In New York City, space is too scarce and expensive to keep a secret. However, in other parts of the country, homeowners are living their childhood fantasies with revolving fireplaces, hidden doors, and secret lairs.

First, before you start renovating, you better have something worth hiding. Home offices, and “non-descript rooms” do not really warrant the protection. Bat caves and drug labs do. Second, it is important to keep a secret room a secret. Don’t talk about it to anyone. If you’re only hiding the accoutrements of your boring life, you shouldn’t worry about snitches, just the $2000 you wasted on a very expensive swinging bookshelf. If you’ve got a high tech cave full of marijuana, you probably shouldn’t be giving statements to the New York Times.