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childhood custom dollhouse


Bareba87

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Had this dollhouse built for me as a child generally used Barbie with it. Always wanted to fix it up and I think now's the Time. Considered maybe a partial stone partial siding exterior and no clue what I'll do with the inside. Any thoughts? Advice? It's close to a 1:6 scale maybe a touch smaller? I'm only guessing. I suppose it could be called a super high ceiling 1:12?   I think here's some of the measurements. height 61" Room height 15" Attic height 5.5" Body width 36" Body depth 18" if anyone knows if these measurements are best suited for 1:6 furniture and whatnot please tell me.  I forgot to measure the door and windows. The base itself is a little bigger. The attic space is so small it's basically useless. I do have some other pictures if anyone has advice and wanted to see more. 

babypics-06-01-2020-0808pm.jpg

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Will be a fun project. With 15” ceilings, you could totally do it in 1:12 scale. Plenty of old homes (here in Australia anyway) had 15 foot ceilings. My grandmother’s house, built in the 1950s had very tall ceilings (probably 14 ft). I am sure you could also make it modern too. It could be a cool loft style apartment, converted warehouse or coach house or factory. I think you need to start with a style/theme that interests you and go from there. Part of the appeal for me is the challenge of taking a structure and making it into what I want it to be.

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3 hours ago, shannonc60 said:

Part of the appeal for me is the challenge of taking a structure and making it into what I want it to be.

I agree. Determining what the structure will become falls under "the house tells me what it wants" approach. Personally, I imagine what I want the  structure to become and then work out the details as the need arises. It helps to start out with a goal in mind, although it may evolve into something different. Havanaholly has a house that she thought would become Miss Marple's cozy English cottage but which ended up a jolly pub instead! 

Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong way in miniatures; You really cannot make a mistake that cannot be fixed. Ask for suggestions. You will hear from folks here who have painted themselves into a similar corner and worked out a solution. No need to reinvent the wheel. Consider the suggestions and then do what feels right/most comfortable to you.

I also agree with Shannon that the high ceilings provide a wonderful opportunity for renovating it to a unique 1:12 scale project. What does this building feel like to you? Give yourself time to consider options. I could see a shop (bakery? deli? dry goods?)  on the ground floor, a store room or work room on the middle floor with maybe a bathroom partitioned off, and a tiny apartment on the top floor comprising a living room and bedroom.  

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Thank you for the responses  I have a ton of ideas but not sure which ones will fit this house.  Would love to do something like an apothecary but Im unsure if that would work here yet.  I would much prefer to do a 1:12 scale. And was hoping someone would agree and not think the rooms height would make it feel off. An amazing kitchen or library would  be great. (Bakery at the bottom kitchen in the middle apartment at the top?) But with the sizing I feel like it wouldn't fit or feel right to have both. The three floors are quite large and if I do 1:12 scale I think it would be alright to partition parts off if I need to.   My mind is exploding with ideas but it would look disastrous to mash them all together.  will have to give serious consideration to this. In the meantime I will still be happy to have any ideas or recommendations!

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That sounds great too! The attic space isn't big and and the angle of it means only a small bit of it can really be used But I could manage to make it work. I'm really interested in trying to build as much of my own stuff as I can as long as it looks decent. What I can't make I'll buy when I can little by little.  At first I was going to start with the outside and work to the inside but now I feel like that's not a good idea. And I've for sure decided on 1:12 scale so that helps with a little direction. I do love the thought of a little business in the bottom though. Might add windows on the sides but I'm unsure. Also there aren't any stairs. I've done a lot of work with various little models but redoing this dollhouse will be my first. I'm deciding on a dollhouse kit right now too but this one, I want it to be really special since it was my dollhouse when I was little. I cant recall what it looked like when it was made for me, the paint was different and the window coverings are long gone but it won't be recognizable when I'm done  I want to make it into something amazing for sure. 

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1 minute ago, Bareba87 said:

Also there aren't any stairs.

If stairs mess up your vision or floor plan, do not hesitate to leave them out. You can hint at a faux staircase in a corner or simply assume that it is in the part of the house you cannot see.

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39 minutes ago, shannonc60 said:

If the floors are quite large, you could have a shop/business at the bottom and two different apartments on the next floors. Then you can use very different styles, as your occupants can be very different people.

Too true, didn't consider that!

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The door way Is 5x12 seems rather big to me. Been looking at doors that have something above them. So I can make that opening smaller. Maybe a door with a little window above it.  Is it just me thinking that 5x12 is too large of an opening for a door in a 1:12?   Holly I love the toile wallpaper in the farmhouse!! 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Im trying to figure out what what to do with the door way. Even if I get or build a door with a transom it would have to be a large transom all the doors I find are regular sized ones anyone know how some old places have the huuuuge doors? Has anyone seen a dollhouse doors like that for sale? Cause I can't find any. My other option is to place part of the wood that's gone above the regular sized door so that it's not a huge opening having the exterior and interior design covering the fact that its been filled. But I don't know how id do that and wanted to check for advice on either option. If I go with the regular sized doors definitely doing double doors. And can customize by building a transom. 

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