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've got a secret passage

Have I just invented the word elapse? You can have elapsed. But elapse? Prolly shouldn't be used like that anyway
Apologies to all pedants. I knew what I meant.

Time lapse?

no to the coats, but I had a friend with a bedroom behind a fake bookcase, and staircases behind cupboard style doors are quite common too.

probably.
I'm lapsing all over the fecking place.

I haven't read all the replies but wanted to say do it do it do it. Sounds brilliant I am very , excellent idea and I would love to be a guest in a house like yours

I'd maybe do the wardrobe but not the coats. It would be annoying to push through coats every time. Other than that, go for it.

Plus there is the added advantage of the zombies not being able to find you. You could hide in it like Anne Frank if there is a zombie uprising/Nazi invasion.

I'm back (have been baking on the ground floor kitchen one (we have two - how weird is that!))

We are putting a single bed in and lots of books because it's off my office so the only person who goes in there is me.

But at the minute the stairs are just open so you can see in. I have to do something so it is private if anyone does sleep in there (don't get me wrong we have a few guest rooms it's unlikely to be anyone unless they are very pissed and fall asleep at a big party in which case it'll be the lightest person as we'd have to hoick them up three flights of stairs to get there.

I do like the idea of the turkish delight on the pillow though, that's hilarious.

Oops got to go meringues are done.

You would be being Unreasonable if you didn't do this, IMHO.

What a fabulous idea!

Hark at the stealth boasting there - 2 kitchens, a few guest rooms...

Oh I disagree - if there is to be a wardrobe, there must be coats. Fake fur though, think of the beavers.

Definitly coats.

think of the beavers.

So true, so true.

I definitely think you should make it hidden - perhaps behind a bookcase if not too Anne Frank-esque. Even better would be a full-on stone fireplace where you pull a lever disguised as a candlestick and it spins round, opening up a tunnel into a secret chamber.

Well no hidden room here no such luck but we do have a door at the back of the wardrobe that leads to a small bit of roof space. I've always thought it would make a nice hidey hole to read or something in seclusion

oldraver - do it. it's amazing the lost space inside houses, we have discovered loads of wasted space. The people we bought off were ahem different so we have found some weird stuff.

Oh and Sassy - yep stealth boasting, that's why I started my OP by describing massive house. Frankly I wanted to buy a modest detached house, DH wanted this pile and he won because the one I wanted feel through. And I'm still slightly pissed off about it because everyone who comes round either mentions Footballers' wives or Cribs. Neither of which I've seen but I fear are not a good thing.

I love the idea - please do it!

Awesome stealth boasting.

Based on how affluent you probably are you should go ahead and do extensive alterations to your house for the sake of a joke that isn't funny, no-one else will get, and will get old in about ten minutes.

sniffs air
detects strong whiff of

Heyyyy chocolate, don't stress. My was to indicate I was joking. Yr house sounds fab and I'm sure you've worked hard for it.

Sit down and have a beer

Bloody hell. This is the greatest interior design idea I have ever come across.

No I'm not kidding.

Do it do it do it do it.

Do it.

Omg though. A Hidden room... weren't you just a bit creeped out by discovering a boarded up room. Arrgh!!

WMMC, if you discover any stuffed animals in cases, can I have them? DD was very inspired by a recent museum trip and visit to Build A Bear (mistake to do them both in one morning). I fear she's only a few steps away from scraping up roadkill with the fish slice and ramming it full of fluff.
A ready-made may save me.

I'd go as far as sticking bookshelves onto the door.

But? (practical hat firmly on) - what happens when said drunk guest needs the loo in the middle of the night? Won't having to fight through coats rather confuse them and possibly lead to accidents in said fur coats.

Oh and re: stealth boasting, you all missed it - not the huge country pile, the making her own meringues