apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Went to their Web site. No price listed. How much???

It looks like things could easily fall off when you open it? Not a good place to store the Venini art glass collection!!

By the way, did anyone notice the DWR now carries Venini?

I think the Amazing Door is indeed amazing. But to market that to New Yorkers, you may need to rethink the name. "Amazing Door" sounds a little infomercially.

yes kathryn i noticed, it represents a giant step forward in their design pedigree

btw... the doors are HIDEOUS!

I love the doors, although I would paint. I have always wanted a secret door, and this would be excellent for my closet or to close off the corner of my home office. But the price is important.

Holy Cow, Batman!
Did we get a new entrance to the Bat Cave??

only a good idea for hiding a secret passageway. if they were even remarkably attractive i would have reservations because all the items would have to be nailed to the shelves.

I think they're very cool and would make great bookshelves. And what's wrong with a secret closet? YEs, they're not very high-end design, but not everyone lives in a stark minimalist loft.

I don't think the landlords would go for it in NYC rentals, but its got potential. I don't think the shelves themselves are necessarily any less stable than many of the murphy bed type wall units, including Curtis' sliding walls we've seen. If they're customizable with a variety of finishes I'm sure they could find customers in NY.

The idea is genius, but the actual design executiion could probably stand to be a bit "tonier" to work here.

The name is terrible -- back to the drawing board! Or better yet -- focus groups!

I have the doors, Unless the item on the shelves is top heavy it is almost impossible for stuff to fall of the shelfs. My daughter has her fragile crystal animals on the selfs and the have been there for 9 years and not one broke as yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree that these need to be sleeker or trimmed-out (molding added to the edges or something); the way they are, they look a little rustic. Might be OK painted the same color as the wall.

Despite steve's comment, I would hope that the shelves have shallow lips, and I would also hope that there was something to pad the backs of the two shelves as they come together when the door opens.

... oh, wait, there is molding, it's just not molding I like. Again, too rustic... make them sleeker or more designy in some way. Add a pediment. I don't know. It's not a bad idea, but I'm not sure about the execution.

I know someone whose house, built in the late 1980s, has two hidden rooms. One is just a small laundry area off the garage that is easy to miss. The other is a full-blown Secret Room, hidden behind a bookcase. But it's for storage, and the bookcase must be completely emptied and moved to get to the room. Why... I've *already* said too much!

I voted that i'd have to think about it... i love the magic of having a 'secret door'..but would the doors be heavy and cumbersome? they must be on some kind of fancy soft glider if a child's glass figurine collection can live in it!

Hidden Door Company, at http://hiddendoors.com/, sells similar (and more attractive, at least to me) products. So very cool but very, very expensive. And don't forget that because of the weight of the door you'll probably need a carpenter to strengthen your door jamb so that you can actually hang it.

It'd be a great bookshelf. If my boyfriend owned his place, this'd be perfect since he has three closets and a kazillion books. I wonder if you could add facing to the shelves, so that little things wouldn't roll off...

It doesn't work for me, though... I just don't have any doors in my house, other than a skinny sliding door to my bathroom.

It looks like you need a fairly deep closet to accommodate the shelves--can you still hang stuff behind them in a standard closet?

I do think people like cunning secret doors, though. But do change the name.

I think it's an interesting idea, but I agree that there would have to be spiffier styles to fly in NYC.

Space in front of closets is always dead space, so this could be helpful. Of course, I love books with a truly geeky enthusiasm, and never have enough room for them.

I like the idea, but as is usual with American space saving devices (Murphy beds, captain's beds, that complex under-bed drawer system) it's Really UGLY.

Can't American companies make this stuff prettier!?

this is a terrific idea...i love it !

This reminds me too much of the pantry door in my parent's kitchen. I like the niche doors from the hidden door company better.

We have a bookshelf entrance to a secret room and I've put museum gel (available in catalogues) under my fragiles. It's clear, doesn't harm anything, and can be wiped off easily when desired. Heavy objects don't need it. They stay in place.

infomercial, indeed. even comes with a video of a vanna white wannabe. Ugh.

As mention before I have had a door for over two years.First the door can be any color and can be made out of any wood. The door is installed on the exterior of the opening and needs only a header which 99% of all doors have, The hardware is virtually all steel and can hold over 300lbs of books. Once again, no lips or powders of any kind are necessary to keep items on the shelves any yet a smallchild can easily open and close the door. Cabinet doors, crown moldings, and locks are options that are available. I sell many of these every month and have for many years. prices range from 1100 to over 2000 installed depending on the wood used.
One more thing the hardware used on the door is guranteed for life. Any other questions please call 888-322-2530 or email me at steve2000market@yahoo.comor go to our web site at www.amazingdoor.com Thank you

Steve,
I love them. Truly I love them. And at that price point, I think they're doable even in rentals (provided one plans to stay there for several years).

I think they can be used in places other than in front of closets. I would love my bedroom door to be like that: my bedroom would be a secret room. Likewise, I can envision this hiding a small home office. Indeed, they could be used in all sorts of places.

I'm going to give this some serious thought.

Hah. I suspected Steve might be the seller.

Museum gel or wax is a really good idea.

It occurred to me, looking at this again today, that the floor space in front of the closet might be a problem for some people (if, say, they have very small rooms). Regular closet doors don't accomodate as much, but they are designed to be very compact in terms of how much they swing out.

Great concept but too clunky in appearance. If you made a sleeker more minimal version I would buy these in a heartbeat.

amazing bookeshelf doors is a fraud , check your local BBB and Utah BBB these doors are patent under a different company is the east.. Steve combs sells the product, dosent deliever the goods.

I like the concept. I have to agree with the other comments about the name. 'castle doors' seems a more fitting title for a product that is simply medieval.

Where can I buy 2

http://www.hideadoor.com/
has lots more styles, better prices and a more reasonable approach to the use of space for my money. we bought a couple to use over the entrances to the guest room and one for a weird storage alcove on the unfinished area that once was the airshaft of our building before the center part was reconstructed and they've been great - one opens in the middle like the posted door and one from the side. We had to get someone to install them for us because I'm ot all that handy and my wife is, but a little tiny for the job, but it's paid off in function for us.