Torn between the Lily & the Beacon Hill : - (

[aussieguy84]

Hi everyone!

So I've been spending the past 6 months working on my first doll house - the half scaled Fairfield. As the rest of you half scalers know not everything comes in half scale and therefore it's difficult to source what you need. There are also little parts that once glued it's difficult to get into the rooms to decorate. So it's been a challenge but I've throughly enjoyed it. It's forced me to think out of the box and do my research! As my time with my Fairfield is drawing to a close (hopefully - by Christmas fingers crossed if i get organised and motivated) I've started thinking ahead to my next project - a full 1" scale house! I've narrowed my choices down to the Lily or Beacon Hill. 

The Beacon Hill is of course a crowd favourite and a very traditional doll house! The front is stunning but the inside, but for me, is a little restrictive. Has anyone completed this house with modifications to the rooms? I see a lot of people add on a little conservatory but has anyone added on anything more substantial? The little kitchen is going to drive me bonkers, so I'm going to have to figure out the best way to make it bigger. Ive thought about buying 2 kits and bashing them together by placing an additional 3 room tower section (the part with the bay window if you are looking in front the front) on the right hand side next to the small kitchen. The other issue is the layout - being very vertical. And after dealing with the Fairfield - which is a very similar layout to a real house the Beacon Hill looks a little 2D from the back. Although it's probably easier to display because of the smaller foot print. What is great about the Fairfield though is the rooms are really easy to get into and decorate. 

The Lily is of course similar design to the Fairfield in it's "3D layout". I've done a few searches on the forum and read the posts - only can find a handful of examples. I've toyed with the idea of adding an additional level between the 2nd floor and the roof level for some extra rooms. The wrap around balcony reminds me of a New Orleans Bed and Breakfast with the bottom level a kitchen, dinning, lounge and the upper levels bedrooms and bathrooms with perhaps a library/music room : -) I'm thinking black iron railings, shutter windows and bricks for the outside. The big draw back with this one is getting into those small spaces (like the fairfield) so a lot of the work needs to be done before gluing. Can I do this to myself again? LOL Has anyone completed this house? Have people added different windows and doors? Would love to hear and see what you've done with it! 

Thoughts and suggestions would be most welcome! : - ) 

[havanaholly]

My Lily is still in its box, politely reminding me it would really like to become a Tuscan villa when I finally get to it; so I shall probably make all new & different doors & window treatments for it.

[aussieguy84]

31 minutes ago, havanaholly said:

My Lily is still in its box, politely reminding me it would really like to become a Tuscan villa when I finally get to it; so I shall probably make all new & different doors & window treatments for it.

A Tuscan Villa! Love that idea : - )

[Khadi]

I really like the Beacon Hill- someday I'll finish mine.  I did reconfigure the downstairs to give it a small central hall with a larger room on the right because I didn't like how it was laid out.  I like the more "3D" look too, but sometimes it is nice to to the less complicated "2D" builds.  The picture is from an earlier state.  I'm a bit farther along now.  It is the "older" portion of an English Tudor-era manor house so the outside, including the roofline, will look very different when I'm done..

 

[Mid-life madness]

Get them both

The Beacon Hills come up used more frequently...so you are bound to get a better deal if you wait. (Or wait for the HBS 40 % of sale). They are both lovely houses, and personally I would like to see more Liliy's built. I don't think you can go wrong with whatever you choose!

 

[aussieguy84]

49 minutes ago, Khadi said:

I really like the Beacon Hill- someday I'll finish mine.  I did reconfigure the downstairs to give it a small central hall with a larger room on the right because I didn't like how it was laid out.  I like the more "3D" look too, but sometimes it is nice to to the less complicated "2D" builds.  The picture is from an earlier state.  I'm a bit farther along now.  It is the "older" portion of an English Tudor-era manor house so the outside, including the roofline, will look very different when I'm done..

 

Looks great Karen! I like the tudor take on it. What have you got happening over on the left hand side? Is that a door to another room?

[aussieguy84]

17 minutes ago, Mid-life madness said:

Get them both

The Beacon Hills come up used more frequently...so you are bound to get a better deal if you wait. (Or wait for the HBS 40 % of sale). They are both lovely houses, and personally I would like to see more Liliy's built. I don't think you can go wrong with whatever you choose!

