Man Made DIY

When architecht Eric Schiller was inspecting the oak staircase in his Victorian-era home in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY, he noticed a curious rectangle on the landing, an out of place solid slab amidst the planking of the floorboards. He located a small thumbhole, and lifted the slab to… read more

What could possibly be cooler than secret compartments? Ok, maybe secret passageways, but we'll have to save those for another post. The Kai Table, designed by Naoki Hirakoso and Takmitsu Kitahara, is an incredible object constructed almost entirely of secret compartments.… read more

When I was a kid, we made secret book hiding spots all the time: glue up the edges, grab the utility knife, and spend hours cutting. Of course, we didn't have any stuff worth hiding, but we were boys, and that's what boys did.

I love the idea of using secondhand books as a gift box, but my memories of the tried-and-true handcutting method, which would take more than an hour for a book big enough to put much in, make me think otherwise. But, this new method from John Park makes me think I might be able to pull it off this holiday… read more

Dude, 'member Webster? Little guy gets adopted by rich parents, and lives in a big old Victorian house, complete with secret passages and an old butler's elevator that he could move around in? I blame those pathways and a lifelong interest in Clue (both the boardgame and the awesome 1985 film adaptation, which my childhood Matt Davish had on Betamax) for a tiny obsession with passageways, hidden doors, and all around Sherlock Holmes-y secret goodness.

So this hidden bookcase door is, you know, crazy… read more