Is "hidden room" something you can find in rental listings?

Me: So did you want to talk about what happened here last night?

Henry: About that man who cursed you?

Me; Well, cursed AT me, but...yeah.

Henry: No.

Me: Okay! But I wanted you to know that everything is being taken care of.

Henry: He's gone forever?

Me: Well, no. But we are going to move, soon.

Henry: Tomorrow?

Me: We have to pack first. And find a place. It'll take a while.

Henry: Great! Because I really want a room that has a hidden door to another room.

Me: ...

Henry: You know, a bookcase, and you pull out a book and the bookcase is a door and then you have *another* room behind the door bookcase. I want that. Can we get that?

Me: Probably not going to happen.

Henry: Someday I really want a hidden room. Do you want a hidden room?

Me: More than you know. Right now, though, I just want us to live someplace we can feel comfortable.

Henry: And where no one curses you.

Me: Exactly.

Comments

[Green]

How about giving him a loft? He can call it a fort and it can be his private, hidden space. It's not quite a hidden room, but it's definitely more attainable.

[Liza]

I am so surprised at how many of your readers have hidden rooms! I am so jealous!

Moving is never fun. Violence less so. (The last place I lived in LA, we were woken up one night by two guys outside chasing after another guy and throwing a hammer at him. A HAMMER.) At least you'll have an opportunity to look for some things in a new place that you may have wished you had in the old one.

[Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings]

I think we all want to live where people don't curse at us. Sheesh!

[Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings]

Oh and have a secret room! :-)

[Alison]

If you got a place with a big enough room for Henry, you could build him a secret room by getting a really wide bookshelf and putting it at an angle in the corner of the room, so the corner space was behind it. Then you could cut a little door in the bottom shelf and he could put books in front of it so you couldn't see it unless you took the books out. It wouldn't be a lot of space, depending on how wide the bookshelf was, but it would be enough space to hide and maybe stash a few things.

Also, I'm sorry your apartment is violent. I lived above a domestic abuse situation for a few years, it's no fun. Good luck!

[junewell]

So weird, my husband just brought home a real estate flyer from LA--the kind with multimillion dollar houses, so it's obviously just to look at for fun. Anyway, I saw a house listed that actually has a secret room. (Described as a "secret room/office.")

Sorry for your neighbor troubles. Lucky for you it's a renter's market in the BK these days ...

[Jan]

High-fiving Dave for "Put… the candle… back." ~8D

Now THAT was a serious secret room.

[cadiz12]

nearly everyone i know wants access to one of those secret doors. I blame the shortcut from the conservatory to the lounge in the boardgame "Clue."

[OG]

who doesn't want a home with a hidden room? maybe you can just get a murphy bed instead.

[Lauxa]

glad to know I'm not the only one obsessed with hidden rooms and secret passageways

[Shauna (Fido & Wino)]

Um, yeah. Hidden Room Houses are *always* listed with rooms that have those mirrors that are actually portals into another dimension (ADPM= Another Dimension Portal Mirror).

So weird that this isn't common knowledge...

;)

[mom, interrupted]

I am so sorry you have to deal with this. Had the same type experience with the first house we bought while in grad school (1 BR/questionable neighborhood, you get the picture) We actually had to move out of it because of some very scary interactions with the neighbors. I was angry that I had to move through no fault of my own, but would rather do that than feel unsafe. We didn't have kids at the time so I can only imagine what you are going through. Best of luck in your search for a new home with a special room.

[Julie @ The Mom Slant]

I'm just still freaking out about the conditions in your building. Be safe.

[Amber]

I'd love a hidden room.

Then I could read in peace. If I try to read around my kids they take my book from me.

Remind me to take their books from them when they're older to see how THEY like it.

[Joey]

I live to serve: http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/remodeling/hidden-passageway1.htm (...everything except drinks, which I live to be served). Cheers!

[motheroad]

Look for a place with a very large wardrobe.

[Jack]

I have a friend who lives in a house with a hidden room. It has been the source of many good April Fools day jokes.

[WarsawMommy]

Oh, this is awful - I'd hate not feeling safe where my children and I sleep. Any luck finding a new place??

Mwahs from Poland...

[Swistle]

When I was a child, we lived in a house with a HIDDEN STAIRCASE, I kid you not. It was one of the best things that EVER HAPPENED. To ANYONE.

[Tara]

That is the New York City real estate dream, isn't it? I mean that literally -- I think everybody who has lived in NYC has had a dream in which they magically found a new, hidden room in their own apartment. Your kid is just way ahead of the curve!

[amanda]

Here's to dwelling blessings.

[Cara]

I hope your neighbors haven't killed you.

Also, is the real reason you are looking for a new place to live because you don't want to redecorate your living room?

[Kate]

Dude, it's making me nervous that you haven't posted since this. Last night I had a dream that you needed saving, and I've never even met you. Jeepers. Good vibes, and whatnot.

[Lisa]

Dear Alice,

I think apartmenttherapy has been reading your blog! Look at this: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/hidden-room-love-through-the-armoire-112516

Love,Lisa, a very big fan of yours who thinks you are awesome and very funny and insightful and is not afraid to suck up to you about it

[Vicky]

Have no clue if you're even still reading these comments - but if you are - I just found this article all about hidden rooms.

http://bit.ly/9DMjXeFrom Apartment Therapy