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Reclaiming a treasure


Isara

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Hi everyone! I'm in California and I have a doozy of a project I'm looking forward to sharing with you all. I'm 40 now, so 39 years ago, my great-uncle gave me a 1/12 scale enormous 4-story dollhouse that he made. I think it's a scratch build but I can't be sure.

Anyway, as a child, I played with the mini stuff, shoved all my kittens in it, and generally played quite happily with the thing. But I actually hated dolls when I turned around 4 or 5, so after a certain age, it was just a giant structure taking up space. I moved, went off to college, bummed around a bit, and finally had a forever home. But as absence makes the heart grow fonder, I kept thinking of the dollhouse that had such an impact on my love of things mini as well as historic. So it was finally ready to come home... BUT!

It had been kidnapped! By my mom's ex-husband's meth-addict prostitute girlfriend (I swear I'm not making this up)! After my mom pled with her ex to give it back, I was finally reunited with the dollhouse, but it looks like it was hit by Hurricane Katrina, and it needs a complete makeover. Plus, I have a toddler (a daughter), who will inherit it - as soon as I'm willing to give it up to her! Actually, I'm hoping she will eventually want to help me in its restoration.

So I am very much looking forward to learning from everyone. I am so inspired by your projects, and your attention to detail. I admit that I really don't know where to start. I'm starting on stained glass windows, because they're small and relatively easy, but I also might want to do a bathroom extension. I don't know. Where's the best forum to solicit renovation ideas from?

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These are the top attic bedrooms and the top of the house lifts off, but there's another top on this removable piece that hides another level

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With such a wild history, I think it looks pretty good. There are several members here who do renovations. I'm sure they'll be happy to chime in with suggestions. The exterior looks undamaged, but the inside may need a little TLC. Sorry I'm not much help. Looking forward to seeing it come back to life!

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Welcome, Isara. What a wonderful project lies ahead of you.

Gotta love a house with a history, and this house certainly has a colorful one!

Post your questions in the General Mini Talk forum. When you've made 5 posts you can open an album in the Gallery to keep us posted on your progress.

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Welcome to the little family  Your house is in amazing shape, considering its doozy of a history.  My goodness, some of the furniture is still there!  If it were mine I would begin by removing all the furniture to a safe place and give the house a thorough cleaning, inside and out.  I'm going to hope that the whitish residue on the floors is spray paint and not meth...  I would strip off all the old paint and wallpaper that appears damaged, try to remove the stairs gently  or else plan to make templates there, too; and have a blast redecorating!

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That's a wonderful house!

As Kathie said, once you have five posts, put these pictures into an album so they will be included with your renovation progress.

Do what Holly said to start with, then you will be able to decorate it. There are tons of dollhouse rehab posts on here, and the general mini talk section is the best place for questions. You'll get lots of answers there.

I can't wait to see what you do with this gorgeous house, it's a real treasure!

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thank you everyone! Yes, it looks like spray paint... but I'm not going to sniff it to find out for sure. My tentative plan is to strip everything inside and start over - new floors and walls, add lighting, new windows, curtains, bathroom. I kind of want to add an extension, maybe a bay window and a conservatory, but I'm not certain yet. Too many ideas and I can't seem to settle on them.

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1 minute ago, havanaholly said:

You're young, yet, and there's plenty of time.  Let your house speak to you and tell you what it wants (besides being loved and brought back to playability).

Aww, you're sweet! Really, I've been trying to settle on a style for it for 4 years now. I waffle between 18th century, Victorian, and spooky, with a bit of art nouveau thrown in. I just love architectural design too much! Maybe I will just need to ~gulp~ work on other houses like Debora suggests.... !

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19 minutes ago, Isara said:

Aww, you're sweet! Really, I've been trying to settle on a style for it for 4 years now. I waffle between 18th century, Victorian, and spooky, with a bit of art nouveau thrown in. I just love architectural design too much! Maybe I will just need to ~gulp~ work on other houses like Debora suggests.... !

You definitely will want more than one! I've been trying to decide whether my next house will be a true early American colonial, or a sea captain's house with lots of treasures from the orient. Maybe I will have to do two houses at once!!!

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Just now, kathi17 said:

You definitely will want more than one! I've been trying to decide whether my next house will be a true early American colonial, or a sea captain's house with lots of treasures from the orient. Maybe I will have to do two houses at once!!!

This means I'll have to start convincing my husband that we need a bigger house, right?

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Just now, Isara said:

This means I'll have to start convincing my husband that we need a bigger house, right?

Yeah, that's the problem with dollhouses! The half scale ones are easier to display, but I love my 1/12th scale.

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See?  You're getting it!  I have conversations with my houses ever since I discovered the darned things do talk to us.  If I try to build a house according to my preconceived ideas, it's a major PITA and looks it!  If I do what the house tells me it comes out looking lots better.

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12 hours ago, havanaholly said:

See?  You're getting it!  I have conversations with my houses ever since I discovered the darned things do talk to us.  If I try to build a house according to my preconceived ideas, it's a major PITA and looks it!  If I do what the house tells me it comes out looking lots better.

I hate it when the unbuilt ones yell from the back of the closet!

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2 hours ago, aggiemae said:

I hate it when the unbuilt ones yell from the back of the closet!

:D

That's... um... pretty much the rest of my project graveyard, too. I try to forget there're several boxes currently under my craft table, but the darn things won't be quiet!

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Welcome Perian!  You will certainly find lots of advice and learn lots of new techniques to restore you wonderful treasure!  :D   I just love the little bathroom sink!  and that adorable kitchen can be cleaned up and updated very nicely, I think.  I'm no expert, by any means, but I do rehabs and will gladly pass along any info I have learned from my experiences. 

Your most-used rehab tools will be a heat gun, scraper, spray bottle (w/ vinegar & water to remove wall paper), spackle and sandpaper, Kilz primer and paintbrushes! I suggest buying good-quality small brushes from the hardware store for larger jobs, and artists' brushes from the craft store for the smaller jobs.

Have fun!

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Welcome to the forum!

That house has potential!  A rehab can be a lot to take on if it's your first house.  I did one rehab for a client after I was nearly finished with my first scratch-built.  It was only 4 large rooms, but 80+ years of wear and tear took it's toll.  The 70's wallpaper and linoleum flooring wasn't easy to get off either, but the end product was a lit Victorian with new windows, flooring, to scale wallpaper and ceilings. 

I have lots of ideas for my next build or two, but oddly enough, my wife doesn't like little houses and wants the two we have out of our real house.  Luckily my oldest daughter won't let the Victorian go without a fight.

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Jeremy, if your houses need a new home - I got a room for them. I could even drive over to Florida to pick them up - just sayin'...... I'm willing to accommodate here... hahahaha 

Sorry, Peiran for hijacking that thread. I think you will enjoy working on that house - and welcome to the forum!

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