Doll House Part 4: Finished!

4:00 AM
It's taken me a long time to post this, I guess I'm still getting things back to order after the
holidays, and trying to nest and get ready for the baby (due in 3 weeks).
I was worried it might not happen, but did end up getting the doll house itself finished in time for
Christmas morning!!
Previous doll house posts:
Part 3: House Front
Part 2: House Built
Part 1: Peg People

I wish I could say it was a magical moment when Ellie saw it and she flipped out.
But her Christmas morning was spent lounging in the princess chair her dad got her and eating
candy.
She was so excited about her own pack of tick-tacs, she wouldn't put them down, so trying to
open gifts one-handed turned into her brother opening most of her presents.

.
She did take a look at the doll house, put her tic-tacs in a bed, then picked them up and went
back to her little couch. So this may be something she plays with more as she grows up,
(hopefully) which I kind of expected.
Maybe our next daughter will love it.
 _____________________________________________________________
So the details!
The intricate stuff on the exterior was mentioned here, where my mom saved the day.
My favorite element on the exterior is probably the rounded front door.

A total pain to design around, as both sides had to meet up to make the arched doorway, and in
the end it's not that functional.
But it just so cute to me, and has proved useful to throw lost little pieces in the house when I'm
too lazy to open the drawer!
There's a chest latch near the top to close the doors and keep them shut which makes it nice when
moving it.
It was gold, so I spray painted it with gray Rustoleum Hammered.
You can also see the dentil molding I added to the front, as the space between the shingles and
the tops of the windows seemed too bare.
My mom cut extra windows and window sills which I just glued to the sides of the house for
extra detail, along with the rounded little windows at the back.
The gray wood for the front half of the roof, front door, and drawer front were upcycled from my
neighbor's fence they tore down last summer. The back roof of the house was just the same 1x8
pine boards used for the rest of the build.
I was pretty excited when I discovered a new stain by Minwax:

Minwax Classic Gray stain

It was only available in the quart size and only at Home Depot in my area.
It's a really opaque stain when you apply it, half way between paint and stain in my opinion.
But I really liked the results. I was planning on painting all the wood, but was so glad to find
real stain because paint can chip off, but stain becomes part of the wood and is more permanent.
It also allows the natural wood grain to show through rather than covering it up.
 More info on the door if you care:
I cut fence boards into the thin strips, then glued and clamped them to a 1/8" hardboard
scrap. Once dry, I used my table saw to trim off the vertical sides, then just hacked away the top
in pieces to get a curved shape with the miter saw. Any jagged corners along the curve were
sanded smooth.
The tiny hinges are from Lowes, and the door knob is from a cheap pack of Ikea baby knobs I
had in my stash.
I used a magnetic cupboard catch to help it stay closed, but to allowing it open easily if the kids
forget to open the door before they unlatch the big doors.
Probably the smartest two elements in the design were the casters on the bottom which make the
house mobile. It gets shut and placed against a wall when not in use, then pulled out and opened
to play. Having the front half open so wide kind of made it necessary to roll it around easily.
The casters have locks to secure the house to make it safe, as Ellie has used it more for a ladder
to climb than a house to play with lately.

Then the drawer is so nice for all the accessories, furniture, and dolls.
 It's just one big drawer, but I added the dado cut in the drawer front to mimic a double drawer
since it was so wide. The hardware are the original handles I removed from my birthday dresser
I refinished in 2010 spray painted gray then a light coat of white to contrast the gray wood a little.
 The back of the house is just a large piece of 1/8" thick hardboard, stapled into the frame.

I was going to focus more on the interior of the house with the final post in the series about the
furniture and decor, but you can see here how the design has the little seat or ledge in the front,
also stained in the minwax gray.
The walls of the inside are a mixture of fabric or scrapbook paper mod-podged to the wood. A
few walls were painted.
The top attic floor was stained to look like hard wood floor.
Then I used two squares of vinyl tile ($0.89 each) for the small side rooms (light gray) and the
kitchen with the dot walls has vinyl as well.
The remaining floors were all painted.
 This was a long project.
I started planning it in October, then would set it aside for a few weeks, then get going a
little here and there.
I did need help from my mom who cut all the windows, basically anything impressive
was my mom!
Then my husband did help me make a few cuts on a big, heavy, sheet of 3/4" plywood I
couldn't do myself, and he helped me hang the doors. My first try by myself ended up
with the doors not lining up in the center and one couldn't even close all the way.

The cold weather and getting fatter being pregnant dragged it out, but now it's done I'm
really proud of it. I just hope it lasts! I'd like to have it around for years and years, and
we'll just see how it holds up. So far it's not getting too much use, but hopefully Ellie will
get more interested as her attention span hopefully grows.
One afternoon RJ did set up all the furniture and people in it and closed the doors,
telling me it was a surprise for Ellie. She woke up from her nap and he carefully opened
the doors for her-- she grabbed the little pots and walked off in search of her sippy cup.
I think we both felt let down little Ellie stinker!
So I guess we'll keep trying and for now some neighbor girls have been able to play with
it!
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42 comments

1.

