If you’ve seen the Oscar-winning movie “The Parasites,” you’ll surely remember the secret door in the mansion’s kitchen that led to the basement. Escaping into these hidden rooms accessible only to the owners and a select few holds mystery and a bit of childlike magic. The mission of this space can be about solitude and relaxation, acting as a private playroom, or even a room to keep us safe in an emergency. The best way to keep this space hidden is also the simplest: a hidden inconspicuous door that leads to this – sometimes personal – “sanctuary.”

This can be done with a drywall entrance in the same color as the wall, wallpaper, a painting, a hidden opening behind a closet, some movable panels, or the classic library idea – the most common image-suggestion you can find if you search for it on the internet. Who hasn’t seen a movie where suddenly a character is leaning against what appears to be a library? The entire wall shifts to reveal a secret alcove or hallway.

What might finally be behind these secret rooms?!