# What should we do with our secret room? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 5, 2018, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781 "2018-09-05T04:31:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/41 "2018-09-05T16:40:34Z")
Our house came with one of those when we moved in, pretty obviously built to be a fallout shelter (the concrete foundation on two sides, concrete blocks for the other two.) One light bulb, poor ventilation. Eventually we tore out the two inside walls and finished the whole area. There’s really only three things to do with a space like that. Storage Dungeon Photography dark room ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/42 "2018-09-05T16:51:36Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Get into cheesemaking and use the space as your cheese-aging cave. Cheeses require a cool, slightly humid environment (like your area) to age, and most people who’d like to make cheese don’t have access to this kind of space. And the bonus is that unlike a hot tub, a cheese room won’t make the house smell like chlorine. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/43 "2018-09-05T17:23:11Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Dungeon That’s the ticket. Install a pit trap, put a few devil’s-head sculptures with big O-mouths on the wall, some green slime and rot grubs, hire a few orcs and you’re set. Charge for stabling adventurers’ mules, and set up a first aid concession (cash only). ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/44 "2018-09-05T17:29:42Z")
Infrared dry sauna’s are the way to go, not steam. You can buy a self-contained unit that you can take with you, or sell later at some point. There are plenty of health benefits to dry-saunas, plus not humidity problems. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/45 "2018-09-05T17:49:06Z")
Reading nook/library. > [@Jumpbass](#): > > Secret altar to worship the celebrity of your choice. Rick Astley maybe? When folks visit, have something obvious they can pick up, a statue or something, while they check out the room that will start the obligatory rick-rolling. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/46 "2018-09-05T18:34:21Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > And invite your colorfully-named friends over. FFS I never noticed that. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/47 "2018-09-05T18:49:49Z")
As fun as a secret room sounds, unless you plan to spend a lot of time in there, it doesn’t make sense to pour a lot of money into the space. I love the idea of a hidden wine cellar, if you happen to be oenophiles. A couple of store-bought racks and a cute table and chair set, and you’ve got yourself a neat little tasting room. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/48 "2018-09-05T18:57:49Z")
Sounds like the perfect place for beer to ferment. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/49 "2018-09-05T19:25:01Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > As fun as a secret room sounds, unless you plan to spend a lot of time in there, it doesn’t make sense to pour a lot of money into the space. > > I love the idea of a hidden wine cellar, if you happen to be oenophiles. A couple of store-bought racks and a cute table and chair set, and you’ve got yourself a neat little tasting room. Add a nice chess set and a comfy hide-a-bed and it sounds like paradise to me. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/50 "2018-09-05T19:47:49Z")
The ‘dog house’. My husband has a dog house. When he knows i am unhappy with him he retreats to his shop, out back. All his cool hobby things are there. He even has a sign shaped like a bone. It says ‘Pops doghouse’ ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/51 "2018-09-05T20:03:56Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Get into cheesemaking and use the space as your cheese-aging cave. Cheeses require a cool, slightly humid environment (like your area) to age, and most people who’d like to make cheese don’t have access to this kind of space. This is the best idea so far. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/52 "2018-09-05T20:06:58Z")
Soundproof Scream Room, where you and loved ones can go to yell away all of your stress. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/53 "2018-09-05T20:39:08Z")
Love the idea of a wine cellar/tasting room. Have interesting and comfortable chairs plus a table made from a wine barrel. I’ve been taking an art history class for a few years and right now we’re learning about some of the leading families in Renaissance-era Italy and the art and architecture they commissioned. The fashionable thing to do at the time was to have a studiolo, a small and gorgeously decorated room devoted to reading, reflecting, and writing. A marvelous studiolo hidden behind a secret door masquerading as a bookshelf sounds like enormous fun to me. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/54 "2018-09-05T21:03:48Z")
Speakeasy. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/55 "2018-09-05T21:37:24Z")
A dungeon. But not if it has typically low basement ceilings. That’s why we built our in the attic. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/56 "2018-09-05T21:47:30Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > … > (Potential whoosh alert, but…) > Ummmm…to me, a conservatory is an above-ground room with glass walls and ceiling. Yeah, I know. I was going for the Clue reference. This guy gets it… > [@Quercus](#): > > Be sure to put a candlestick, lead pipe, and some rope inside. > > And invite your colorfully-named friends over. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/57 "2018-09-05T21:49:11Z")
Did anyone mention a secret lab yet? Meth, or Frankenstein types…whichever. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/58 "2018-09-05T21:57:30Z")
Make a “conspiracy” room – get some photo frames (that come with pictures), random newspaper clippings, and yarn. Or a superhero/villain lair --just add CCTV monitor(s) and costumes Brian ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/59 "2018-09-06T01:00:20Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Make a “conspiracy” room – get some photo frames (that come with pictures), random newspaper clippings, and yarn. > Or a superhero/villain lair --just add CCTV monitor(s) and costumes > > Brian A fun one would be to get some special effects people in to build a horror / ghost sighting setup that’s hidden behind a bookcase on hinges. Whenever you have a guest over, open it slightly so it’s ajar, and if they go to open it all the way, they’ll get the fright of their life. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781/60 "2018-09-06T01:07:39Z")
An alter. What you have a hidden alter to is your business, but the ancient Egyptians and H. P. Lovecraft had some interesting ideas. Of course, the doors will have to open automatically when you remove the relevant book, or maybe a candle stick. edit; missed post 33. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-we-do-with-our-secret-room/820781.md?page=4)