TankaJanuary 8, 2013 at 4:22 AM

wow wow wow!! This is just amazing doll house!! The sweeties and the cosiest I've ever
seen. I think your little daughter will be playing a lot with it while she grows up a bit :)
You are the super mom :)

Reply

2.

gmJanuary 8, 2013 at 5:13 AM

ahora solo falta que juegue mucho con ella. es preciosa saludos Gm
 Reply

3.

Deneen@dreaming-n-colorJanuary 8, 2013 at 5:59 AM

This is so fantastic! Don't worry she will treasure it someday!! I am so impressed! I have
always wanted a real dollhouse. My daughter had a plastic one. I wanted to get her a
wooden one but they are so flimsy. I wish I had seen this....I wonder if she would want
one now, she is 20 :)

Reply

Replies

1.

firefaeryJanuary 8, 2013 at 7:31 AM

I think she would. I'm 29 and had a dollhouse like this, albeit not nearly as fancy.
But I would love one now!

Reply

4.

lisa g.January 8, 2013 at 7:33 AM

i am completely blown away by how amazing the dollhouse turned out! it's simply
gorgeous. i know my girls would love it, and i'm sure yours will too. it's funny how a toy
can sit unused for months (years...) until one day they pick it up out of the blue and can't
let go!

Reply

Replies

1.

JessicaJanuary 8, 2013 at 10:25 AM

 oh thanks, that's what I'm hoping! She really doesn't sit and play with toys for
long at all, so I'm thinking this was an investment in the future. Who knew her
dreams would come true with just a pack of tic-tacs for christmas!

Reply

5.

Mandy BeyelerJanuary 8, 2013 at 7:34 AM

so so cute - amazing job!

Reply

6.

MichelleJanuary 8, 2013 at 7:45 AM

Amazing! I love the drawer at the bottom. I think this is the coolest dollhouse I've ever
seen.

Reply

Replies

1.

JessicaJanuary 8, 2013 at 10:29 AM

thanks Michelle! what a compliment, having my mom's help definitely made it

more impressive than my original plans!

Reply

7.

Jessica at Me Sew CrazyJanuary 8, 2013 at 8:40 AM

this is incredible! Not that it surprises me, everything you do is AMAZING!

Reply
8.

Crystalyn BryanJanuary 8, 2013 at 8:47 AM

I just love this doll house, and it's been fun to watch it all come together! I seriously love
every single detail. Your mom did an amazing job on those windows, and all of the
different wallpapers are perfect.

Reply

Replies

1.

JessicaJanuary 8, 2013 at 10:31 AM

thanks! My mom did save the day on this one. Thanks for your comment about
the wall papers, I probably spent too much time debating what to put in there than
was necessary!

Reply

9.

Steph AJanuary 8, 2013 at 9:20 AM

It really is fantastic!! You did an amazing job on everything, I'm so impressed. Ellie is
still young, by next year she'll be playing with it! And it's so cute that RJ set it up for her,
what a great big brother he is!

Reply

10.

M. KaschJanuary 8, 2013 at 9:42 AM

I made my daughter a play kitchen for her 2nd birthday.... Same reaction as Ellie.. It was
kinda disappointing. Hang in there, though... After a half-year, she's starting to play with
it and it makes my heart happy. I realized I probably should have waited for a gift Ike this.
Oh well. This dollhouse is a treasure, she'll love it soon enough.

Reply
 Replies

1.

JessicaJanuary 8, 2013 at 10:30 AM

That's what I'm thinking, I just got the idea and ran with it, kind of towards the
end realizing it might be pre-mature. Ellie's almost two as well, probably just too
little.

Reply

11.

syocomJanuary 8, 2013 at 10:36 AM

That is such an amazing doll house. I'm sure Ellie will end up loving it. I can imagine it
as one of those things that gets passed down.

Reply

12.

SaraJJanuary 8, 2013 at 11:20 AM

Wow that is going to be a family heirloom I am sure!

Reply

13.

Tracy K.January 8, 2013 at 12:05 PM

This dollhouse is simply amazing! While she may not appreciate all your hard work and
all the trout which went into it right now, I do think she will as she grows up. I think you
are pretty amazing for designing and building it not to mention all the cute decorating.
Super, super job! You should be very proud of yourself :)

Reply

14.
 weaselJanuary 8, 2013 at 1:05 PM

WoW! This house is amazing! :) Love it! :)

Reply

15.

Truly MyrtleJanuary 8, 2013 at 1:25 PM

You are so clever! I'd love this just for me, I'm a big fan of "little things" :)

Reply

16.

JJanuary 8, 2013 at 3:37 PM

I have been excited to see the finished project! Thanks for posting this and all of the rest
of your projects. I love looking at them and using your ideas. And God Bless with this
new little one.

Reply

17.

Shantel JonesJanuary 8, 2013 at 5:51 PM

That house is the most thing! I LOVE it!!!!! Great Job!

Reply

18.

