When I was 8 or 9 I received a most special gift for Christmas...a miniature dollhouse that my parents had built. I have many magical childhood memories of collecting furnishings and receiving special gifts for my dollhouse. When my parents moved from South Bend, it went in a moving box with them to California and then to Chicago and eventually the box came to us in Minnesota after I was married. It made its way to Phoenix whe we moved to the desert and when I saw the box come off the moving van in Houston this past summer, I knew this was the year it had to come out of the box for the girls to enjoy. Knowing I had a few months before Christmas, I set out to do any necessary work to restore it to its original beauty.
This post chronicles the project from start to finish.
And captures the joy it brought my girls on Christmas morning just as it did the Christmas morning I received it several decades ago!
The house was in quite a state of disrepair. . .I consulted a women at a nearby miniatures store (who became a sweet friend and blessing during this project) and set to work.
The first step was to gently pop out the windows that were'nt already missing and get each piece sanded and cleaned up of old glue. Then, like a puzzle, I determined how all the pieces were going to fit together to make the three story farmhouse I remembered as a child. It was in pieces, but I was fortunate that most all the pieces were there. (I am missing one shutter which is on order!)
All the sections got a fresh coat of paint.
Then, section by section - floor by floor, the pieces got glued back together.
How exciting when it started to take shape!
The window and door casings got a fresh coat of paint, too!
And here it is all back together again!
I placed some of my furniture so that I could identify and label the rooms and plan for flooring and wallpaper.
The front porch will need new posts and railings. . .
Next I did a little masonry work on the front porch. I decided to add pavers. First this template is laid down. . .
I did the chimney to match!
Grout is applied. . .
And Tah Dah.....when you pull back the template stickers, you have perfect little pavers.
Another big new addition was a cedar shake shingle roof.
I'm telling you... it was time consuming for sure, but certainly added to the finished feel of the farmhouse. At this point, I was really wishing I could move right in.
But there was more interior work to be done.
Here you can see the new master wallpaper and carpeting.
I had to install a new stair banister. . .and a new staircase.
The Windows had to be cut out and filed before the windows were installed.
Here is a good view of the new floor molding, too.
The first floor family room and kitchen have new yellow striped wallpaper
and dark walnut wood floors.
The upstiars bath has tiny tile flooring and this darling diamond wallpaper.
The wallpaper for the attic children's bedroom was wallpaper that was tucked away with all my furniture. So I've had it for decades, but we never papered the house. When I selected paper for the rest of the rooms, I saw this very paper at the dollhouse store...it is still in print.
I adore it!!! And it looks so sweet with the yellow carpet.
After the interior was spruced up, I got a little help to reinstall the windows. . .At this point, Christmas Eve was the next day so I was thankful for Ian's willingness to join the project!
This handy elf assisted with rebuilding the porch railing, too, and I was ever so grateful!
Then, with the children tucked in bed Christmas Eve, we brought it inside and I added my childhood collection of furnishing and accesories. . . a trip down memory lane for sure! What fun we had setting it up and decorating it for Christmas morning!
Garland for the new porch, wreaths for the windows, treats in the kitchen and a beuatiful tree for the living room!
Here is the inside view. . .
There are still a few items that need finishing. We need to case out the windows on the inside and glue the staircase in.
Would you like a tour?
This is the attic sewing room. . .
Here is the attic girls' bedroom. This tutu and pointe shoes were a gift when I was in ballet! The pink furniture is new for my girls.
The needlepoint rug was a special gift from my grandparents one Christmas. I remember receiving it and delighting in it so vividly!
The simple farmhouse bathroom. . .
Master bedroom. Notice the framed photos of Claire and Charlotte on the desk! In the bedside table is a photo album of teeny tiny photos of my childhood! That was another special gift from my folks when I had the house!
The kitchen. . .
The living room with fireplace. The red chairs and sofa were a new gift from Amma and Tata for the girls this Christmas. I don't know where my china family ever sat!
Charlotte on Christmas morning. . .
Claire on Christmas morning. . .
I am so glad to share this with my girls and I know we will all enjoy it for many more years!
