In every James Bond film, there’s a moment where 007 meets with the legendary ‘Q’ who promptly fits James with weapons that, while scientifically questionable at times, are designed to aide him on his next clandestine mission. These objects may seem to be ordinary to the untrained eye; throughout the years we see Q bestow 007 with exploding toothpaste, radioactive lint, and many more objects that seem innocent enough. But, invariably, when 007 finds himself in a pinch, these mundane items transform into weapons that enable Bond to mow down dozens of evil henchmen, save the world, and still have time for a little “enhanced interrogation” with his current lady-friend.

What is it about these objects that spark our imagination and enthrall us? I mean, come on, let’s imagine this for a second. You’re watching an old 007 film you’ve never seen before, and right at the most pivotal moment in the plot, right when the very well-being of humanity seems to hang in the balance, and you can’t see how things could possibly be resolved, James comes out of nowhere and (A) places the bad guy under arrest, or (B) launches a rocket at the bad guy out of what appeared to be a boom box, blowing him and his evil plot to smithereens. Which would you like better? There’s just something about these seemingly innocent objects. Maybe it’s the fact that they hold a secret that only we know? Maybe we enjoy this feeling of hiding in plain sight? Maybe this explains why hidden storage furniture is such a hot trend right now.

Now, I could be totally off base here. I mean, people could simply love furniture with hidden compartments because they reduce space. Or it could be that they can be fashionable and functional by offering safety and security for belongings. But there will always be a small part of me that wants to believe that opening a secret compartment in a nightstand, or hiding your TV in your footboard gives a small thrill akin to using some of the legendary Bond gadgets. Today, let me be Q as we talk about three 007-worthy space savers that get things out of sight. Like Bond’s gadgets, they look like everyday objects, but these pieces of hidden storage furniture have a few tricks up their sleeves.

• The Man with the Hidden Gun

  

  This clandestine cabinet has more to it than meets the eye. At first glance, it is nothing but a display case or a knick-knack shelf. However, with the click of a secret button, the front half of the cabinet pivots open, revealing a small arsenal of antique weaponry, encased in beautiful red silk. This cabinet is a Bond villain staple. You can’t be the bad guy unless you have three things: a scar on your face, a giant fluffy cat on your lap, and a secret stash of weapons hiding within reach. Leaving the theatrics and story-telling behind for a minute, the genius of this piece of hidden storage furniture is obvious. First, the gentleman who asked Wilding Wallbeds to build this cabinet wanted it as a place to keep several very rare antique guns. These guns were collectors’ items, and they made for fantastic conversation pieces (or should I say, “conversation peace-makers?”). The issue that he found was that it’s hard to keep something this valuable safe out in the open, but it’s also hard to show off a collectors’ item when it’s locked in a safe. Therefore, the hidden gun cabinet came to life. The antique guns are now accessible but secure.

• Nightstand Royale

  

  Ever wonder how James Bond sleeps at night? I don’t know about you, but if I had thwarted dozens of plots to take over the world, I would be getting pretty nervous about one of my old nemeses seeking retribution. Maybe that’s why none of Bond’s lady-friends stick around for too long! It’s probably impossible to get a solid forty winks with 007 waking up anytime the floor creeks–but, we’ll leave the psycho-analysis of James Bond’s love life to another post. If only James had a secret compartment right next to his bed where he could hide his pistol, maybe then he’d feel safe. That’s the whole idea with hidden storage nightstands! Whether it is a personal-defense weapon, medications, or other personal items, there are simply some things that we need within reach, without being conspicuous. Hidden storage nightstands allow for just that. Operated by a magnetic key, when unlocked, the whole top of the nightstand slides open, revealing a shallow storage area where personal items can be stored without drawing unwanted attention. In addition, the base molding of the cabinet also doubles as a small drawer that can be pulled out to reveal even more hidden storage space. If only James Bond had a hidden storage nightstand, maybe he could finally sleep easy knowing that his trusty Walther PPK pistol was always within reach. And then, just maybe, he could finally find true love.

• A Bed is Not Enough

  

  James Bond has the need to stay in incredible physical shape in order to succeed in his missions (i.e. not die). Now, I’m not sure what MI-6 salaries are like, but I can’t imagine that 007 has the money to buy an enormous English Manor, he probably has a normal home like me or you. But I’m sure he has a nice home-gym setup, so he can stay in tip-top shape. With the spare bedroom occupied by his home-gym, Bond faces the same question that many of us face: where are the occasional guests going to sleep? I present the magnum opus of hidden storage furniture, the Murphy Bed (or Wall Bed). While the previously-discussed pieces of furniture are very functional, nothing saves the amount of space that a murphy bed saves. Imagine a bedroom in your home–how much space is there in that bedroom right now? Now imagine you remove the bed, how much space do you have now? That is the beauty of a murphy bed, it is a monument of space-saving ingenuity! Wilding Wallbeds offers a vast array of wall beds, some that function as a desk some that function as shelves, some that function as entertainment centers, and some that are just plain gorgeous. But all of them save you enormous amounts of space.

There you have it, our top three pieces of 007-worthy hidden storage furniture. Furniture that, like James Bond himself, lives a double-life. Now, even though these pieces of furniture are fun and exciting, they are incredibly functional and practical. Whether it is keeping your belongings safe, keeping you safe, or simply saving you space, storage furniture needs to have a place in your home.

Written by
Caden Wilding