craftsman dollhouse plans

[MaryKate]

Hi everyone,

I've been pretty quiet around here because I've started a new job and moved 500 miles; I'm still in the process of unpacking and have been trying to quell the urge to work on minis with Lego sets and coloring books, as well as drooling over photos on this site and raiding my new local library for all the books about dollhouses and minis I can find. But the urge to build is *killing* me. Even though I have --I think 5? Possibly 6-- projects in the works, they're all in the basement under mounds of boxes.

I find myself sighing over kits and ideas all the time. The one that really appeals to me, and that I would probably have ordered a week ago if I could find it in stock for a decent price, is RGT's 1/12th scale Classic Bungalow. It's not everything I want, but it's the closest I can find to my actual real life dream house. So I keep scanning Craigslist and Ebay in the hopes I might find the kit (like I said, at a reasonable price). Manhattan Dollhouse says it'll be stock "later in 2018." The Beach House Bungalow is everywhere, of course, but I *much* prefer the symmetry and the more impressive facade of the Classic.

But all this has me wondering--does anyone know of plans I could get my hands on for something similar? I tend toward kits because they're so easy to start and endlessly adaptable, but I've done enough kitbashing and have enough tools (plus access to my dad's woodworking equipment) that I know I'm capable of building from plans rather than a kit. I know back in the day Nutshell News had a series of plans for one in 1/24th scale, and I think I still have those issues somewhere in my stash, but I don't know how complex the math would be to rework them in 1/12 scale. Google searches haven't turned up anything useful, probably because the term "Craftsman" gets pooled in with "crafts" and "craftsmanship." Ideally, I'd like a Craftsman/Mission/Prairie style bungalow with 4-6 rooms and a big porch. (Okay, in a dream world, I'd build the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in miniature, complete with the barrel-ceilinged playroom and embedded tree, but that's probably a more advanced and expensive project than I'm ready for right now!)

I figure if anyone can point me in the right direction, it's the collective brain trust of this forum! And now that I've done something, however small, to quell the need to BUILD, I'm going to continue setting up my home office so that I can check that item off the list and move on to my art supplies...someday, I will play with tacky glue and paints again.

[Mid-life madness]

Did you see the Arts and Crafts house at Earth and Tree? They sell the plans for the house as well as the kit. The plans are $15 and might help you get started on your own design?

[fov]

Did RGT discontinue the 1:12 version? It does't seem to be on their website anymore. That's a shame. The kit is still available in half scale.

The Nutshell News you're thinking of with the bungalow plans is May 1993. If you Google "craftsman bungalow floorplan" you'll find a lot of stuff that could help with a scratch build, if you decide to go that route.

If you're not married to 1:12 scale, Debbie Young has a sweet quarter scale Craftsman kit: https://youngatheartminiatures.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3_11

Also the Duracraft Bayberry Cottage has a Craftsman look to it.

 

[havanaholly]

50 minutes ago, MaryKate said:

...plans for one in 1/24th scale, and I think I still have those issues somewhere in my stash, but I don't know how complex the math would be to rework them in 1/12 scale...

To convert 1:24 to 1:12 you would multiply all your measurements by 2, wouldn't you?  I know that when I was making furniture for my Fairfields from 1:12 patterns I divided all the measurements by 2.

[MaryKate]

Thanks everyone, for your answers. I didn't realize E&T sold plans for the Rye; it's not the house I want but you're right, the plans might be a place to start.

I'm not sure if RGT has discontinued the Classic or if there's some glitch in production. Like I said, Manhattan Miniatures says it's coming back later this year, but I can't find any explanation of when. The 1/24 Classic is still around, but I'm not sure if I want to switch scales for this project (see below).

That quarter scale kit is adorable! I'm not sure if I want to sacrifice the detail of 1/12 for this project; there'd be a lot of woodwork and stained glass. But the space savings would be nice.

As far as converting, sure, it *seems* like you'd just multiply everything by 2, but I worry about angles and centering and getting one measurement wrong that would throw everything off. Whenever I get around to digging out my magazines, I'll look at those plans and see how hard it would be.

