Yesterday was an incredibly long day. Though the route instructions say 3 hours and 10 minutes, it took us far longer to reach our destination. The usual things: having to stop to use the bathroom (especially after morning coffee,) traffic tie ups, construction, etc. We left at about 9:20 and got to the seller’s house at around 1:30 – 1:45. Don drove the whole way – there and back – and we were completely wiped out when we got back home around 6:30. Driving from NY to Pennsylvania involves driving on the NY Thruway, the Garden State Parkway, I-95, I-76 and several other heavily trafficked roads. Even with me pointing out when we were about to exit, enter, and merge, Don still had to navigate and maneuver the urban traffic of NY, NJ, and PA. And we drove home during rush hour.
I have thanked Don many times for going with me, for even considering going with me. But there’s no way we could have done without the Honda Pilot. This house is huge. I don’t deserve him. I will say this: there was a time where I would have driven this without blinking an eye and maybe I would have been a bit tired, but nowadays? It takes us a whole day to recover.
The owner was nice; their home, with a Hummer and a Mercedes parked outside the 4 car garages, was beautiful. She had everything ready and waiting, even moving the house from the porch to the garage because it started to rain. She gave me a box of dollhouse furniture (most of it is made for kids, so I won’t be using it) and some other tools she used – again, can’t use. But it was very thoughtful of her to include everything and I appreciated that.
And we passed QVC headquarters, which is not far from her house!
Okay. Here it is. Get ready for a way too bright yellow with green trim, all of which will be going away. I took a picture of it in the back of the car in the sun (not included here, it’s on IG) and the yellow looked like a neon yellow on steroids.
It was surprisingly light to carry, but when you see the size, you’ll see that we had to be very careful.
When working at my desk, I am now surrounded by a wall of houses.
The front and side of the house. As with Hummingbird Cottage, there is something that went wrong in the construction. You can’t really tell from here, but the porch is slanted. It’s crooked. And, it should extend to the side of the house. I stood there last night, looking at it over and over, trying to figure out what went wrong. Is the section of the house on the right too big? Is the porch inserted too far to the left? I can’t figure it out, but it will drive me nuts if I don’t fix it, so that will be a priority. Painting the whole thing with white primer will also be a priority – inside and out.
Excess curlicues which are not in proportion to the house will be ruthlessly removed.
But the other details on this house design are what sold me on it, You’ll see more over the next several days.
The bay windows, the inset curved windows, the panes of glass (acrylic, but who cares?) The stairway, the window on the second floor landing, the fireplaces. An entrance hall! A stairway the has its own space and isn’t in the living room! If you take a gander at the room on the right on the top floor, you’ll see the worst paint job I’ve ever seen. Included in the box of supplies was a packet of markers, labeled “For dollhouse.” I actually think this was ‘painted’ with markers! Thank God they only messed up two of the nine spaces.
I love a bay window.
And this kitchen window.
And this gorgeous window on the second floor.
You can see some electrical tapewire on the ceiling here and in other parts of the house. So the owners made an attempt to electrify the house. I’m going to see if it works and perhaps add tapewire in the other rooms. I’ve never done this in any of my houses, and am not sure how to do it, but this seems like a little signal that this house needs to be electrified. If you’ve ever done it, any tips would be welcome.
For Vicki who asked about it and anyone else who missed it: I decided to buy a finished version of this house instead of building it for two reasons. First, look at it. It’s a monster to build and it takes some enthusiasts a couple of years to complete. It would take me at least a year. Second, I’m not that crazy about the building process. My thing is taking something and rehabbing it, renovating it, whatever word you want to use. I did that with my first house, and one of the vintage houses (though just a bit) and certainly with Dove Cottage, which was a mess. I LOVE doing that kind of thing. The only house I’ve ever built from scratch was Don’s mini studio and that was basically one big room. The amount of space I would need to sand and build and store components is just not available in this room which I share with my husband. I have a corner of the room. Don has a corner of the room. There is no available space for building this thing without kicking Don and his guitars out.
So I figured I’d sell the kit – though I have some doubts about that right now. Hopefully, I will be able to fix the porch without using any parts from the kit. If that’s the case, then I can sell it. If it isn’t…oh boy. This house will have cost me twice as much as it was worth.
I have to finish some elements of Dove Cottage, including some furnishings and the porch. I’ll probably start priming the new house next week after I finish some ‘what I do for a living’ related tasks this week.
Okay, my friends. There you go!
Stay safe.
Happy Wednesday.
Wow, that’s really yellow!
