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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To remove the door from my guest room/study

84 replies

EamesElephant · 08/10/2018 14:30

And replace it with a curtain?

When the room isn’t being used by guests it’s my study but it is very snug and getting to the desk means shimmying round the door. It’s a pain in the arse tbh. I can’t rehang the door because of the shape of the space.

The room is tucked round a corner at the end of the house we don’t really go to otherwise so there being a curtain rather than a door won’t really impact privacy too much for our guests and would make the room far more comfortable for me.

WIBU to change the door to a curtain? I don’t think it would bother me to stay in a room with a curtain instead of a door but don’t know about others.

OP posts:
Kahlua4me · 08/10/2018 15:18

meercat23 has a good suggestion. If it is a long hallway is there scope to hang a door further up?

A curtain is fine for just your study but not for guests staying.

GaryWilmotsTeeth · 08/10/2018 15:19

From a fire safety point of view, much better to sleep in a room with a door rather than a curtain to help stop the spread of smoke

ShatnersWig · 08/10/2018 15:22

You could surely more the door elsewhere looking at the amount of corridor you've got?

Alternatively I think it depends how often the room is used by a guest. If it's literally once or twice a year for an overnight, sod it. If someone has an issue, they can feel free to find a B&B nearby. As Phil and Kirstie always say when a couple want a third bedroom for guests that night be used six nights in a year, why would you spend £40k for six nights of the year. It's what sofabeds or B&Bs are for. It's what works for YOU, who lives with it day in and day out that matters. Not someone crashing for one night.

Original poster
EamesElephant · 08/10/2018 15:28

Unfortunately not Shatners there are internal cupboards all down the hall, and an external door (which is a fire exit) at the end. It's not possible to move or rehang the door, I need an alternative to what is there, or to put up with shimmying round the bloody door. It's a very snug room, lord knows what the developers were thinking. I've not used it for a decade, but for a spare room (it's only 4'6" wide so just fit a double bed and nothing else) but need it as my study now as I'm going back to university.

OP posts:
Catzpyjamas · 08/10/2018 15:28

Could you put a door, hinged or sliding at the start of that corridor?

To remove the door from my guest room/study
Kahlua4me · 08/10/2018 15:28

Looking at your diagram, I think you could hang the door by the last corner before the study.

Then you could have one of those doors that hang on the outside of the wall and slide along. It wouldn’t be in your way at all when using the room as a study but guests could close it when staying.

Catzpyjamas · 08/10/2018 15:29

Ahh, sorry. Cross posted.

FannyFlapping · 08/10/2018 15:32

How often do you have guests, OP?

Original poster
EamesElephant · 08/10/2018 15:32

That'll teach me for doing a lazy diagram - I left off the french doors to the terrace and all the internal cupboards - there is no way of making the hall part of the study at all.

There is a door where you've drawn, Catz - I suppose we could make sure the guests know that they can shut that one and ensure full privacy when they stay. I hadn't even thought of that as an answer - it's so far from the room with the bed it didn't occur.

So if they shut that door and I provide a curtain do we think I'm OK?

OP posts:
Original poster
EamesElephant · 08/10/2018 15:33

Fanny it depends - we're on a revolving door at the moment it seems but we can go months and months without a single one. Mostly it's family but at the moment it's anyone and everyone who wants to come.

OP posts:
CuriousaboutSamphire · 08/10/2018 15:34

Yes Smile

That would make perfect sense.

FannyFlapping · 08/10/2018 15:34

I think if they can shut that door, you wouldn't even need a curtain to be honest.

However, I think giving them a curtain would add a bit of extra privacy. However, as I've said, live in your house as you want to, guests don't matter and can find their own alternatives if they don't like the presumably free accommodation on offer.

Missingstreetlife · 08/10/2018 15:34

Not v expensive to have a door rehung, it will keep in the warm and draughty out better than a curtain

Catzpyjamas · 08/10/2018 15:35

Yes, if there's a door there then a curtain at the room threshold should be fine for privacy. No ideal for fire protection though.

MrsLettuce · 08/10/2018 15:36

Yes, absolutely fine with that door shut and a curtain on the room it's self. A heavy fabric would be best - velvet or something

MrsLettuce · 08/10/2018 15:36

Autocorrect! Its

FannyFlapping · 08/10/2018 15:36

at the moment it's anyone and everyone who wants to come

I think if you've got that kind of blase/everyone welcome/just muck in attitude then I think you're fine with a curtain. People can't expect to just decide to come and visit you and have everything perfect.

Make your house work for the months and months that you don't have people there.

By the way, I'm intrigued by your house now send some photos

Missingstreetlife · 08/10/2018 15:37

Sofa bed, daybed with spare that slides under, bunks, blow up bed, futon etc?

museumum · 08/10/2018 15:41

Why can't you hang the door somewhere on the long L shaped corridor? probably where it turns the corner?

WaxOnFeckOff · 08/10/2018 15:44

I'd just take the door off the hinges if it's similar to ours which just has pins that you remove. Then when you have guests you just bring the door back and put the pins back in. no curtain rails or anything required.

Original poster
EamesElephant · 08/10/2018 15:44

Fanny that's what I have to focus on - the months when I need my house to be most useable for me, not for the odd nights when we have guests. We're very relaxed when we stay places (share with children, sleep on blow up in the sitting room etc) but I know that some people aren't as unbothered. Hence the dilemma. I know that I'm such a klutz I'll walk into that door 100 times a day if it's still hanging there.

Now to research curtains that are a) heavy and b) nice.

museum I really can't hang it on that wall at all due to windows, curtains and fire escape from building.

OP posts:
suzy2b · 08/10/2018 15:45

i'm being noisey what is where there is nothing, odd shape

Original poster
Eameselephant · 08/10/2018 15:45

cupboards not curtains. Curtains on the brain.

OP posts:
Original poster
EamesElephant · 08/10/2018 15:46

suzy it's the lift shaft. I said house, I meant flat, with wanky direct lift access. I was trying to not give too much away but realised I couldn't explain without more info.

OP posts:
FannyFlapping · 08/10/2018 15:52

We're very relaxed when we stay places (share with children, sleep on blow up in the sitting room etc) but I know that some people aren't as unbothered. Hence the dilemma

If people are bothered then they can find somewhere else to bloody well stay.

My MIL is annoyed with several things in our house which make her stay marginally less optimal. I don't give a fuck- it's my house which is perfectly designed for the 50 weekends a year that she's not there. I've made it clear she can stay elsewhere but unfortunately she hasn't done so yet.