Hidden Speakeasy

It was a blast creating this lounge in the form of a hidden speakeasy as a surprise for the employees of a Capitol Hill marketing firm with offices in a beautifully-restored stone church.

In the basement coat room, a large, framed mirror may appear to be a convenience: available for a helpful quick check of your appearance when coming or going. But, while that may be appreciated, the large mirror also conceals the entrance to a secret watering hole.

Moving walls or taking over additional quarters in the building was off the table. Tight on space and budget, we needed to work within the footprint of the designated basement room. Luckily, with the basement stairway just outside, we were able to harness a little extra breathing room by recessing the mirrored bar beneath the stairs.

Appropriate to its hidden entrance, the bar is designed in Prohibition-era style. Dark wood finishes, flocked velvet wallpaper, and dim lighting add to the 1920s feel. As an apropos twist, pews salvaged from the church found a new life in the speakeasy, set on raised platforms opposite bar-height stools.