The Alpha Door
A brief history of the Alpha Door: This very specialized design is responsible for putting Hide-A-Way Doors on the map. When a client approached our custom building company years ago, he challenged us with a design and build that was like nothing else you will see on the internet. Our client had done his research, he knew what other companies were offering, then came to us with a very specific design requirement. "I do not want any obvious signs that this is a door."
A bookcase door, like a conventional door, has a small space at the bottom and the top to allow it to operate properly. While this is absolutely necessary, it is kind of a problem when trying hide a room by deception. When doing our own research, we noticed something interesting about so called "Hidden Door" companies, they tend advertise photos of their doors in the open position as to hide those small spaces we call swing gaps. Some of the photographs we saw were even computer altered removing the swing gaps entirely, but why do that? The answer is simply, they do not own the Alpha Door design!
So, the question remains, "Why not make every door and Alpha Door?" Answer: The design which makes an Alpha Door a true concealment door has very real drawbacks that would deter someone that doesn't have an interest in concealing a room.