Curated at Juniper Custom in Boulder, Colorado

Behind a wall of books, a hidden room. It is one of the oldest delights in architecture, and one of our favorite commissions.

Over the years, Juniper Custom has curated books for many secret door bookshelves, concealing everything from a bar or a powder room to a playroom or a safe room. A hidden door depends on precision. Every book must be sourced in exactly the right size and depth, so the installation is convincing when closed and swings freely when opened. We work alongside your architect, designer or builder from the earliest drawings, and we can wrap the books in custom book jackets so they blend seamlessly with the room around them. Homeowners planning a hidden retreat and designers staging an unforgettable reveal for a client will find in us a partner for every detail.

The Process

1. Begin with a deposit. Click "Get Started with a Deposit" and proceed to checkout.
2. We reach out within 2 business days to discuss the size of your collection, drawings or elevations of the hidden door, and your design preferences.
3. Curation and design. A curator researches book availability and, if you choose custom jackets, a designer creates an initial concept. This typically takes 1 to 2 weeks.
4. Your proposal. We present an estimate and initial Design Concept outlining the total cost and lead time.
5. Approval. If you accept, we send an invoice before acquiring the books and producing any custom jackets.

Full Custom projects vary in cost and lead time depending on their scope.

Deposit Policy

Please note that the deposit is non-refundable, as it covers our labor to research books and prepare design concepts.

Mural photo by Laurie Black.

FAQs

Does Juniper Custom build the hidden door?
We do not build doors or shelving. We curate and size the books that make the illusion work, and we coordinate closely with the architect, millworker or builder who constructs the door.

What do you need to get started?
Drawings or elevations of the door and shelves, the dimensions of each shelf, and a sense of the style you would like the collection to have.

Can the secret door match the rest of my library?
Yes. We can curate the door and the surrounding shelves together, in the same subjects or the same custom jacket design, so nothing gives the secret away.