Narnia Wardrobe – Hidden Children’s Library

After we determined so as to add a ceiling to our two-story entryway, we ended up with an oddly positioned further room the dimensions of a walk-in closet.

The room didn’t connect to another rooms, and we spent a while considering of what we may use this small area for. Sooner or later it dawned on me—we may construct a hidden youngsters’s library with a Narnia closet entrance!

Clearly, this room is a showstopper and essentially the most distinctive room in our residence, however the largest profit has been an enormous improve in studying curiosity for each my youngsters (ages 7 and 4).

Immediately, I’ll offer you a tour of our secret library and clarify how we created it. By the way in which, if you happen to’d wish to see how our two-story entry regarded earlier than changing it, you possibly can see a photograph right here.

After we added the ceiling above the entryway (changing it from two tales to 1), we had been left with this area that connects to a touchdown on the high of our stairs. We determined to show it right into a Narnia closet with a hidden library for our kids.

First, I sourced an vintage armoire from Etsy. Subsequent, we had it built-in into the wall and the drywall patched. After that, we lower a door into the again a part of the armoire to create an entry level.

You possibly can see within the pictures under the way it appears to be like closed and opened. The brand new door is 5 ft tall, so adults need to duck to enter, however it’s accessible for youngsters and adults.

Anytime we are able to’t discover our children they are often discovered on this room studying and enjoying. It makes us so glad!

Let’s discuss somewhat concerning the lobby. This can be a small touchdown area on the high of our stairs. It has wall and ceiling wallpaper that creates a giant look. From this area, there are doorways to the stairway, our most important bed room, the hallway the place extra bedrooms are and this armoire.

Many instances I’ve proven visitors the armoire and nobody ever notices something particular about it till we push open the hidden door inside. It’s true magic!

Talking of true magic, right here’s a video tour of our hidden library:

Sources: Wallpaper / Augustine Evans Artwork Print / William Cleary Artwork Print (each artwork prints are by Janet Hill).

The darkish inexperienced paint shade is a customized match. We took a swatch of the wallpaper into the paint retailer they usually matched the deepest shade for us to color the doorways and trim.

Wallpapering a ceiling is an effective approach to make a room really feel smaller, cozier and extra dramatic. This area had little to do vibe earlier than we added the wallpaper, and now it is without doubt one of the most designed areas in our residence.

Artwork sources: Star Chart Artwork / Harry Potter Customized Artwork / Handful of Stars Print, Moon and Stars Print, Shadow Puppets Print. The rose portray and the mirror are classic finds.

I discovered an Etsy store that makes these custom-made wizard prints and my youngsters assume they’re hilarious.

When it got here to gathering books for my youngsters’s library, this was the enjoyable half! Let me know if you happen to’d be all for an expanded publish on this topic. I collected tons of of used books regionally.

For brand new books, I centered totally on sequence for early readers since our 7-year-old is at present studying to learn. I collected all of the sequence I beloved most as a younger baby in addition to new sequence that associates advisable.

Thus far, my 7-year-old is loving the Elephant and Piggie sequence (which she will be able to learn on her personal), The Magic Treehouse and The Ramona sequence. It’s been so inspiring watching each my ladies take a bigger curiosity in studying this yr.