This secreted baby gate doesn't have the controversy of its political namesakes, but it did require a lot of planning and cover-ups. It wasn't easy to find a spot for the gate, which blocks stairs, elevator, and bathroom from an open living area. The few vertical elements are structural, so they couldn't house a pocket for the gate. Andrew Smith, project manager for Millersville, Md.-based Winchester Construction, and architect Donald Lococo conspired to fit the pocket behind some already planned built-ins by pulling them out from the wall a few inches. Where to fasten the gate was another challenge. “We enlarged the trim around a support column to capture the gate,” explains Smith. The gate slides cleanly into that column where a flush bolt and shallow groove secure it tightly. Because the pocket is in a tricky spot, Smith avoided using mechanical parts that might have to be adjusted over time, instead using a felt brush material that lines the pocket walls to keep the gate aligned. Felt furniture pads allow the gate to slide across the wood floor. Smith is proud of this seemingly simple builtin that he says was “a laborious effort that came out really nicely.” Lococo seconds the sentiment, adding that even toddler toe size was given major consideration during the design process.