 

If I got them both my partner would kill me Carrie!  ha ha ha after all - I still have to finished that fairfield too. Good tip on the HBS 40% sale! 

[My Miniature Madness]

How much space do you have? That's always something I have to contend with before starting a new build. I always say I'll let the older ones go to make room for the new, but I can never really bring myself to do it...

[havanaholly]

Karen, I love the arched interior doorways.

[L Swearengin]

Done both.  I modified the interior of Lily. But kept footprint the same.  I mean seriously considering adding a second San Franciscan to the one I have.  

[aussieguy84]

3 hours ago, Its_a_sm_world_after_all said:

How much space do you have? That's always something I have to contend with before starting a new build. I always say I'll let the older ones go to make room for the new, but I can never really bring myself to do it...

Easier said then done isn’t it! the Fairfield is small and fits onto of a bookshelf. But yes - the beacon hill would be a smarter choice in terms of space 

[aussieguy84]

2 hours ago, L Swearengin said:

Done both.  I modified the interior of Lily. But kept footprint the same.  I mean seriously considering adding a second San Franciscan to the one I have.  

Do you have any pics of your interior modifications that you would be willing to share? 

[L Swearengin]

Aussieguy.    All my pictures are on pinterest.  I am unable to load photos from my phone

[havanaholly]

Scott, Lawanda has a link to her Pinterest site in her signature line.

[L Swearengin]

Thanks Holly.

[havanaholly]

I bookmarked your Pinterest site because I love looking at your work.

[Mid-life madness]

39 minutes ago, havanaholly said:

I bookmarked your Pinterest site because I love looking at your work.

I agree, if I am curious about a certain house I always check her site. She is a prolific builder, and tries so many different mediums.

[aussieguy84]

7 hours ago, L Swearengin said:

Aussieguy.    All my pictures are on pinterest.  I am unable to load photos from my phone

Thanks Lawanda  Your Pinterest is amazing!!! So helpful. Thank you 

[Selkie]

Been thinking about your situation. Offering a few thoughts on your dilemma for more room or better general layout or kitchen enlargement in your Beacon Hill ideas.

It is possible to separate out the front kit pieces and cut new ones to your desired size to create a new front width, leaving the depth and height of the kit the same. It could be just one side or one level that you enlarge or both sides or even just the middle section. Several folks have bashed the Rosedale by adding an extra wing. The Beacon Hill has a similar ability to be in sections.

The most difficult part would be enlarging the roof sections if your addition goes all the way up. It’s not impossible but more challenging. It would also take some thinking and planning for window placements and other design elements.  

Leaving out the stairs or changing the location or style of the stairs can also be a space saver.  Adding an L type addition towards the back is another way to gain more space. Check out the Pierce and Garfield for ideas of doing an L addition.

One other thing to remember if you are decorating in the Victorian styles, is that in Victorian times, furniture and people were somewhat smaller than we are today and they loved to cram lots of things into their spaces making it seem overcrowded by our standards.

So I’ve put in some album links to BH’s that I’ve always admired. Maybe they will spark a thought for you.

Pin1056 (Linda) built two Beacon Hills together into quite a fantastic creation called Beacon Hill Extravaganza  She had also added a basement to the entire build which housed some of the services of the home.

Later on she took them apart and did a complete renovation. She designed it to be much more open and called it  Beacon Hill Reno

I love cats built this Beacon Hill. She added a huge porch onto it. In doing so, you could see that a kitchen extension could easily have been part of that area.

Anya built this one called Beacon Hill with Extension. It allowed room for a very nice sized kitchen without going all the way up and dealing with a roof reno.

Wyckedwood (Karin) built the Sea Hag which is a Beacon Hill. She is tremendously gifted at creating a specific mood or ambiance, not to mention being a wonderful artist in many mediums. She didn’t enlarge hers but made use of space in unique ways that might give you something to think on.

[WyckedWood]

Well thank you Selkie for those kind words! 

