The Transformation of a Dollhouse: A Photo Journal

   The New Mansion

This staircase took over a week to plan and build. It was a real challenge to calculate how to measure it so it would fit in the space I had available and still look half decent. As it is, the landing will actually be on the 2nd floor...in the other half of the house.

This is the built-in linen closet I made for the 2nd floor bathroom. You can see the flooring a bit better in this picture.

Here is the bathroom from above. I got the flooring at a dollhouse shop on Friday. I actually laid the individual tiles in the other house's bathroom, but I wanted to buy something at that store and this is what I came away with.

I wanted to have a laundry room specifically to showcase my washer and dryer set. I made the little shelf above the machines to put laundry detergent and such items on.

This wild-looking room is going to be an art room. I have plenty of rooms in this house to make them into whatever I like....and I thought the murals make it look kind of "arty".

Here is the view from above the artroom. I haven't put the 3rd floor on yet. I have all kinds of ideas for furnishings and decorations for this room!

Here are the two floors I've (almost) finished so far. Keep in mind that this is only half of the house. The other half is yet to be put together.

I also bought this bedroom suite at Hobby Lobby. I love the "mahogany" look. This is a 5-piece set complete with real mirror encased in mahogany.

This is the living room suite I bought at Hobby Lobby. I thought it went well with the walls and carpet.

This is what I started the new house with. I had a bunch of real-sized wainscoting, which I thought I'd use for the exterior walls of the house. This led to 4 sheets of 1/8" wood, each sheet 4'x2', and a 5'x5' sheet of thin plywood.

Here I have made the exterior walls and front, and they are leaning against each other in this picture. After I took this photo, I cut the two end walls straight down the middle. One side of the house will have two of the end walls hinged, while the other will be the point at which the house opens so you can view the interior rooms. The house, when put together, will be two feet deep, three feet long and 28 inches high.

Yesterday I started wallpapering the 1st floor on one half of the house. This picture shows the "built in bookcase" wall that I made for the living room. Behind this wall will be the foyer and staircase, and beyond that the guest bedroom. I'll post some more pictures as soon as I get some more work done!

This is blurry, but it is the front door. When finished it will have window panes in the gaping hole. I haven't made the staircase yet, as I am still doing the calculations on how it will fit.

This is the closet in the guest bedroom. I've noticed something about most dollhouses, including the ones I've made from scratch--lack of closets! So, I am going to make a closet for each bedroom. This one has sliding doors and, of course, a bar to hang clothes from. Now I just need to make some tiny clothes hangers and it will be ready to fill.

This is also blurry but you get the idea. This is the first half of the first floor. The other half will contain a kitchen, dining room and bathroom. Those rooms will be a while in coming, though, because I don't have room in my house to work on both halves at once! Next, I have to do the staircase, then start on the 2nd floor.