Cabinet or Night Stand with Hidden Storage

[Al Weber]

I remember seeing an article and plan for a side table or night stand with hidden storage in it some time ago. I thought it was in Wood Magazine but if so I can't locate it. Does anyone remember such an article in a magazine and if so, point me to it? Alternatively directions to a plan would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Charles Lent]

Making the drawer that is short and building another drawer box that uses up the remaining space behind the drawer, is the easiest way to do this. No one ever expects a drawer to be shorter than the full depth, so they never think to pull the drawer out and look behind it.

You could hinge the top and make a latch that is hidden and requires a magnet placed near the latch to move it and unlock the lid, but then you would need to clean the top of the table off before accessing the secret compartment, which would likely be very shallow to fit between the drawer and the top. Pieces of trim that can slide is another way to conceal or operate the latch.

Dustin Penner (yes, the pro hockey player) is a pretty accomplished woodworker and he has posted many YouTube videos of projects containing secret compartments that might give you some good ideas. He is quite good at videography too, so he makes his shows interesting in that respect as well. A search for his channel by his name should find them.

A small cabinet can have a panel on the back that can slide up into a deeper slot in the top so the bottom edge comes out of it's slot in the bottom and then it can be removed to expose places behind and between the drawers where compartments can be made. These can even be shallow drawers, or full height short drawers behind other drawers that can only be reached by removing the rear panel.

Old 17 and 1800's custom made secretary desks with the china cabinet tops frequently have secret or hidden drawers in them, usually for hiding money, postage stamps, etc. Museums frequently have these on display, and coaxing the museum manager may get a demonstration of these to give you even more ideas. Some of the old carpenters chests had secret compartments in them for the carpenter's precious tools or money. Look for them in the museums too.

I doubt that you will find many plans for secret compartment furniture. It wouldn't be a secret any more, would it?
Of course, once the secret compartment is posted in a video, it isn't really a secret any more either.

Charley

[Jim Becker]

There is actually a very recent and long thread on this very topic...

[Steve Hubbard]

"The Art of Concealment" by Matthew Dworman. Popular Woodworking, November, 2016.