[havanaholly]

First rule of woodworking:  Measure twice, cut once.

[Mid-life madness]

19 hours ago, MaryKate said:

Ideally, I'd like a Craftsman/Mission/Prairie style bungalow with 4-6 rooms and a big porch. (Okay, in a dream world, I'd build the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in miniature, complete with the barrel-ceilinged playroom and embedded tree, but that's probably a more advanced and expensive project than I'm ready for right now!)

That would be beautiful! Have you seen these room-boxes?  I think @fov took a class from one of its creators.

[Debsrand56]

7 minutes ago, Mid-life madness said:

That would be beautiful! Have you seen these room-boxes?  I think @fov took a class from one of its creators.

That is awesome!  I would love to have something like that!

[havanaholly]

I seem to remember one of the dollhouse magazines having a DIY article about one of Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian homes.

[fov]

Yeah, I did two Craftsman roomboxes with the Guys from Texas. There are pics of the more recent one (Cypress & Fog) here: http://www.emilymorganti.com/blog/?page_id=9944

I never got around to making a gallery for the first one (Oak Shadow), but there are some pics here from when I made it: http://www.emilymorganti.com/blog/?p=8718

The one in that Good Sam blog came a few years after Cypress & Fog. It seems like every roombox they do is more elaborate than the last one! As far as I know they'll design a new project and then teach it a few times, for a year or two, and then discontinue it. Every few years they do a workshop at the Good Sam show in California, I'm not sure what other shows they go to. Their email is on the Good Sam post, so you could contact them if you want more info. They're great teachers and the two classes I took with them were invaluable, I'd love to take another one.

 

[Mid-life madness]

3 hours ago, Debsrand56 said:

That is awesome!  I would love to have something like that!

Fingers crossed, maybe this year they will do a class at the Good Sam Show!

[Debsrand56]

2 minutes ago, Mid-life madness said:

Fingers crossed, maybe this year they will do a class at the Good Sam Show!

Wouldn't that be great?  They're announcing their workshops in June.

[NellBell]

40 minutes ago, Debsrand56 said:

Wouldn't that be great?  They're announcing their workshops in June.

 

 

43 minutes ago, Mid-life madness said:

Fingers crossed, maybe this year they will do a class at the Good Sam Show!

 

1 hour ago, fov said:

Yeah, I did two Craftsman roomboxes with the Guys from Texas. There are pics of the more recent one (Cypress & Fog) here: http://www.emilymorganti.com/blog/?page_id=9944

I never got around to making a gallery for the first one (Oak Shadow), but there are some pics here from when I made it: http://www.emilymorganti.com/blog/?p=8718

The one in that Good Sam blog came a few years after Cypress & Fog. It seems like every roombox they do is more elaborate than the last one! As far as I know they'll design a new project and then teach it a few times, for a year or two, and then discontinue it. Every few years they do a workshop at the Good Sam show in California, I'm not sure what other shows they go to. Their email is on the Good Sam post, so you could contact them if you want more info. They're great teachers and the two classes I took with them were invaluable, I'd love to take another one.

 

 

Any of you going to the Good Sam Show this year??   I'm pretty sure it will be my first show . It's on my calendar, I've booked a room and I plan on doing some classes . 

[Debsrand56]

7 minutes ago, NellBell said:

 

 

 

 

Any of you going to the Good Sam Show this year??   I'm pretty sure it will be my first show . It's on my calendar, I've booked a room and I plan on doing some classes . 

I hope to.  We usually take the train down (about 1 1/2 hours).

[MaryKate]

OH MY GOODNESS. Emily and Carrie, I actually whimpered looking at those pictures. Seriously, that would be a dream project/bucket list thing for me! Your work is gorgeous, and I'm so glad I got to see it. Now I'm doubly inspired to take on a project like this. Don't know if I can afford to get to those classes, travel wise, any time soon, but thank you so much for putting this on my radar as a possibility!