Have you thought about what is behind a door? A door might seem such a simple instrument, a basic product of construction but the true meaning lies deeper than that. It seems unlikely to hear that historically, hidden doors served purposes like concealing secret tunnels, allowing the illegal movement of goods and people, helping besieged rulers to escape their attackers, or simply just masquerading the entrance to speakeasy bars behind walls. Starting as an old palace tradition of historical figures like Pope Alexander VI or Marie Antoinette, secret getaway passages and exit tunnels were one of the hippest trends in the previous centuries. This secrecy was maintained by a camouflage that made it appear like a part of the wall or the interior setting.
Why would anyone need hidden doors other than maintaining a secret emergency exit in case of danger? In an era where privacy is almost a luxury, one feels the need to ensure they can be all alone without disturbance. History shows us that, getting on board with the Medieval tradition of maintaining protection through secrecy, the ruling Estense family of Ferrara (also known as the residents of the Castello Estense, Italy) was urged to construct secret passages in their palace and use hidden doors to mask them.
The creation of Castello Estense dates back to the 12th century when the House of Estense seized the power and control in Ferrara. From the outside, red bricks and marble balconies may look like the most significant features of this palace, but the truth has a deeper meaning. Due to the revolts taking place against the family, the King decided to fortify the castle and build curtain walls and drawbridges that connected with the Este Residence. This way, the family could escape in case of riots. There are also dungeons where they kept prisoners, some of whom belonged to the family itself.
Who would have thought that after centuries, a local Italian Ferrarese firm, Linvisibile, would be inspired by this tradition and start a business based on the design and production of invisible doors? Linvisibile is an Italian company proud of not only designing and manufacturing “Made in Italy” doors, but also to bear the local architectural traditions in its products design and value proposition, by giving its’ products a flush to the wall characteristic. Today, we produce patented high-end invisible flush to the wall doors, not only to provide a secret getaway but also to fit in the elegant, mystic, and private atmosphere of the interiors in a functional space-saving way. The aims have changed, but the basic form of invisibility has remained.
Our panels, carefully designed and equipped with boiserie and skirting systems, if chosen, merges completely with the wall and can be transformed in a variety of different forms; either an entertaining entrance with a 360 degrees pivoting panel, a wall-like panel finished in the same material of the wall, a glass sliding system that is not only a door but also a separator, and many other features that prove “there is more than meets the eye”.
