moonberry Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 For 8 years now, I've dreamt of finding a dollhouse at a trashcan. Here in Dubai, some rich people throw out designer stuff (I've picked up a brand new Salvatore Ferragamo handbag, a venetian glass vase and numerous children's toys and books). Anyway, last night I took out our trash and in the little alley I found a few movers boxes with odds & ends. So I started digging and found this little beauty: I was so giddy, I didn't sleep all night! I just kept on designing different finishes for it lol. The open sides and back are quite liberating. I'm thinking of having some acrylic sheets cut to size for all the windows, doors and walls. Then I'm going to use liquid lead to design stained glass details and I'll probably fill them in with either coloured nail varnish or Sharpies to give me an open-air conservatory feeling. Whoever built this, mixed up two of the front columns, so the window sill panels do not line up properly. Easily remedied! I'm not sure if I should try and construct a roof or just leave it open. And do I paint the structure white or would a black finish give it more flair? Do any of you have any suggestions or have you done a similar build? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minikelli Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 If you did black with that red door, I could see that as being more of an Asian-inspired theme. With the beams etc painted white I can definitely see your conservatory, perhaps have a sheet of plastic cut for the windows as well as your ceiling panel. Either way can't wait to see what you do with your find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonberry Posted July 8, 2013 Author Share Posted July 8, 2013 Aha - you mean a flat acrylic ceiling panel? I hadn't thought of that. It would be practical to keep dust out for sure. The door doesn't have to stay red, I'm open to all suggestions! It does look a bit clunky (like the child's toy that it is), so ideas to help make it more realistic are welcome too. If I could create stained glass triangular panels to insert into the door cutouts, I could make them look more like arches. Arches are a very arabic feature and I'd like to give the Moorish decor a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minikelli Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 If you're going to cut acrylic for the windows already, you could also find on-line at least a clear sticker type material(just look for printable labels) that you can print on with your printer and just stick it to the windows -- thus easy stained glass that you can choose how you want it to look, w/o all of the headache. Though you can still use lead tape or liquid "leading" to give the windows more of a 3-D effect. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonberry Posted July 8, 2013 Author Share Posted July 8, 2013 Now that sounds like a great idea! Although I worry that the glue might slide right off the acrylic in the terrible heat/humidity fluctuations we have in Dubai. Some stickers over here just gloop around on surfaces and gather dust at the edges. Maybe I could print them on hard acetate film and just silicone them to the outer edges of the hard acrylic panels to keep them in position. Hopefully they won't buckle and ruin the effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonberry Posted July 8, 2013 Author Share Posted July 8, 2013 Furniture wise, I'm thinking an upmarket Moorish-themed cafe with a few small cafe tables (wire or maybe stone and marble?) to give an outdoor feeling. Potted plants everywhere of course! A counter for tea/coffee and cakes. I have just gone through some scrapbook papers and found 6 that would make great floors: These blues are a nice option. Left hand one is very modern and I could make simple stained glass to match, but not quite Moorish. Middle one is more Moorish - is the scale too big maybe? Right hand one looks very nice with the right scale, but maybe more Baroque than Moorish. These are the warm choices. The left hand one is more dreamy in pinks and creams with some green dots. I think this one would require white woodwork? Is it too feminine? The middle one is teeny weeny red hexagons with a little green dot in the middle. I like this one - it goes with the red door! But again, does it fit the theme? The right one is also quite Moorish, but very large tile pattern. Suitable for a floor, I guess. This is a bit overwhelming - I cannot decide on one clear winner. Thank goodness the scrapbook paper is the perfect size - that should make it easier to get started - as soon as I find the right one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Lene, if you have access to a source for basswood in 1/8" or thinner you could make new, more acceptable doors and sandwich your acrylic panels. Also, you could use paint-stiffened lace or old nylon stockings to make screen material to fill in the windows. The righthand blue paper in the first picture reminds me of the kitchen floor in our Arabic neighbors' kitchen when we lived in Signal Mountain, TN. If you want to go all out and make a Moorish roof, either make it removable or leave the back panel open for access. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THmini2 Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Great find! I love the ideas you have for it. It sounds like you are having a great time making plans for it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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