Bayberry Cottage

[ybcool]

Hi all, I'm working on the Bayberry cottage and was wondering if anyone else was working on one or has one under a bed somewhere. I haven't heard much about this house since Dura-craft is no longer around. I'm looking forward to decorating but am having fun building. Since it is supposed to be a 30's craftsman style house I was looking for period info and found a book online called Thirties & Forties that is supposed to have ideas and plans for decorating. Has anyone had experience with this book?

Thanks,

Valerie

[havanaholly]

Valerie, that book has gotten a lot of discussion here and several of us got copies ASA it came out last fall. I have a couple of Jane Harrop's books, as her projects are well-written & doable. The Craftsman Period is actually MUCH earlier than the '30s, which was nearing the last throes of the Art Deco Period; more like late-1800s through pre-WWI; but people in the '30s would have still had their furniture and Carnival Glass, although perhaps redecorating and covering up all the panelling and stenciled borders. Here's a source for making Craftsman bedroom furniture. The Westville is another kit that would make up into a cute Craftsman Bungalow.

[texasbuilder]

Interesting. I am just about to start a Bayberry. I suggest you look at real estate listings in the Seattle area because there are a lot of craftsman style homes on the market and at least you could see the way they are painted on the outside. My nephew and his family live in one in Seattle. The real ones are not cheap.

[CJEP]

I built the bayberry cottage and know there have been a few others on here who have also built it. There are pictures in my gallery of it. I'm actually going to be donating it to the silent auction for our public library this fall. I'm in charge of the silent auction, so I decided I should donate something.

[chellebelle]

I am building my Bayberry now too. I looked at these websites for ideas. They are not dollhouses, but very good photos and info.

for real arts and crafts houses - www.craftsmanperspective.com/architecture

for historic homes of all types with awesome photos- www.historicproperties.com

and the Museum of Domestic design and architecture for victorian, 1930, 1950 style decor-

www.moda.mdx.ac.uk/tellingtales/aids

I hope I got those all correct. If not, let me know.

[MsSkillz]

Hi,

I see that ybcool posted their question back in Mar 08 but I just found a awsome site for 1920's & 1930's Dollhouse furniture. I'm also building the Bayberry. Here's the link:

http://www.mckendry.net/DOLLHOUSES/1890s.htm

Hope this helps someone else.

[Abbey]

My husband just gave me a Bayberry Cottage kit and I'm looking forward to building it but I have no instructions. Do you know where I could find some? Even if I can't find any plans I may take a go at building it. What type of glue do you use?

[havanaholly]

You probably want the instructions to build a Dura-Craft kit. There's an Ebay seller who sells DC instructions. I'm rather simple-minded (K.I.S.S.), I use wood glue to glue wood parts together.

[texasbuilder]

I have the instructions on my computer and will be glad to send them to you. Please send me your personal email address and I will then send you the instructions. No charge and no need to buy them.

[dormom]

I'm currently building the Bayberry Cottage. I am almost finished with the outside and have constructed a fireplace for the inside, trying to stay with the Stickley/ minimalist guidelines of the Arts and Crafts movement. I have also used the Bayberry kit stairs and constructed a stairway that doubles back on itself with a landing before the last three stairs. I am trying to build a Craftsman since the style is very prevalent in the Mid-West, many arriving by train after being ordered from Sears and Wards catalogs. Though the style goes back into the late 1800s, the period I have chosen to decorate in is the 1930s, with some nods to the earlier periods. I figure I don't remodel my house completely every decade, why would anyone else? In addition to the 1930s and Craftsman style, I am trying to incorporate Kansas, so my theme is, loosely, "Autumn House", with as many crop and sunflower references as I can cram in. Problems have been: the plywood flat with the door, bathroom windows and brickabrac was not punched through and trying to cut those pieces out with a skill saw was a disaster, so I have a pre-assembled door and two windows not from the kit, along with a window I put in the attic. I'm not fond of the Victorian look to the porch, but was reluctant to fiddle with it until I put it together "the right way" once. Thanks for the Craftsman and dollhouse sites. This is a fun house to build. Ava

[Elicia]

I'm almost finished with my Bayberry. I'm rehabbing it to sell as I just don't have room for all my orphans. I opted not to use the porch and have ended up with a house that, I think, looks much more current era and will probably be a more sellable unit. I won't be completing the inside so that the new owners will have lots of options. I'll post some pics when it's done.