To insist that Narnia be inside a wardrobe

[whomovedmychocolate]

This thread will out me to lots of RL people yeah, I'm on mumsnet, big deal, get over it, I'm still the harrassed mummy at the school gate but here goes.

We recently bought a massive house, unreasonably big (4500 square feet I think). In one of the rooms on the third floor was a small false window. That is a frame with a blind on it but with no actual glass just a board. Now from outside we could see a window high up on the wall but it appeared to be higher IYSWIM than the internal dimensions would suggest.

Anyway we got curious, drilled a hole and discovered a hidden room. Which we got the builders to check out, floor and insulate and which was plastered two weeks ago. We call it Narnia.

The room has five steps to access it because it's on a different level to the rest of the third floor (so we now have a fourth floor IYSWIM) - it's basically the roof space above the master bedroom which has a vaulted double height ceiling. It's 9X9 but it's a fab little room with a window and now a Velux.

I'm putting a single bed in there and it'll be an extra guest room.

But AIBU to insist that we get an old fashioned wooden wardrobe, take the back off and conceal the steps to Narnia inside it? Then put (vintage) fur coats in the wardrobe.

DH insists this is OTT but I think it'll be funny.

FWIW the entire house is OTT. Note to all mumsnetters, buy a country cottage, do it up and flog it for lots and you too can buy a big house in a city.

I am too envious to say anything helpful.

Like all visual jokes, it'll only be funny once...

Errrm I think that would be a bit weird

But it's your house so whatever floats your boat I suppose?

Absolutely it needs to be through a wardrobe. And how cool is that? A hidden room!

DO IT!!!

Sorry I agree with your DH, might be good for a child's bedroom but as an adult I would be if I had to fight through a wardrobe of coats to get into a bedroom.

A hidden room? I'd be scared of the ghosts of walled-in plague victims or suspected witches or somesuch, but I like the Narnia idea. I would make it be my shoe room, purely so I could say I keep my shoes in Narnia.

Am also envious btw, I have a two-up two down that could kindly be described as 'cosy'.

Do it- I'd love it every time I walked through!!

but it wouldn't be Narnia would it? It would be a disappointing small room. Not Cenyaurs and Mr Tumnus and Reepicheep.

Fully appreciate what you are trying to do, and I think it definitely needs something (along the lines of an old priest hole maybe).

Do we have photos?

[green]

I love this idea. I would NEVER tire of it (though slightly ick at the fur coats)
I knew a woman who lived in a flat with a hidden attic space. I've always wanted a "den"
In your shoes I'd be turning it into a luxury crash pad.
YANBU (In case I didnt make myself clear)

Centaurs.

Try selling it to him as a James-Bond escape room, cleverly hidden with a secret latch on the wardrobe. See if he still thinks it's OTT.

Oh FAB yes do it - the kids 'll love it!

(if not yours then visitors)

Make sure you put a bookcase in there with all the Narnia books plus other childrens classics, it'll be a den for bookworms [green]

Marvellous!

Actually, you're probably better off asking an Estate Agent if you're doing up the house to sell it.

You could also hang up a picture of a sailing ship at sea, put a railway-station bench by the door, turn the other room into a gym or have a couple of guinea pigs wandering about with rings tied round their middles I would avoid the sixth known way of getting to Narnia, which is having a fatal train-crash, as this would probably (a) be difficult to stage and (b) mean that no-one would ever visit you a second time...

I wonder why it was boarded up?

Were there any piles of bones?

DO IT DO IT DO IT!

As a guest room there'll be an endless parade of new people to be enchanted by it.

The fur coats should be token, though, and not impede progress.

I love the idea more than words - until I think about the disappointment when what you actually get is a (very nice I'm sure) spare room. Or Spare Oom . Not Narnia at all.

So I'm torn. Unless you do what Rusty suggests and theme the room.

I'd do the wardrobe but without the fur coats. Think it would be wonderful!

I think perhaps you could reference the Narnia connection in less literal way (esp as it doesn't, in fact, lead into Narnia).

I think it's a wonderful idea!

Sounds like a fabulous idea to me! If I had a house like yours with a hidden room (unlike my pokey little 2 up 2 down) then I'd definatly be doing something weird like that.

Think there was a 'fantasy rooms' programme (don't remember what it was called but it was a bit like changing rooms but for kids and waay better) where a couple of kids had their room done up as Narnia... It had a snow machine, a White witch sleigh bed, model Aslan, a lamppost and loads of other stuff - I was about 16 when I saw it on tv, but was so jelous! I'm 27 now and would still love to have a room like that! But then I am rather eccentric!

Do it! You must do it - you are the home owner the room has been waiting for all this time! So what if it's a bit weird, it's an extra room you don't need/didn't know you had so you've nothing to lose.

Your very own Narnia. You are so lucky!

OMG so cool! Do it! And what bossybritches said - lots of books are essential. And for the first night new people come you should leave some turkish delight on their pillow.

I'm so wild with jealousy it's unreal.

Oh, and needless to say, when you've done it - pictures.