It is a georgous house and I see what you mean about the space it would take up to build. I can see that porch is a little wonky but at the same time looks like it is where it should be? I hope it turns out to be an easy fix. It’s going to be great fun to watch how you transform it.
Have a great day.
Yes – about the porch – the top of it/the ceiling is crooked. So maybe that just needs to be replaced and a separate foundation piece under the part of the house that extends beyond that? That’s what I’m thinking now.
Thanks, Marilyn.
Stay safe.
Oh my gosh! What a beauty.
I agree the building would not be the fun part. I want the painting, decorating, etc parts.
This will be fun. to see evolve.
Exactly! Those are my favorite things to do!
Stay safe, Trudy.
Sounds like you have your work cut out for you! But I can picture all your changes and they sound wonderful. It will keep you occupied, that’s for sure. It will so much fun to see how you get it all done!
Thanks so much, Tana.
Glad to have you along for the ride!
Stay safe.
What a long day for Don and you! And it’s certainly yellow! I was trying to think what style a Beacon Hill doll house would be like as I wasn’t familiar with the term. In fact, I watched Meet Me in St. Louis at the weekend and it reminds me very much of that type of house.
Can’t wait to see your changes.
Happy Wednesday
Yes, the style is Victorian – that’s the term we use for it here. The Beacon Hill is just their name for this model. The actual Beacon Hill in Boston has very different architecture!
Thanks so much, Dee Dee.
Stay safe.
It’s a Second Empire house. I’m looking forward to watching you bring it fully to life.
Ah, thank you, Margaret! You know much more about architectural style and period than I do.
Much appreciated!
Stay safe..
Many years of giving lectures and walking tours of Galveston’s 19th century architecture. I’ve loved historic architecture since I was growing up in Connecticut and the Hudson Valley.
I so appreciate your expertise – I just labeled it as a sort of generic Victorian!
xo
Definitely neon yellow!! Looking forward to seeing your makeover on this one!!
Marion
Thank you, Marion!
My fingers are itching to paint the outside!
Stay safe.
I am looking forward to watching the process as you transform this. It’ll be gorgeous!
Thank you, Lynda.
It will be fun to share it all – the good and the bad!
Stay safe.
Congratulations on your new house. It will be fun to see the changes that you make . . . hopefully, starting with the paint color. :-). Enjoy!!!
Absolutely!
Stay safe, Janice!
The house is well worth the drive to retrieve it. Building from scratch would have been a real chore and fixing this one will be enjoyable I think. That ‘red’ room is the worst paint job I agree. I will enjoy going on this doll house journey with you. Hugs!
Thanks so much Linda! Glad to have you along for the ride!
Stay safe.
I am very excited about the new house! Watching the process and seeing the end result will be fun. You always do such a wonderful job!
Thanks so much, Melanie!
Stay safe.
It is big….it is yellow…but oh…the possibilities! Not sure what you mean about the gingerbread trim parts being out of scale, so I’m anxious to see what you decide to keep, and ruthlessly dismiss.
I think you were wise to buy it already built considering it’s size. It will be fun to see what you all do with it. I can live my dollhouse dreams vicariously through you! ;)
Scale is part of miniature making. Most miniatures are 1:12 scale, meaning 1 inch equals 12 inches in real life. So a three inch high miniature equals 3 ft high in real life. Some of the trim on this dollhouse isn’t in scale for the size of the miniature house and would be huge on a real house. So…it isn’t to scale. I really try to find and buy and make things in 1:12 scale. There are also other scales for miniatures, 1:24, 1:48, and 1:144 (very teeny.) I hope this makes sense.
Stay safe, Donna.
Thanks for taking the time to explain it! Have a good evening! ;)
xo
Wow! Can’t wait to see the progress on this house. It’s going to be beautiful when you fix it your way. I’m excited for you!
Thank you so much, April.
Stay safe!
I couldn’t wait to wake up and see the dollhouse! I am a little jealous!
How beautiful it is and I can’t wait to see you how you decorate it. It will be a great winter project when you are stuck inside and it is snowing outside.
Don sounds much like my husband……true gems! Have fun!!
Aren’t we lucky that we found our mates??
You’re right. It will be the perfect winter project, along with jigsaw puzzles and oil painting (and reading, of course!)
Stay safe, Deb.
Oh my, that red room!! Definitely looks like this was done by a child. Can’t wait to see your changes!
Yes, I think they let one of the kids have at it!
Thanks Jen.
Stay safe.
