So yesterday and today we took part in that very British Bank Holiday tradition of .... yes decorating.
Only our decorating was miniature scale.
We tackled the kitchen today and it is as finished as we can get it for the moment. I need to buy more crockery and some more wacky tack to keep the plates staning up, but it is ready to share some of what we have done.
We knew we wanted it to look very rough and ready compared to the rest of the rather grand house.
So the first thing we did was spent ages making the ceiling, which was beautifully flat and smooth, horribly lumpy. and a right royal wreck really.
Then we set about spoiling the wall covering.
We knew we wanted the walls to be brick but brick which had been badly lime-washed. We bought textured brick paper - it had to be good quality stuff so that you could still see the texture when painted. We then used an emulsion wash and made it deliberately patchy. It was really hard as every breath in your body wants to make it neat and careful and even.
It warped like mad and when we put it up it was bubbled like crazy so we just walked away and left it overnight hoping when it dried it would be OK.
And it was.
Today we did the flooring - flagstones of course - and connected the light. Whereas with every other room we have hidden all the wiring we wanted it showing in the kitchen.
Nigel had pained the units a National Trust green - we had been inspired by the National Trust kitchens we had seen. It turned out to be the perfect colour.
So here is the almost finished kitchen. It needs more bits but you get the general idea.
There is a light in the range and the boiler which is pretty cute.
No scrapping today as this is a different form of crafting.
Sandie you asked some questions.....
How ever did you get started on this hobby?
I had always wanted a dolls house but when I was little my parents owned a guest house and then a small hotel and there wasn't room for one. I had some dolls house furniture and I used to use the carpet as rooms. It was one of those heavily patterned axminsters so worked with big squares. I always teased my Dad about being a deprived child as before I was born he made a dolls house for my cousin. It was a standing joke in our family. For my 40th birthday Nigel bought me the dolls house and Daddy subsequently bought the basement and cabinet. So it has been a labour of love for the past 12 years. I only do a room every year or so as it is an expensive hobby as I tend to buy the specially crafted stuff rather than the mass produced things.
Did you re-do the kitchen or is this the first time you've decorated it?
This is the first time we have done the kitchen. The other rooms we have done are the study, lounge, music room, pink bedroom, green bedroom, billiard room .... in that order. And the halls of course.
I still have the attic rooms to do.
Did you build the house from scratch or a kit?
The house came as a ready built shell with no doors or windows etc and so I painted it, added the quoin stones, Nigel did the roof for me in real slate, I did all the brickwork and paving myself and then we decorated the insides. It was made by a man who is no longer in business called Jeff and his company was called The Squirrel Collection. He made very exclusive doll houses and it is still the nicest design I have seen. It was love at first sight.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE THERE IS AN ALBUM FULL OF PICS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE BAR OR FOLLOW THIS LINK
Today I am thankful for
- a lovely day achieving what we set out to achieve.
- my dolls house
it is so wonderfully done and I love the miniature food those potatoes look real as does everything. Cute little kitchen cat too, so how many cats does this house have?
Posted by: Mary Buttons | March 30, 2013 at 05:47 PM
Hi Karen
I just love that kitchen,the brick work turned out really well,and the shade of green for the units .also like the black leaded range,and the stone flooring.
The lights ,every thing in fact! You have both done a brilliant job well done!
Posted by: Mary D | March 30, 2013 at 06:51 PM
What an amazing job! I love the rustic-look of it :-) The details are wonderful. You and Nigel really did create a work of "heart" this weekend :-)
Posted by: Barb in AK | March 31, 2013 at 04:28 AM