Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to give up Narnia?

374 replies

dobermeister · 21/03/2023 10:48

When DD was a toddler I created a Narnia in her room. Basically there was an adjoining room from her bedroom, I removed the door, put a wardrobe on either side, and made the other room into Narnia. It has snowy woodland painted on all the walls, a bookcase, cushions on the floor and is basically a “snug”. DD adores in still and is always in there.

DH now wants to get rid of Narnia and turn it into a storeroom for DDs stuff. This is totally unnecessary as we have 3 other spare bedrooms as well as a cellar.

DD wants to keep Narnia. DH thinks it’s babyish and a waste of space as her bedroom is already a big room.

His issue is that his kids don’t have stuff like this at their mum’s house but that’s not mine or DDs fault is it?!

What do you think?

OP posts:
tommika · 21/03/2023 17:47

Here’s a thought:

If it’s to store her things and she’s too old for a Narnia room then she can put her things in the Narnia room, no need to remove the Narnia goodness, and she wouldn’t mind.

But as it’s a problem then that implies to me she likes having a Narnia room, uses it and there is sufficient space in the house for storage

MeridianB · 21/03/2023 17:48

AndTheSurveySays · 21/03/2023 10:51

YANBU. I'm an adult and I'd love a Narnia bedroom.

This! When a person is tired of Narnia, thy;re tired of life. It sounds divine.

KCandtheSunlightBand · 21/03/2023 17:48

My daughter is 27, she would love a Narnia even now. She used to make a reading niche wherever she could, and still talks about how wonderful it was. She has plans for a loft conversion that includes a very large walk in wardrobe, that will never be used for clothes, but will be her book space! I am very envious of her and your daughter!

JenniferAllisonPhillipaSue · 21/03/2023 17:51

Can you actually remove a Narnia room? Surely it's another world, and you don't have control of it ....

#TeamNarnia

legofrostqueen · 21/03/2023 17:52

Loving the Narnia room idea - do not give this up!

bucketloadofcats · 21/03/2023 17:56

I am now considering whether I can knock a hole through the wall to create my own Narnia...

QuintanaRoo · 21/03/2023 18:01

dobermeister · 21/03/2023 11:00

My thinking is when/if DD does grow out of it it can be changed into her private little study room.

Absolutely. It’ll always be a useful space for her.

boobot1 · 21/03/2023 18:01

Keep it, and get a snow machine😁

SupplyIsLimited · 21/03/2023 18:05

He sounds like a grumpy jerk who wants to punish other people for being happy. If he wants his other children to have things they love as much as your DD's Narnia, the answer is to put in the effort to connect with them and make them feel special, not to take away something from another child.

JamSandle · 21/03/2023 18:05

Yanbu

I'd be happy with that now!

SelfPortraitWithHagstone · 21/03/2023 18:05

Have read all your comments, OP, but not the full thread - just dropping in to say DO NOT GIVE UP NARNIA, it sounds wonderful. As far as I'm concerned it would add 10k to the value of your house as well, so there's that...😉

LibrariansGiveUsPower · 21/03/2023 18:06

I’m jealous, I want a Narnia room!

UkuleleRose · 21/03/2023 18:09

This was a small bookstore and coffee shop in Prague, but the closest I'll ever get to Narnia. :-)

To not want to give up Narnia?
Xarrie · 21/03/2023 18:13

Photo!!

Emotionalsupportviper · 21/03/2023 18:53

FishChipsMushyPeas · 21/03/2023 14:57

I'm 42 and I would love it now.

Just me?

Show quote history

No. Not just you - I'm 69 and would give my eye teeth for it.

(They're getting loose anyway.)

Incognito2023 · 21/03/2023 18:56

Just adding my name to what has become an online petition to convince your Grumpy Old Man not to get rid of Narnia!

(unless your family/household has a genuine need for the room to be used… which it doesn’t seem there is)

Please tell us that you/we have managed to convince him he is being very very unreasonable…

CinnamonJellyBeans · 21/03/2023 19:05

I'm sure Narnia is fab and you should keep it.

It's a shame that the decor of your stepchildren's rooms was dependent upon your DH, as he was too lazy, so they had to go without.

It would have been marvellous if you could have picked up the paintbrush on their behalf too, then everyone would have been happy.

Ofcourseshecan · 21/03/2023 19:09

NOOOOOOO! Don’t destroy a wonderful little unique and special place you’ve made for DD, through your own creativity.

DH sounds like a bit of a grinch. The storage excuse is pretty weak when you have plenty of space elsewhere. It doesn’t need redecorating to become a study, when she needs that. And if she does want to paint it black or purple when she’s 13, up to her!

crymeout · 21/03/2023 19:25

We need to see this room OP! But please don't get rid of it, ever!

Liorae · 21/03/2023 19:26

CinnamonJellyBeans · 21/03/2023 19:05

I'm sure Narnia is fab and you should keep it.

It's a shame that the decor of your stepchildren's rooms was dependent upon your DH, as he was too lazy, so they had to go without.

It would have been marvellous if you could have picked up the paintbrush on their behalf too, then everyone would have been happy.

If their own father couldn't be bothered, why should the OP? OP already said the kids are teens that don't even visit very often, so it doesn't sound like they would appreciate her efforts

BorgQueen · 21/03/2023 19:27

It sounds fabulous, keep it forever, your DD will never forgive you if you get rid.
As an aside, DH went to service someone’s boiler today, he showed me a photo of the access - it was a secret door in a wardrobe to another room !
He said the woman looked at him a bit funny when he asked where the fur coats were though 🤣

SquidwardBound · 21/03/2023 19:27

CinnamonJellyBeans · 21/03/2023 19:05

I'm sure Narnia is fab and you should keep it.

It's a shame that the decor of your stepchildren's rooms was dependent upon your DH, as he was too lazy, so they had to go without.

It would have been marvellous if you could have picked up the paintbrush on their behalf too, then everyone would have been happy.

But why would it have been marvellous if the OP had done what their father could not be bothered to do himself?

If they miss out, it’s because neither of their parents were willing to do it. That’s not the OP’s fault.

Nothing would have stopped their father picking up a bloody paint brush to make his children happy.

SlouchingTowardsBethlehemAgain · 21/03/2023 19:29

What a lovely mum you are. We all want Narnia in our lives.

whatchaos · 21/03/2023 19:33

sorry I think he sounds like a joyless twat

WiddlinDiddlin · 21/03/2023 19:34

im still jealous. I could knock a hole in the wall I guess...

This is a mid-terrace so I suspect the neighbours wouldn't be so chuffed... pft!

Swipe left for the next trending thread