8 creative ways to conceal your household shelter door

Often an undesirable but necessary feature, household shelters - more commonly known as bomb shelters - are the bane of every new homeowner's existence.

With their utilitarian white blast door and metal ventilation plate, they can disrupt a home's aesthetics - unless you happen to love the industrial look.

With the right design techniques, though, you can effectively conceal these features, integrate them into your home and even make use of them.

Cover up the blast door with paint or wallpaper.

Two of the easiest solutions help merge the door with the wall. A darker paint shade or boldly patterned wallpaper hides the lines of the door more effectively. If you're going the paint route, you'll need to remove the existing layer of paint first.

According to HDB regulations, the layer of paint cannot be too thick as it could affect the ease of opening or closing the door.

Customise a cupboard.

If your blast door sits along a wall of its own, consider getting your ID or carpenter to build a custom cupboard or cabinet for you that creates extra storage space while concealing the blast door.

Opt for handleless doors with a push to open latch mechanism or a moulded finger for a sleeker profile.

Create a faux vertical garden.

Looking to inject some greenery into your home? Creating a green wall of artificial plants is an aesthetically pleasing way to disguise the blast door and ventilation plate.

You can also paint the handle dark green so it doesn't stick out too much, but be sure to leave it easily accessible in case of an emergency.

Add a mural.

This is a great opportunity for budding or inner artists to showcase their skills while drawing the eye away from the outline of the door.

If you'd rather hire someone to customise a mural, check out Stephanie of Muffinsaurs, whose adorable animal medleys are very popular. She can even incorporate your favourite characters.

Turn the door into a full-length mirror.

You'll be surprised by the transformation a simple change can make. In this case, an ordinary blast door doubles as a full-length mirror for checking out appearances. Most suppliers can do it in a variety of tints to match your home

Cover it up with a wall panel.

Slimmer than a cabinet and sturdier than wallpaper, a panel could be the answer if you want to conceal the shelter behind a solid structure but lack space. Panelling has the added advantage of concealing wires and cables, too.

Blend it with the rest of the doors.

While you can't actually swap out the metal door for something else, you can disguise so that it looks like any other door in your home. This can be easily done with trim or laminate.

Use a giant decal.

If painting an entire mural isn't up your alley or if you'd prefer a look that you can change after a while, a large decal can make the door a highlight instead of drawing attention away from it.

This article was first published in Home & Decor.