Since sun has been a rarity around here lately and yesterday was so cold that it was sunny all day long, I took some pictures of the most recent dollhouse addition. I don’t think we’d ever seen it in the sunlight before.
I’ve been forced to rest for the past couple of days and I spent a fair amount of time looking at dollhouses and dollhouse miniatures. When most miniaturists talk about restoring a dollhouse it usually involves a dollhouse of more recent vintage, such as my first restoration, Hummingbird Cottage. Or something vintage that was mass marketed, like old Lundby or Triang dollhouses. When you get into the area of vintage that is one-of-a-kind, well, you’re in an entirely new category.
The house I found last year right before Christmas is one-of-a-kind. It’s folk art. I haven’t messed with the outside. No painting, no retouching. I want to maintain its integrity. Even inside, with the dark wood interior, I am loathe to paint. So I’m resorting to temporary wallpaper to lighten things up. I feel strongly that folk art should be treated with respect.
So I’ve been wrestling with what to do with this ‘new’ house. Except for replacing some windows, cleaning the exterior, and cleaning the intact windows, I plan to leave the exterior as is. My first view of the exterior is what charmed me and it continues to do so. There’s no way I could do anything as charming as is already there. Nor would I want to.
The inside, however, is another story. Unlike the maker of the white house, who added detail to the room in the form of a built-in fireplace with bookshelves on either side, which I have no desire to change as it’s beautifully finished, this maker added two red fireplaces, and that’s it. Everything else is bare bones. The wood floors are large planks with spaces in between, unfinished. The walls are all painted yellow. There are two long rooms upstairs that could be divided. Everything could and should get a coat of paint.
I’m not a fan of the bright red fireplaces, but I would never paint over them. Instead, I’d fashion a surround, a facade, that could be removed. That way, the integrity of the maker’s original build would still remain.
The whole house is not quite to scale in that the ceilings are very low. So I’d have to choose furniture that was a bit on the smaller side, which, believe me, is entirely possible. Just because a piece is 1:12 scale doesn’t mean there aren’t slight variations out there. There are.
Just some of the ideas and quandaries running around inside my head as I contemplate the work ahead. I had no compunctions about doing whatever I wanted to Hummingbird Cottage, or to Don’s Studio, or to the ongoing restoration of the house I found at the Dump, or the modern dollhouse.
The two folk art houses are another story entirely.
Tricky stuff, this. But they sure generate ideas!
Feeling a bit better, by the way. Not tip-top yet, but less fuzzy.
Happy Friday.
Thanks for sharing your thinking process, Claudia. I admire how strongly you feel about retaining the house’s integrity and this maintaining the artist’s vision.
Thank you, Wendy!
It looks like a Craftsman house. Now you can add little craftsman antiques to it. Thanks for sharing.
You’re very welcome, Elaine.
I don’t know if “Lundby” is common in the US, but this scale 1:18, sometimes 1:16, will fit in your house. Not the modern style, but used wooden furniture from the early fifties or so. They are quite pricey in Germany on Ebay and some pieces really look good. Just my thoughts… on this awesome building.
Thanks for sharing joys and sorrows with us.
Helga
Yes, I’ve seen Lundby furniture, but I’m not a big fan, as it’s very modern in its style. Thanks so much, Helga.
hooray for diminishing fuzziness!
enjoyed hearing your thought process about the dollhouses. you’re so caring about the folk art itself and considerate of the makers’ efforts and intents. :) have fun!
like many other people, i’ve been rushing around to prepare for Christmas and am glad to be almost ready. also glad today is friday because i have the day off to wrap presents, putter and take a break.
hope you have a nice weekend!
kathy in iowa
Hope you do, too, Kathy. I’m sure many people are ready for some days off in which to prepare for Christmas!
Glad you’re starting to feel better; a lot of people are sick right now!
It does put a damper on the holidays. We don’t have much energy. A good thing we decorated early!
Always glad to know you’re perkin’ along even when under the weather. Glad you are on the mend, as well.
Best
Thank you, Martha!
Your dollhouse philosophies were very interesting to read. While I don’t own any folk art, if I did, I would probably equate them with antiques. And my philosophy on those is…you don’t mess with antiques.
Glad to hear you a starting to feel better! ;)
Thank you, Donnamae!
She cleans up beautifully. I’m eager to see how your vision develops and it touches me how much respect you have for the maker. I wonder what her name will be? BTW, I can’t remember if last year’s lovely purchase has yet been christened? It’s such a delightful way to spend time ruminating about what a house is telling you. I hope you feel better soon so that you can enjoy a relaxing and renewing holiday!
I don’t have a name for either of the vintage houses. I suppose I’ll think of names someday! Thank you, Nora!
I so look forward to what you do with this and really appreciate your attention to the historical preservation of it — to update but save carefully. Bravo to you.
Thank you, Jeanie!