Articles
Secret Door Ideas From Movies & Books
Dec
Bring to life your favorite secret door in your own home!
Read on to see how to recreate these hidden door ideas from famous movies.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Revolving Bookcase With Candle Trigger
Description: The grandson of the famed Victor Frankenstein, Frederick inherits the family Transylvania property. Inspecting it with Inga, he haphazardly discovers the entrance to the secret laboratory.
Investment: Medium to High
How to Recreate: Either order a custom, double rotating bookcase from hiddenpassageway.com ($12,000+) or order standard, single bookcase ($2,500).
True Fans: Select tilting candle stick upgrade ($450) as secret opening method. Tell your friends “Put the Candle Back!”
Harry Potter (2001-)
Secret Painting Door to Gryffindor Dorms
Description: Incoming students at Hogwarts are spellbound to find out that the entryway to Gryffindor’s dorm is a tempermental lady “alive” in an oil painting. Student must provide a verbal password to gain entry.
Investment: Low
How to Recreate: Purchase an out-swing Secret Mirror Door ($1,500). Replace glass with a poster.
True Fans: Order Wireless Tilt Sensor Upgrade ($450). Tilt Harry Potter book on nearby shelf for mirror to unlock.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Revolving Fireplace in Brundwald Castle
Description: Indiana Jones and his father attempt to escape from Brunwald Castle. Trapped by fire, Indy inadvertently discovers a revolving fireplace.
Investment: High
How to Recreate: To implement this secret door idea you’ll need to order a custom revolving fireplace. Fireplace is fully functional. $12,000+
True Fans: Place replica Indiana Jones artifacts on fireplace mantle
The Munsters (1964-66)
Lifting Staircase at 1313 Mockingbird
Description: The iconic staircase in the Munster’s mansions lifts up to reveal where Spot, the pet dragon, lives. As seen in the intro, Herman enters from this covert location.
Investment: High
How to Recreate: Create a motorized, lifting staircase from our custom team to match your mansion. $20,000+
True Fans: Automate Munsters theme song to play when staircase is activated.
Batman Begins (2005)
Secret Bookcase to Batcave
Description: Bruce Wayne’s stately manor also serves as the entrance facade for his elaborate bat cave – filled with everything from the Bat Mobile to a wide variety of gadgets. In Batman Begins, access is granted through a secret bookcase.
Investment: Medium
How to Recreate: Prepare your door opening and install our secret bookcase door ($2,500) to lead to either an entire basement or a smaller crawl space. Fill shelves with Batman memorabilia.
True Fans: Choose instead a custom secret bookcase door ($8,000+) with an automatic opener ($1000) and a piano-key code ($750) just like in the movie.
The Goonies (1985)
Trap Door to Cave
Description: A group of children who call themselves The Goonies follow a treasure map in a desperate measure to stave of their families foreclosure. A trap door leads to a subterranean wonder land
Investment: High
How to Recreate: Commission a custom trap door from our team ($10,000+) to blend in with floor stone. Have secret space filled with cave-like features. Note: our trap doors always open upwards!
True Fans: Frame Goonies map. Place finger on map on the treasure “X”for door to automatically open (+$1,500 upgrade)
The Addams Family (1991)
Secret Bookcase to Vault
Description: Gomez takes Uncle Fester on a dizzying and elaborate path to the family vault. Pulling just the right book, Gomez opens a bookcase door leading to the subterranean lair.
Investment: Medium
How to Recreate: Order a secret bookcase door from the Hidden Door Store. Fill with books. Place precious metals or other valuables in secret room, just like the Addam’s fortune.
True Fans: Upgrade to Wireless Tilt Sensor ($450). Tilt a book on the shelf to open bookcase door – just like Gomez!
Panic Room (2002)
Steel Hidden Door to Panic Room
Description: At first just an odd feature of her New York apartment, Meg (Jodie Foster) and her daughter escape to their hidden panic room as a night of terror ensues upon arrival of determined home invaders.
Investment: High
How to Recreate: Order any custom secret door (starting at $8,000) and add the Panic Room Configuration ($9,800) for features including massive vault-style mechanical locking system, steel composite armor plating, bullet resistance, and steel door frame.
High Level Security Options: Back-up power, pin-hole video system, phone line, etc
Clue (1985)
Mansion Full of Secret Passages
Description: A decadent but mysterious evening between a group of “strangers” is beset by terror when the butler, Wadsworth (Tim Curry), reveals that there has been a murder. Based off the famous board game, guests traverse the elaborate mansions – filled with multiple secret passages, including brick walls and fireplaces – to identify the killer.
Investment: Low, Medium & High
How to Recreate: Numerous options! Recreate the brick wall secret entrance ($10,000) Col. Mustard discovers that leads to a revolving fireplace ($12,000) or, more simply, use one one of our standard secret bookcase doors ($2,625).
True Fans: Use a murder weapon from the movie (revolver, candlestick, trophy, etc) as the device which must be moved or touch to open your secret passage!
The Hobbit (1937)
Doors of Durin
Description: Covert stone doors were fashioned to match perfectly with the mountain rock around it. In the proper moonlight, the door illuminates to reveal intricate curvature and Elvin wording, including the clue to its unlocking.
Investment: Low or High
How to Recreate: Inexpensive version: order In-swing Secret Mirror Door ($2,625). Replace glass with glow in the dark Doors of Durin print. Expensive version: custom project of double, out swing, stone facade doors ($15,000+). Commission an LED facade reminiscent of original artwork (ask for quote).
True Fans: Upgrade door to capacitive touch sensor to either open door or turn on lights.
Get Smart (2008)
Bakery Bookshelf Leading to Elevator
Description: A group of children during wartime play an innocent game of hide and seek, one hiding in an old armoire. Stepping between the hanging fur coats they stumble into a winter wonderland: Narnia.
Investment: Low
How to Recreate: Special order our armoire door (Price on request). Place in front of any door opening 38″ wide or smaller. Fill armoire with coats.
True Fans: Decorate the secret room with winter inspired decor, such as this fuzzy white ottoman.
Get Smart (2008)
Bakery Bookshelf Leading to Elevator
Description: Maxwell Smart lives a covert spy life. He and Agent 13 access numerous secret doors and passages. In this scene, a bookcase slides open after a confused Maxwell a pulls a ticket – revealing a hidden elevator!
Investment: Medium
How to Recreate: Order our Secret Bookcase Door ($2,500). Place in front of door leading to staircase. Place spy equipment on bookshelves.
True Fans: More accurately match a custom bookcase ($9,000) that slides in to your wall with automated movement ($2000).