Karen I'm intrigued by what you're doing with your BH. Not many examples out there of people taking Victorian type houses and turning them in to Tudor/Medieval style. I'm doing the same with the Marquam Hill Mansion and keep second guessing myself so much that I've stalled out on it for the time being. 

As for the BH vs Lily, just a few thoughts. If you're on Facebook find and "like" the page More Minis. She posts very detailed descriptions of her builds step by step and she just finished another Lily so you may get more insight. If an area is going to give you trouble or cause you to have to think 4 steps ahead she will talk about that too. 

The kitchen...I don't know if you're familiar with Brooke Tucker, a now retired room box design guru. Her work was beyond fabulous. She never did kitchens. She didn't like to cook. She also never put toilets in the house.  Have you considered just having a dining room and no kitchen? I'm faced with the same dilemma for my Marquam Hill, which although much larger than the BH, has an even painfully smaller kitchen. I personally don't like add ons because they alter the design lines of the house. I'd rather work with what I'm given. 

Also, about the BH, some people leave out the stairs for more space. 

Im trying to wrap my head around the 2D vs 3D visualization and I can't. 

[aussieguy84]

1 hour ago, Selkie said:

Been thinking about your situation. Offering a few thoughts on your dilemma for more room or better general layout or kitchen enlargement in your Beacon Hill ideas.

It is possible to separate out the front kit pieces and cut new ones to your desired size to create a new front width, leaving the depth and height of the kit the same. It could be just one side or one level that you enlarge or both sides or even just the middle section. Several folks have bashed the Rosedale by adding an extra wing. The Beacon Hill has a similar ability to be in sections.

The most difficult part would be enlarging the roof sections if your addition goes all the way up. It’s not impossible but more challenging. It would also take some thinking and planning for window placements and other design elements.  

Leaving out the stairs or changing the location or style of the stairs can also be a space saver.  Adding an L type addition towards the back is another way to gain more space. Check out the Pierce and Garfield for ideas of doing an L addition.

One other thing to remember if you are decorating in the Victorian styles, is that in Victorian times, furniture and people were somewhat smaller than we are today and they loved to cram lots of things into their spaces making it seem overcrowded by our standards.

So I’ve put in some album links to BH’s that I’ve always admired. Maybe they will spark a thought for you.

Pin1056 (Linda) built two Beacon Hills together into quite a fantastic creation called Beacon Hill Extravaganza  She had also added a basement to the entire build which housed some of the services of the home.

Later on she took them apart and did a complete renovation. She designed it to be much more open and called it  Beacon Hill Reno

I love cats built this Beacon Hill. She added a huge porch onto it. In doing so, you could see that a kitchen extension could easily have been part of that area.

Anya built this one called Beacon Hill with Extension. It allowed room for a very nice sized kitchen without going all the way up and dealing with a roof reno.

Wyckedwood (Karin) built the Sea Hag which is a Beacon Hill. She is tremendously gifted at creating a specific mood or ambiance, not to mention being a wonderful artist in many mediums. She didn’t enlarge hers but made use of space in unique ways that might give you something to think on.

Thank you so much Selkie! So many great ideas   and heaps of things to think about. I'll be going for more contemporary with the finishings which is why the small kitchen a such a bother. We are spoiled now aren't we in 2017 with such large rooms! 

In my search I've stumbled across Linda's work before. Wow! It truly is an extravaganza. But I did;t know that she redid one.

Both I love cats and Anya have thought of great ideas with extending on the kitchen side. I've seen similar designs like these before. I like how Anya has added the extension and then the glass atrium to the front and connecting it to the balcony. Smart!

Karin's work is stunning! Such a well conceived idea and yes you're so right! A smart use of space.

Well - thank you once again! Much food for thought.    

[Khadi]

22 hours ago, aussieguy84 said:

Looks great Karen! I like the tudor take on it. What have you got happening over on the left hand side? Is that a door to another room?

Thanks.  I have a Garfield on each side which make up the wings of the manor (one is inverted).  What you are seeing through each opening are those.  The one on the left was the first part that I finished.  Currently there is a door to the outside but eventually I'll make connecting hallways on both sides.  It's an ongoing project that I finish someday...

