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Dollhouse for Denmark


SewMini

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So Ive been trying to decide what I want to do when I get to Denmark when it comes to miniatures. I do still have my unbuilt Glencroft and I have my mess of a San Franciscan kit that I still need to decide what to do with. The problem is that both of them have relatively large footprints. Even my Orchid took up quite a bit of space and it was on the small side for houses. With space at a premium I'm wondering if a half scale house would be better and with my recent foray into doing half scale the idea is definitely exciting. Both of my full scale houses be easily stored here in the states as they are both in boxes and wouldn't take up space. They would be great projects for me whenever we decide to return to the states. I did think about getting a half scale Tennyson but I'm finding myself really drawn to two houses:

The half scale Van Buren

http://shop.greenleafdollhouses.com/Half-Scale-Van-Buren-Dollhouse-Kit.html

and this half scale East Side Townhouse from Real Good Toys.

https://www.realgoodtoys.com/collections/smaller-1-2-inch-scale-dollhouses-front-opening/products/1-2-scale-front-opening-east-side-townhouse-dollhouse-kit

Obviously, the RGT model is much nicer but I do love the layout and all the windows in the Van Buren. The finished footprint of the Van Buren is a tiny 16"W x 9"D x 15"H.

The thing I love about the RGT is that it is front opening. I'm wondering if I could somehow convert the Van Buren to be front opening (and obviously adding a panel to the back) Though, I guess with such a small footprint, it would be easy to flip it around for viewing.

There is also the Fairfield which is so cool. It just needs a bit more depth in terms of counter/table space. Not much though!

Then again, there is the gorgeous 1:12 Willowcrest which seems to be compact and I do adore the layout.

http://shop.greenleafdollhouses.com/Willowcrest-Dollhouse.html

What do you guys think?

 

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Are you going to put your other houses into storage or are you selling off your other kits/houses? Just curious. 

For sheer ease of transport I'd say go half-scale. But does that mean losing a lot of your 1:12 collection? And starting over with 1:24? That isn't a bad thing, tho. 

With smaller scales, be sure to look into ceiling heights. I am always surprised by how crowded some of the smaller 1:24s feel with lower ceilings. The van buren seems very small compared to the Fairfield. In photos is looks more spacious.  I have both and I prefer the Fairfield - the ceilings are nice and high. It makes a difference. Oh but I love the Van Buren staircases.

I like both your choices. Have fun choosing!

 

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Ooh, difficult choices.  The Willowcrest definitely has a bigger footprint than the half scale, but I can see why you like the layout.  If space is a consideration, I'd go with half scale.  Most half scale houses can fit nicely on a bookshelf (not, unfortunately, the Fairfield).  One nice thing is that half scale furnishings and accessories seem more readily available in Europe.  I regularly order from the UK, and there is a nice place in Germany with quite a bit of half scale.  At the very least, shipping should be less!

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21 minutes ago, Elsbeth said:

Are you going to put your other houses into storage or are you selling off your other kits/houses? Just curious. 

They would go into storage. I do like my Glencroft but the size is a bit much and there aren't that many rooms for that much of a footprint. It might be better when we eventually come back. Though, I guess if we're going to be gone for years I could just sell them and then re-purchase when we come back. I only paid $40 for it. Same for the San Franciscan. That one is going to be a chore and I definitely don't want to take it. I may end up just giving that one away.

I see what you mean about the ceiling height on the Van Buren. I wonder if that would drive me bonkers.

I wouldn't ditch my 1:12 scale furniture. I'm going to keep all that as a vintage shop room box which is super easy to ship.

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The willowcrest reminds me of dutch architecture so might be nice to do a European style house now that you are moving to Europe. I do love the half scale RGT though. I'm coming around to front opening houses. They seem very practical. You can push them back against a wall and don't have to move them, just open the door. :D Also, mini's are dust catchers and an enclosed house goes some way to minimising that. And, you can close up all your minis in the house no matter what state it's in, shut the wall and all is good in the world. :) 

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6 minutes ago, SewMini said:

Hmmmmm here is something tempting. A front opening dollhouse for $35. Obviously made for kids (I think it was a Costco dollhouse) but it has a lot of potential and it may be big enough for my 1:12 scale minis

https://offerup.com/item/detail/398858223/?ref=Search

 

I'd love to look at it.. but apparently Offerup has banned au IP addresses from accessing their website.. WT??? lol

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4 minutes ago, SewMini said:

Here it is Sam

 

Thanks Miranda!.. I've seen this house around the traps before, I like it.. it has a Georgian feel.. and yes, oodles of potential.. :D 

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It would definitely survive the move too since it's built for play. It does need some TLC as I noticed the door is missing and the floors are messed up but it could be a fun rehab project. Maybe I can even salvage my kitchen cabinets for it.

