Was the wardrobe in The Chronicles of Narnia based on a real piece of furniture?

The answer

C.S. Lewis drew inspiration for the iconic wardrobe in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) from a large oak wardrobe built by his grandfather, which stood in the hallway of his childhood home, Little Lea, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As a boy, Lewis and his brother Warnie would climb inside during imaginative games, telling each other stories in the dark. The wardrobe, carved with intricate designs, now resides at the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College in Illinois, where visitors can see it - though a sign warns: 'Enter at your own risk. The director takes no responsibility for persons who find themselves in Narnia.'