There are certain items that you don't always want to be readily observable in your home. Perhaps it's keeping adult beverages safe from "marauding teenagers." Maybe it's a matter of keeping firearms accessible but hidden. Or perhaps you have items that are "too valuable" to be stored at your local bank in the "ever-so-handy" safe deposit box. Going one step further, there is sometimes a desire to have a hidden space so that family members can escape danger and be safely hidden away. However, many items you might want to "hide away" actually require a relatively small volume of space. A false electrical outlet can store precious jewelry.

Or, with a properly designed compartment, it can store much more: in one vertical foot of wall space between studs (14.5" x 12") you could easily store 768 silver 1 oz. coins - or whatever you want to "stash-away." Considerations need to be given to fireproofing requirements for your precious items, if they are things like rare stamps or paper currency, but many items such as metals, can be stored in a simple wall cavity, especially if it is against a basement concrete wall structure. The truth of the matter is, every home is different, every homeowner's needs are different, but there are countless creative solutions with the right design.