I have driven in most of the US and some of the areas in NY can be problematic
I have to get extensive dental work not to mention glasses contacts etc etc
Hope seniors get eye and dentail insurance one day
Despite all of this…the pain and cost…osteoporosis playing havoc on teeth…and I am very frugal and minimalist…I just take it in stride esp now that another family member Covid
This is my family
Not extended
They are vaccinated
It appears that even those who have the vaccine and masking when around extended family who are vaccinated but might have been around others who are NOT…there we go…hope vaccine keeps them out of hospital.
I am upset with those naysayers
Hope they never experience this worry and concern…
With all of this, other things are trivial
Prayers
We wore masks whenever we went inside a building on our drive to PA and I wore one when I gave the seller the cash for the house. Vaccinated or not, I wear a mask.
I understand about family and COVID. I’m grateful my nephew is doing better now.
Stay safe, Brenda.
more prayers, brendab.
agree about the need for dental and vision insurance for everyone.
off to look up osteoporosis and teeth (i’ve had it for at least 25 years).
hope you and your family are/get well and stay that way.
kathy in iowa
Yes Brenda I agree with you on the dental and eye glasses.
Now we are retired and my husband just got new glasses-$600.00
I agree completely with what you said.
Thank you for your post
Ohmygoodness, it really is LARGE; magnificent! The interior details like that second-floor with the windows and stairs are incredible. The house has all the good bones and you’re going to have a field day with this in all the right ways. You don’t have to worry about what will keep you busy this winter! I think it’s great for more spacious doll house rooms; easier to work on maybe? Takes nimble fingers. Thanks, btw, for all the back story of why you went this route, on not building from scratch. And speaking of routes, gracious what a long drive you had to get the house, across state lines. I was just speaking to a friend a couple of weeks ago of how we in suburbia never used to blink an eye about going into L.A. on the busy freeways here; it’s where our families had once come from; lots of relatives and to-do’s in the big city, always, when we were younger. Now, we dread the freeway traffic/traffic jams; is so stressful. I totally get your exhaustion, especially for the driver; it wasn’t like it was a pastoral, leisure-type, country/rural, sightseeing, weekend drive. This instead took a lot of concentration on the part of both of you, driving and navigation; tense and urban. Don’t feel like we can be tourists in our beloved Los Angeles anymore because it’s just too gnarly to get down there and get back in a day. It’s okay to admit we’re older now; we get tired. A lot of us have gotten much more used to, too, a quieter life at home with the pandemic to where we don’t get out as much. Anyway, terrific score, Claudia; congrats on your new doll house and is Don the best OR WHAT; he’s our hero more than a few times, right?!! Sending him LUV.
(Just saw your above comment to Brenda; glad your nephew is better, Claudia; what a relief.)
Oh, I understand about Los Angeles driving. It was insane when we lived in Southern California. And when we drove through a few years back, it seemed even worse. My parents lived in the metropolitan Detroit area for most of their lives. When they retired to a small town in Northern Michigan, they got used to a more rural life. Whenever they had to deal with the Detroit area again, especially when my brother was very ill, they had a very hard time. I couldn’t understand at the time why it was such a big issue. But now, I completely get it!
Thanks, Vicki.
Stay safe.
That is such a gorgeous house, and how lovely that you will be able to take it and bring it new life and personality. I love re-purposing things, each person adds a layer to the history and the “story”, and as a greenie, it makes sense to re-use! What a great time you are going to have as you work on it.
I’m really looking forward to it, Denise!
Thanks so much.
Stay safe.
oh, are you going to have fun with that dollhouse! glad for you and that the trip went well (if longer than you’d planned and like).
hope you can take it easy tomorrow.
usual here … a mix … life. grateful for the blessings. wishing i had some brownies … ha not ha.
kathy in iowa
I understand the need for sweets, though I don’t eat anything with sugar anymore. Still – I always have the craving!
Stay safe, Kathy.
what helps you withstand the cravings? i could use some tips, please and thanks.
kathy in iowa
I tend to get ruthless. That’s how I stopped smoking as well. I just stop and do my best to get through the first few weeks. Don makes sugar-free apple pie and I get sugar-free chocolates from our local shop, but truly, I could get by without them.
One tip: when a craving comes, grab a few raisins. They have natural sugar and they really help.
thank you very much, claudia! :)
kathy in iowa
This is a beauty! Those arched windows are to die for. I could see it in yellow and white — but not THIS yellow and white! It sort of slams at you, doesn’t it? But a lighter one, maybe. Or just about any lovely color. You are going to have such fun!
I’m thinking a pale green of some sort with white trim. But that might change.
Stay safe, Jeanie.
You do deserve him! And him, you. I don’t know of any more deserving people than ya’ll.
Aw, you’re so sweet, Jane!
Thank you.
Stay safe.