Secret conveniences
Once upon a time, for most of us, the secret exit at home was to quickly slip down the cellar stairs and make it out the bulkhead. As long as you didn't drop those heavy doors and give it away with a bang, you could be secretly out and free!
That cellar escape route was definitely not as glamorous or as efficient as a beautifully finished bookcase with a hidden button that could secretly get you from one environment to another in seconds; or a narrow door disguised as clever wall paneling. And, if no one but the insiders know about it, either one could lead to a special lair for respite or just an escape from the crowd, to an exit route.
Privacy, convenience and efficiency are a few of the motivations that encourage clients to ask their Interior designers for solutions for quick escapes and easy access to adjacent Interior environments. For instance, instead of exiting one room and walking down a hallway to enter the adjacent room, having an unobtrusive, hidden door can cumulatively save minutes that sum up to hours on a busy professional's schedule.
Convenience is a very close relative of Efficiency. Your professional Interior design team knows that to rationalize and maximize one of these concepts, usually involves equal consideration of the other concept.
Just as Convenience considers access, relevance and placement, Efficiency considers time, relevance and simplicity!
There are obvious opportunities to include secret conveniences: in your new construction plan, your Interior design plan, your Interior environment refreshment plan, your Interior space renovation plan or your addition/expansion plan.
Because secret element concepts do involve new or modification construction, your Interior designer will no doubt provide your project with appropriate construction expertise. Any modification construction will take into consideration the existing structural disciplines.
Motivations for secret hidden spaces and quick exit portals vary, relative to the primary identification of the Interior space: commercial, business, professional, municipal or residential. Some are for simple efficiency of passage; some are for the security of valuables; some are strictly for privacy and retreat. But, let's also add just plain fun!
A typical use of the hidden door concept has been on a stage or platform such as where a community council group meets before the gathered townspeople. It is certainly more convenient to slide an unnoticed panel, in the wall behind their chairs, to exit, rather than crossing a stage then down steps and all around.
Consider a hidden playroom for the kids and their playmates, with the delight of them having a hidden (secret!) way to access — and corral the toys & books, too.
There clearly are practical, esoteric, fun and security reasons to consider secret conveniences! Who hasn't seen an old noir movie where secret passageways and hidden rooms abounded! In fact, there are often very innovative surprises in many of the historic Victorian houses, in the process of refurbishing. Interior design professionals have had many occasions when a wall reveals a boarded up passageway or hidden stairway, probably used by household staff — lest they troop through the family space on the way to their quarters!
Hidden spaces are really nothing new — in concept. Contemporary construction is re-thinking the sense behind those bygone treasures. Your Interior design experts can smartly advise you on the secret space possibilities for you in your completely new construction planning, or your new Interior design adventure in existing residential or commercial Interior space!
Take a look at your existing practical living and space use patterns — family or business — and see if there is a place for more efficiency, more intrigue or just more fun! Help is on the way!