Our first outward-opening bookcase door is in

We’ve been a little quiet lately while we get things together behind the scenes. We’re always looking for ways to improve what we build, and there’s been plenty of testing, refining and figuring out what comes next.

Now we’ve got something we’re really excited to share: we’ve just installed our first outward-opening Wonder Door, in a new home going up on Auckland’s North Shore.

The first door we ever built opened inwards. Since then, we’ve been working to master the craft, and we think this is our best door yet. Even with the house still under construction, it looks absolutely stunning.

A small room with a specific brief

This door hides a very small storage room. An inward swing would have taken up precious space inside, so the door needed to open out into the adjoining room.

The client also had very specific requirements around the colouring. Getting the look right mattered just as much as getting the opening right, and we’re really pleased with how the colour has come through.

With a bookcase door, the whole shelving unit moves. That meant designing for the outward swing from the start, then testing and refining the setup to get it working the way we wanted.

Our best door yet

Every build teaches us something. Our first inward-opening door gave us a place to start, and this one has been another chance to put what we’ve learned into practice.

There’s been a bit of testing to get here, but seeing the bookcase installed, opening outwards and sitting so nicely in its frame makes it all worthwhile. We’re proud of this one.

The finishing touches are still to come

These are progress photos from a working building site. Once the house is finished, we’ll return to install the book handle and take some fresh photos of the door in its finished surroundings.

We could have waited until then, but we wanted to share these while we had them. It’s a lovely milestone for our little business, and it’s exciting to see the door in place.

Getting ready for more doors in 2027

With our inward and outward designs now in hand, we’re working on the systems and processes that will help us produce more doors next year. We want to keep improving the way we build and install them as we grow.

We’ll also be looking for potential installers to help us fit Wonder Doors going forward. If you’re an installer who enjoys careful, detailed work and would like to be involved, get in touch. We’d love to have a conversation.

And a shout-out to the team at Murphy Door in the US. We’re big fans of their work and the possibilities they’ve shown with hidden bookcase doors. It’s exciting to keep developing our own little New Zealand version.

Exciting times at Wonder Doors. We’ll share more when the house is finished and that book handle is in place.

If you’ve got a space in mind for a hidden bookcase door, send us a few photos and tell us what you’re thinking.