Dad builds man cave that hides an incredible James Bond style secret – a door disguised as a BOOKCASE
A DAD has built the ultimate man cave complete with a James Bond style secret door and a wood-burning stove.
Neil Wheatley from Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, has transformed his old pigeon shed into a private den featuring a DIY concealed door disguised as a bookcase.
The 40-year-old sales advisor used wooden pallets to make the door, which leads to the bathroom, and a wire, hook and piece of metal for the latch itself.
Neil has spent just £1,200 for a new roof and exterior cladding to the shed, which is based on his allotment.
The old shed looks unassuming from the outside, but Neil has transformed the interior into a rustic den.
Complete with a Christmas Tree for the festive season, Neil has installed a wood-burning stove and a fully furnished kitchen.
The stripped-back wood walls and furniture are reminiscent of a rural cabin, complete with a view over the grassy fields.
He said: "I’m quite creative so with the build, I’ve wanted to think out of the box and create something different.
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"The original plan was just to put a door on the small toilet cubicle, but it was boring and was a waste of space.
"So by creating the bookshelf door we’ve been able to maintain privacy for the toilet, but also maximize space for storing items.
"It was then how to open the door and using the book took a bit of effort but was well worth it. I wanted to create something that stood out."
Neil has managed to upcycle and recycle everything else in a bid to keep costs down, with windows, flooring and kitchen units all being donated by friends.
He said: "I've got four kids and wanted to build something that was going to be fun and wow them, so building something basic was never going to work.
"The idea for the shed was to be somewhere warm and comfortable for us to spend time together as a family.
"If we are working on the allotment and the kids just want to chill out, there’s plenty of space for them to do that, and in the summer, we can just hang out, have a BBQ and enjoy the weather.
"I think the main thing is there is no limit to your imagination, things might not be built to perfection in some people's eyes, but I can look at things like the bookcase and say to myself I created that.
"It might have taken a couple of goes to get the sizing right to make sure it swung open correctly and trying different things to create the mechanism for the book opening, but that’s how you learn - trial and error."
