Building the Hidden Bookcase Door

I obsessively researched hidden bookcase doors. Unfortunately, the resources I found were either incomplete or designed for smaller applications, like attic doors. I was committed to having the bar arcade hidden behind a bookcase door. Besides fulfilling my wildest nerdy dreams, I felt that a bookcase would complete the main basement area. A regular door does the job, but a bookcase door creates a clean division between the two spaces.

This decision wasn’t just about style—it was also a major financial choice. A Murphy door was the perfect solution, but it would have cost nearly $1,300 to get the door in the form I wanted. After considering the cost of materials, I realized I could build the door myself for around $300. After adding the Murphy door to my cart a dozen times, I finally decided to tackle the project on my own.

I’m extremely happy with my decision. The bookcase door turned out even better than I had hoped, and I stayed well within budget. What’s more, this project gave me the chance to spend time with my daughter. Even at three years old, she was able to see and appreciate the transformation from a regular door to a secret bookcase door. She loved helping build and decorate the shelves, with Mr. Moonman being one of her favorites.

Ready to build your own? Click below for free step-by-step instructions on how to make your own.

Building the Bar: The Heart of Every Good Hideout

Every good (adult) hideout should include some form of bar, at least in my humble opinion. The bar serves as a focal point and can be the first indication of the room’s overall vibe. For example, my original plans included a sleek, polished walnut bar top.

However, when I visited my local miller, I fell in love with a spalted piece of maple. That decision completely set the tone for the rest of the speakeasy’s design.

Building a bar requires effort, but it’s much simpler in design than a bookcase door. Start by measuring your space and constructing a stable frame to support your bar top. This project is also a great opportunity to hone your sanding and polyurethane techniques. Grab your belt sander or orbital sander because this will get dusty!

Ready to get started? Click below for detailed instructions on how I built my bar.

Creating the Hand-Hewn Barn Beam Light Fixture

This hand-hewn barn beam light fixture was destined to happen. In our first home, we built a barn beam mantle, and this piece was the scrap left over. I loved the look of the beam offcut, but I couldn’t decide how to use it at first. Once the bar was built, it became clear that this rugged, hand-axed wood was destined to illuminate the newly polished bar top.

This project gave new life to an old piece of wood and brought character and warmth to the speakeasy space. The beam offcut, with its rustic charm, was a perfect fit.

Want to create your own unique lighting fixture? Click below for full free instructions.

Painting the Arcade Floor: A Haphazard Success

There are some projects that I obsess over, meticulously mapping out each step and replaying them in my head like sugarplums from a classic Christmas story. This, my kool kitten crew (and yes, you'll realize why we eventually stopped with the K's), was not one of those projects. In fact, I planned next to nothing and just accepted the potential repercussions. So far, those repercussions haven’t surfaced.

Ready to see my impromptu approach to painting the arcade floor? Click below for the full breakdown. Warning: there may be better ways to do this, but I can assure you, they’ll take longer!

Sidenote of encouragement: I absolutely love how the project turned out.

DIY Weathered Wood Wall: A Fun Project with the Kids

This can be a fun project to do with the kids. Don’t have a kid? That’s fine too. I ended up doing most of the painting after their 5-minute attention spans ran out. Using extremely cheap (and sometimes free) wood from Home Depot’s scrap pile, I cut down and "weathered" some thin pine boards.

The lightweight nature of the boards made it easy to nail them up to the support beams, adding pops of color and—most importantly—hiding an unsightly metal duct.

And yes, keen-eyed cats, the bottom isn’t finished yet. It’s a hobby, not a profession. I’ll get to it one day... What are you, my wife?