CharityJanuary 8, 2013 at 7:06 PM

It's BEAUTIFUL... little girl doesn't realize yet how lucky she is. =)
I love that you made the drawer look like two, and the little piece of trim you added
above the windows was the perfect touch. =) Plus I love the fun wallpapering and
flooring you added. =)

Reply
19.

SewHungry4MoreJanuary 8, 2013 at 8:21 PM

So adorable. My Dad made me a similar one to yours but it was only one sided and not
on a roll around drawer...what a cool idea. She'll probably appreciate it later! Hopefully a
hand me down for future generations...

Reply

20.

NatalieJanuary 8, 2013 at 9:13 PM

Tell Ellie I want to come over and play with her doll house...... seriously, it is
AMAZING!
I will bribe her with cherry flavored tic tacs

Reply

21.

CurtJanuary 8, 2013 at 10:06 PM

wow How in the world will you ever top this one??This will probably be something the
sisters re ally get into.
Hope you are feeling great. Are the children getting excited about the new sister coming
so soon now?

Reply

22.

AlessJanuary 8, 2013 at 11:57 PM

Jessica,you are a wonder!! Nearly ready to give birth again, and you produce this
marvellous dolls' house!! I even called my husband to look at it!! Your kids are so lucky
to have such a creative and talented mum. I hope all goes well in the next few weeks.

Reply

23.
 kristinJanuary 9, 2013 at 12:32 AM

Wow, girl. WOW. It's freakin amazing!

Reply

24.

Medr1eJanuary 9, 2013 at 9:24 AM

That's a masterpiece -- well done, mama!

Reply

25.

Vercareli On The FarmJanuary 9, 2013 at 1:30 PM

This doll house is absolutely precious! It is sure to become a treasured family heirloom.
You can see all the love you and your mom have put into it.

And don't worry, Ellie will become interested in it in a few years. I did the same type of
thing with my girls, buying dolls and clothes before they were really ready for them.
When I found that they weren't interested, I just put the stuff away before they could
destroy it. It was put away for about two years, then I brought it out again. If they weren't
interested then, I put it away for another year. Sometimes "out of sight, out of mind"
makes for a big surprise later on. It could be next year or several years before she finds it
interesting. But, imagine the fun she'll have when she does 'discover' it!

Great job!

Reply

26.

SarahJanuary 9, 2013 at 2:44 PM

This is the most beautiful doll house I have ever seen! I LOVE the drawer underneath!
Really fantastic piece of work, you are a serious inspiration :-)

Reply

27.
 homemade by jillJanuary 9, 2013 at 9:54 PM

It is SO beautiful. And my kids always react that way to my homemade gifts. My little
girl could hardly be bothered with the cinderella dress I made her this Christmas, but
she's finally warming to it. I'm sure Ellie will treasure her dollhouse in the years to come!

Reply

28.

Dressing IvanaJanuary 11, 2013 at 4:24 AM

uuuuauuhhhh georgeous!

Reply

29.

Maureen HeckJanuary 11, 2013 at 2:17 PM

Wow amazing! Don't worry my daughter is 8 and wanted a fancy dollhouse this
Christmas. It will get lots of use!!

Reply

30.

Eric and CarrieJanuary 11, 2013 at 5:38 PM

This is the kind of family treasure that will be handed down for generations! Amazing
job!

Reply

31.

Eric and CarrieJanuary 11, 2013 at 5:38 PM

This is the kind of family treasure that will be handed down for generations! Amazing
job!

Reply
32.

DeliaJanuary 12, 2013 at 3:24 PM

Oh my heck. You are amazing. I love how this turned out. You did a fantastic job!

Reply

33.

GleekyProfMay 4, 2013 at 11:42 AM

She will love it later. My daughter didn't get interested in hers until she was about 5--and
now that she's 12, it sits fully furnished in her window seat. She's asked to move it so she
can "lay down to read" on her window seat, but only across the hall where she says "it
will be even easier to play with." I think that last part might be for my benefit, but she
still thinks of it all these years later, and she plans on keeping it for any children in her
future.

Even though she doesn't play with the dollhouse much any longer, I think the "projects" I
made around and for her have inspired her to work more with me these days. Last week
we made some cute peg dolls--and that's how we found your site (the hairstyles were very
useful). Our peg dolls were garden-themed, so they were bees, dandelions, and other
flowers embellished/customized with the hairstyles you shared with us.

Enjoy the kids and the dollhouse!

Reply

34.

sbuggy00January 18, 2014 at 7:09 AM

Did you use a pre stain on the wood before staining?

Reply

Replies

1.

JessicaJanuary 18, 2014 at 10:44 AM

 I did stain everything then assemble, although the roof looked to light so I stained
it a second time after it was all put together.

Reply

35.

AlyssaMay 10, 2014 at 1:46 PM

This is so awesome! Where did you get the furniture for the house?

Reply

36.

LyndaJanuary 8, 2015 at 12:24 PM

Thank you for your inspiration and information. My husband used your info as the basis
for building a dollhouse for our granddaughter's first birthday.

Reply

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