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<\/div>\nWhen Matthias Fitzthum sits down with a new client for a risk assessment meeting, he\u2019s often greeted with a common refrain: \u201cThey say: \u2018We\u2019re very safe. We have an intruder alarm system,\u2019\u201d he says. \u201cI look at them and say: \u2018So why do you think you\u2019re safe?\u2019\u201d In truth, this preliminary measure only scratches the surface \u2013 something Fitzthum knows all too well as the CEO and founder of Bespoke Home & Yacht Security<\/a>. \u201cSome of us think we\u2019re safe, but I can tell you, we\u2019re definitely not,\u201d he adds. \u201cThere are hundreds of different layers of security.\u201d<\/p>\n Turning your home into a fortress is no small feat; it\u2019s also a growing concern. More than half of the real-estate agents who participated in the most recent Global Luxury Real Estate Forecast<\/a> by Christie\u2019s noted that home security was an increasingly significant consideration for their clients. One of the first measures many consider is a panic room, which is usually thought to mean a concrete bunker in the basement where homeowners can safely hide away until the authorities arrive. This perception isn\u2019t helped by pop-culture representations, such as the Jodie Foster vehicle Panic Room<\/em>. The reality, however, couldn\u2019t be more different. \u201cPanic rooms are really old school,\u201d notes Fitzthum. \u201cNobody does them anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n See also: So, You Want To Build a Billionaire\u2019s Bunker? Here\u2019s Where To Start<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Beyond the alarmist nomenclature, the traditional room just isn\u2019t all that practical. If someone breaks into your home, it can be difficult to race down to the basement in time \u2013 and, in an emergency situation, time is everything. Instead, architects and security consultants have taken a different approach, calling these havens safe rooms, or serenity zones. \u201cInstead of going into a bunker, pick a room that\u2019s part of your daily life that can be transformed should the need arise,\u201d says Peter Pelsinski, principal at Span Architecture<\/a>.<\/p>\n The bedroom is often the preferred option. While it may look like any other space, the walls are reinforced with a quarter inch of steel. The windows all have bulletproof or smart glass, which can transform from transparent to completely opaque with the touch of a button. Using a hefty, reinforced door on a daily basis would be cumbersome, however, so a hidden ballistic sliding door is activated at the touch of a button. For many, these features have become a standard amenity. \u201cIt\u2019s been a consistent request since I started 25 years ago,\u201d says Margie Lavender, partner at Kligerman Architecture & Design<\/a>. \u201cThey\u2019re probably in every house over 10,000 sq ft that I\u2019ve done.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"safe](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/safe-room-diagram-2560x2007.jpg\")
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