A walnut dressing room with a chandelier, padded double doors closed at the far end.

Panic rooms in London homes.

Padded security doors · the way into a protected suite we builtCase study

A protected room, planned into your home from the first drawing. Discreet to live with and private to build.

Talk to NickHe calls you back within the hour, in working hours

Or call 020 7731 6841We use your details only to reach you. Privacy note

Planned into the home, not added after.

A panic room is a protected room where a family can wait for help. We are NU Projects, design and build in Fulham SW6 since 2010. We build panic rooms within a wider renovation. A specialist security consultant sets the brief. Call 020 7731 6841 for a private conversation.

A panic room need not be a hidden box. It can be the main bedroom, a dressing room or part of a basement. A room you already use is close at hand when you need it.

Protection is far easier to build in than to add later. Reinforced walls, ceilings and doors carry extra load. So the engineer needs to know early.

Protection from one risk must not create another. Every panic room still needs a safe way out in a fire. The fire strategy is agreed before the doors are chosen.

What has to be planned

  • A security brief from a specialist consultant
  • Reinforced walls, ceilings and floors, checked by the engineer
  • Security doors, with the rating set by the brief
  • A protected line out, to reach help
  • Its own power, so cutting the mains does not cut the room
  • Internal CCTV of the rest of the house
  • Filtered fresh air, with alarms and a shut-off
  • Laminated security glass in a matched frame
  • Fire detection and a safe way out
  • Joinery and finishes that keep it discreet
Read next
Bunkers and protected basements in London, Bespoke joinery, Structural engineers

We have built this.

On one London home, the master bedroom and dressing room became the protected suite. The walls and ceilings were reinforced.

The security doors are padded and buttoned, so they read as soft furnishing. You would never guess what they are.

The dressing room sits inside that suite, with walnut joinery and soft light.

We do not publish the address or the specification. Your home gets the same privacy.

How a protected room is built.

These concept visualisations show the idea, layer by layer. They are not a specification. Every house differs, so a specialist sets the real design.

The wall

  1. 1Painted panelled plaster
  2. 2Plasterboard
  3. 3Timber battens
  4. 4Steel security lining, with overlapped seams
  5. 5Structural plywood
  6. 6The existing brick wall

Visualisation

The door

  1. 1Padded and buttoned face
  2. 2Timber backing panel
  3. 3Steel skin, front
  4. 4Reinforced inner core
  5. 5Steel skin, back
  6. 6Locking bar with bolts along the edge
  7. 7Hook hinge bolts
  8. 8Steel frame

Visualisation

The ceiling

  1. 1Finished plaster and cornice
  2. 2Fire rated board
  3. 3Steel security lining
  4. 4Floorboards and joists, with new steel where needed

Visualisation

The window

  1. 1The original sash window
  2. 2Discreet steel inner frame
  3. 3Laminated security glass
  4. 4Steel fixing bead
  5. 5Panelled timber reveal

Visualisation

The services run on their own.

A protected room is only useful if it keeps working. So the mechanical and electrical services are designed for the room itself.

Its own power. A separate battery store feeds the room if an intruder cuts the mains. The batteries sit outside the bedroom suite, in a fire separated space.

Internal CCTV. A screen inside the room shows you the rest of the house.

Filtered fresh air. Air is filtered and pumped in, keeping the room at slightly higher pressure. That helps stop outside air leaking in. No filter removes carbon monoxide or fire smoke. So the room needs alarms and a shut-off.

A way to call for help. Steel can block a phone signal, so the room has its own line out.

Behind the wall

  1. 1Power panel, fed from a separate battery store
  2. 2Protected feed from a battery store outside the suite
  3. 3Steel enclosure
  4. 4Protected conduit in the wall
  5. 5CCTV screen inside the room
  6. 6Recorder, inside the protected room
  7. 7Camera covering the rest of the house
  8. 8Air filter
  9. 9Fan, pumping filtered air in
  10. 10Fresh air duct
  11. 11Fresh air grille

Visualisation

After, you would never think it has all this protection for your family.

A finished walnut dressing room with a chandelier and a glass topped island.
The finished dressing room · joinery by Cochrane BespokeCase study
The padded security doors open from the dressing room onto the master bedroom.
The padded doors open, onto the master bedroomCase study

Calm to live with. Private to build.

From a private conversation to handover.

  1. 01

    Private conversation

    Nick talks it through with you first.

  2. 02

    Security brief

    A specialist consultant assesses the home and the risks.

  3. 03

    Design and structure

    Room, structure, fire and services are designed together.

  4. 04

    Private build

    Sensitive drawings go only to those who need them.

  5. 05

    Test and hand over

    Systems are tested, and your family is shown how they work.

Panic rooms across London.

Where we work
Fulham, Chelsea, Kensington, St John’s Wood, South Kensington, Knightsbridge, Belgravia, Mayfair, Marylebone, Holland Park, Hampstead, Notting Hill, Weybridge, Cobham, Oxshott, Highgate, Primrose Hill, Earl’s Court, Pimlico, Westminster, Chiswick, Putney and Barnes, Bayswater and Maida Vale, Battersea, Richmond and Twickenham, Islington, Greenwich, Dulwich, Camden, Wimbledon, Bermondsey, Brixton, Ealing, Acton, Hammersmith, Queen’s Park, Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury

What owners ask about panic rooms.

Is a panic room the same as a safe room?

Yes, the two names are used for the same thing. The brief for your home matters more than the name.

Can you add one to an existing home?

Often, yes. The structure and layout decide what is possible. It is easiest during a wider renovation.

What if an intruder cuts the power?

The room has its own battery supply, separate from the house. Lights, air, CCTV and communication keep running. The design sets how long.

Can the room have a window?

Yes. We use laminated security glass tested to BS EN 356. The test covers only the glass, so the frame must match.

Who designs it?

A security consultant sets the brief. The architect, engineer, fire adviser and NU then work to it.

What does it cost?

It is a specialist service, so we cannot give prices at an early stage. We price it once the brief is agreed.

Will it stay confidential?

Yes. An NDA is available on request. We keep the location and security details private.

Talk to Nick privately.

Your name and one way to reply are enough. Please do not send security details through this form.

A phone number or an email is enough. We only need one.

Where did you find us? Optional
Optional, it helps us prepare
What is the work?

We call you back within the hour, in working hours. Your details go to the studio and our email system. Read the privacy note.