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I love all things half scale and all things Greenleaf. Except for the Fairfield, the GL 1:24 kits are laser cut and a lot of fun to build. I think both the Willow and Van Buren have a lot of potential. The Tennyson has a small footprint...it’s just tall. The rooms are somewhat small, but it’s three stories, so there is a lot you can do with it. 

Just a warning...half scale is very addicting! :ohyeah:

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I was just looking at The Dolls House Emporium site and again and their “Classic Dollhouse” looks extremely similar to the one of OfferUp. I wonder if they wholesale them on the side or something just with a slightly different design. The plot thickens!

 

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Half scale is my favorite, so that's what I think you should do! It's an amazing space saver. 1:12 houses look so giant to me now. Half scale houses are easy to work on at a desk, you can easily flip them over and move them around, they can sit on a bookshelf, and if you're making your own furniture and accessories (which, frankly, you'll probably have to since the selection is smaller), you don't need to be as precise and detailed as you do in 1:12 for something to look good.

If you like that front opening style with the basement, there are some like that in half scale available from the UK: https://www.craft-products.com/dolls-houses-24.php

(They tend to use 1/24 for the scale and "dolls house" instead of dollhouse, so searching for "1/24 dolls house" can yield good results.)

I used to like the RGT townhouse and then I saw one in person and didn't like it as much. It seemed clunky. The Fairfield is my favorite of Greenleaf's half scale houses, I love how it's two rooms deep. There are a lot of steps and the die cut wood requires prep work, but as long as you're not in a hurry to get it built, it's a wonderful house.

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Ohhhhhhhh! Look at what I've found on Etsy and the shipping to denmark isn't much at all. Think I could get rid of those raised tabs somehow? I would assume i could just cut them down and it would be like a slot and tab Greenleaf house.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/219020017/laurel-town-home-3mm-birch-ply-wood?ref=shop_home_active_25

 

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2 hours ago, SewMini said:

Think I could get rid of those raised tabs somehow?

Where there's a will, there's a way. What a nice house! You would have fun with this one.

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That's a nice house! It reminds me of RGT's Queen Anne. From the ceiling height it seems like it'll work for half scale. You can definitely chop off the tabs that stick out, just cut them down as much as needed and use a lot of glue. They might be messier than a normal tab and slot house but you can cover them up with siding and shingles.

 

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41 minutes ago, fov said:

 It reminds me of RGT's Queen Anne. 

That's exactly what I thought! I really love the RGT Queen Anne but goodness that thing is a monster. I dont think I could ever make that house. This feels much more manageable.

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Well, after thinking and thinking and thinking some more (because we all know I love to over think things) I’ve decided to go with the half scale Van Buren. I just love the layout and with only a 9” depth it’s perfect for small spaces. I’ll probably change up the stairs a bit and Im thinking I could add a portico to the front. I do like the Laurel Townhouse but for whatever reason I really want a house with a wide hallway and there didnt seem to be a good way to squeeze one into the Laurel because of the window placement. Im very excited to try out half scale!

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Guys, tell me if this is bananas. I was looking into salt box houses because that's what Greenleaf's site say this house is and I got an idea to, at some point, add an addition on the back. Even if I do it at half the length of the original house, my depth is still only 13.5". 

What I am envisioning is essentially 4 extra rooms and an extension of the hallway added to the back (so six additional rooms. In between the addition and the original house, there will be an additional panel so when it's all closed up and you look in the front or the back, you see a single room. You open up the back panel to reveal the additional rooms with that flat panel still covering the original opening. Open that panel, and you see into the original house. I can totally see this in my head but I think I'm explaining it poorly. Too crazy?  

40767747442_ce7956f0b9_b.jpg

 

 

 

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