’t the only room you can hide! Why not hide a speakeasy, a playroom, or even your office in plain sight? Jasmine Roth of the HGTV show Hidden Potential is my favorite for hiding fun things like this. Check out this lovely built-in bookshelf in a dining room:
Nothing to see here, right?
Boom! Pull on the right book, and the shelf opens to reveal a speakeasy room, complete with fun wallpaper!
Don’t you love this idea for an entrance to a bar or entertaining area? Of course, it would also be a great office if you don’t want to be disturbed while you’re working…
Another hiding room example is this primary suite, in which the door to the bathroom is hidden in the slat wall to make it less obvious where the door is. This is such a great idea if you want an accent wall but also need to fit a door in.
In fact, this kind of hidden door is called a jib door and I have a few more examples coming at you right now:
Jib Doors Blend Right In
A jib door is a flat door designed to blend into the wall, and they usually line up with paneling, molding, or wallpaper to create a “hiding in plain sight” effect.
If you watched the Netflix show “This is a Robbery” you’ll know what I’m talking about (but the secret door! who knew about the secret door???).
This is a great idea if you have a door you can’t eliminate but you don’t necessarily love the visual of having a door there. There are varying degrees of hiding here, from the full-on secret door to just a more subtle door that doesn’t break up the sight lines. Ready for the examples?
This jib door is disguised by both the wallpaper and the molding, but you can still tell it’s there if you’re looking for it.
I love this example of a jib door hidden in vertical molding (a look I’ve been loving lately). Adding the hooks makes it really feel like a part of the wall—smooth!
Wondering what’s behind the secret doors? I love this example of a beautiful glossy bar hidden behind a secret door in the wallpaper. Real speakeasy vibes here.
Hidden Storage
Of course, sometimes you don’t need to hide a whole room, but just want to sneak some extra storage in (like we did with our toilet paper shelf). No problem! There are tons of cute solutions that go way beyond the medicine cabinet you’re thinking of.
In this DIY closet (!), there are shelves hidden behind the mirror—SUCH a smart way to maximize storage space, and definitely an idea we’re considering for our primary closet.
Another great idea when space is tight? Sneak storage in behind paneling. See that little knob on the wall panel? It’s cleverly hiding a bit of extra storage. Subtle, chic, and practical.
In a full circle moment, let’s end with these pictures hiding storage. See the little hooks for the dog’s leash, keys, and sunglasses? So perfect when you walk into the house—nobody likes having those things pile up on the kitchen counter. There’s even a secret window to the playroom that’s behind this wall—cute!
What Secrets Does Your House Have?
So there you have it, an extensive roundup of home secrets, from entire secret rooms to hidden pantries and sneaky storage.
Do you have any secrets in your house (or are you dying to incorporate them after seeing all of these examples)??? Tell me in the comments what you think of all of these ideas!
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