[Khadi]

32 minutes ago, WyckedWood said:

Well thank you Selkie for those kind words! 

Karen I'm intrigued by what you're doing with your BH. Not many examples out there of people taking Victorian type houses and turning them in to Tudor/Medieval style. I'm doing the same with the Marquam Hill Mansion and keep second guessing myself so much that I've stalled out on it for the time being. 

As for the BH vs Lily, just a few thoughts. If you're on Facebook find and "like" the page More Minis. She posts very detailed descriptions of her builds step by step and she just finished another Lily so you may get more insight. If an area is going to give you trouble or cause you to have to think 4 steps ahead she will talk about that too. 

The kitchen...I don't know if you're familiar with Brooke Tucker, a now retired room box design guru. Her work was beyond fabulous. She never did kitchens. She didn't like to cook. She also never put toilets in the house.  Have you considered just having a dining room and no kitchen? I'm faced with the same dilemma for my Marquam Hill, which although much larger than the BH, has an even painfully smaller kitchen. I personally don't like add ons because they alter the design lines of the house. I'd rather work with what I'm given. 

Also, about the BH, some people leave out the stairs for more space. 

Im trying to wrap my head around the 2D vs 3D visualization and I can't. 

Hi Karen- The Garfield wing that I have finished wasn't too hard.  I just left off the trim work and porch.  I also switched the door to the side and built out over the opening to make a recessed door.  I'm still want to change the oval windows and the balcony but these parts were done before I decided to make it Tudor.  I haven't figured that out yet.  I'd love to someday switch out the windows for casement windows as well but my budget doesn't allow it at the moment.  I'm still debating what to do about the BH roofline.  I'm thinking of leaving off the curved pieces and extending the walls out to the edge of the third floor or perhaps leaving the area as a walkway with access for archers or lookouts.  I originally was going to make the inside completely Tudor period but decided instead to make it a product of renovations of various periods such as one might find in a grand old house.  I did use granite stone paper on the outside because I can't lift the completed one now.  I can't imagine what it would have weighed if I had covered it in "stone".

[WyckedWood]

Wow that's so creative Karen, thanks for the picture too. Beautiful ideas. I have decided the same for my MHM, as far as renovations, different styles, grand old house. It will just be eclectic and mysterious, Tudor/storybook on the outside and loosely victorian/fantasy on the interior. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[aussieguy84]

1 hour ago, WyckedWood said:

Well thank you Selkie for those kind words! 

Karen I'm intrigued by what you're doing with your BH. Not many examples out there of people taking Victorian type houses and turning them in to Tudor/Medieval style. I'm doing the same with the Marquam Hill Mansion and keep second guessing myself so much that I've stalled out on it for the time being. 

As for the BH vs Lily, just a few thoughts. If you're on Facebook find and "like" the page More Minis. She posts very detailed descriptions of her builds step by step and she just finished another Lily so you may get more insight. If an area is going to give you trouble or cause you to have to think 4 steps ahead she will talk about that too. 

The kitchen...I don't know if you're familiar with Brooke Tucker, a now retired room box design guru. Her work was beyond fabulous. She never did kitchens. She didn't like to cook. She also never put toilets in the house.  Have you considered just having a dining room and no kitchen? I'm faced with the same dilemma for my Marquam Hill, which although much larger than the BH, has an even painfully smaller kitchen. I personally don't like add ons because they alter the design lines of the house. I'd rather work with what I'm given. 

Also, about the BH, some people leave out the stairs for more space. 

Im trying to wrap my head around the 2D vs 3D visualization and I can't. 

Thanks Karin! I think a kitchen is a must for me unfortunately so I've got to make the space work!  I'll check out More Minis on Facebook for some further insight. I'm thinking about replacing the stairs with narrower ones for more room. 

With the Fairfield I've be use to working in 3D so it's ok for me but is it annoying trying to get into all the small spaces. The planning 4 steps ahead has done my head in! And of course I have made a few mistakes and now need to go back and try to fix them! 

The Marquam Hill Mansion is a beautiful kit. Once you put it together with tape and see how the pieces fit i'm sure you'll have a better idea about it!