Woodworking projects that feature a hidden compartment can make excellent gifts or keepsakes. They can also reinforce the idea of security in your home, as these compartments can hold valuable items hidden from sight.
These projects vary in difficulty, but their value is also great as they have dual or even triple functions.
False Bottom Boxes
A simple woodworking project that can hold a secret compartment is a false bottom box. A box has only four sides, a bottom and a top. However, a false bottom can be installed that will not be visible from the exterior of the box. This can be done with jewelry, planter, bread and toy boxes, among many others. The exterior box appears inconspicuous and yet any number of valuables can be hidden away in these vessels.
Bookcase Treasures
The toe kick area of a bookcase can be designed to pull out for storing documents. "Fine Woodworking" suggests that this is hiding in plain sight, as the toe kick area at the base of a bookcase is assumed to be for support, when it is not actually a pressurized point on the bookcase as there are no loads upon it. Therefore, the flat piece can be the front of a shallow drawer. Another way to hide important valuables or documents in plain sight is in a hollow book. These can be constructed from wood, covered in leather or even painted and stored on the bookcase.
