I loved this dollhouse – the Beacon Hill – and during lockdown, I purchased a kit.
Then, after some time passed, I realized that at this stage of my life I was never going to build it.
I searched online for a finished version for quite a long time and eventually found one outside Philadelphia. Don and I drove there and back in a day. This is how it looked when I first saw it. Quite the bright yellow!
I coated it in primer and this is how it stayed for over 4 years until I finally got around to doing something with it. I also removed some oversized trim that didn’t seem very realistic,
I thought about it quite often, even purchasing a few pieces at auction (on eBay) for it.
Just about a month ago, I finally got to work.
I fixed some of the windows, in some cases replacing the acetate between the frames. I repainted some of the window trim. I re-glued some other sections of the house.
And then, I started with the living room.
I found this Bradbury and Bradbury wallpaper online.
After wallpapering, I laid out a floor made of hand stained individual popsicle sticks. This room was very tricky – it has two bay windows and an irregular wall or two.
Finished floor.
Next was applying baseboards, also tricky because of the angles in the bay windows.
Once that was finished, I used some paste wax on the floor, and started adding the furniture I had on hand, furniture that was purchased for this house.
I won this Knole sofa by Joanne Shimakawa on an eBay auction and it was the inspiration piece for the living room
Likewise these two vintage Bespaq chairs. I made the table from a House of Miniatures Kit.
The fireplace came with the kit and I really liked the style.
I stained it in pecan and painted the fire insert.
I’ll add more furniture as I go.
I painted and aged a 3D printed cabinet for one of the living room walls. It displays my mini Roseville pottery.
Next up: the bedroom, where I used this wallpaper (wallpaper is everything!)
I found the chaise on ebay – I think it might be Bespaq.
And then, the kitchen.
I found this wallpaper online (cobblehillminiatures on Etsy) and fell in love with it.
I painted a center sink unit and built two base cupboards, painting them to match. The counters are stained.
Mini-Stella – a copy of our real-life 1953 O’Keefe and Merritt stove. It was 3D printed by homesweethomeminis on Etsy. I am forever grateful to them, as the only other similar option was a beautiful period stove that retailed for over $300. This beauty was 1/5 the price. The floor is stained in pecan.
A cabinet I made from a House of Miniatures kit will hang on the wall in the kitchen. It’s filled with ‘jadeite’ that I purchased many years ago from Michael’s.
This buffet is in the 3rd floor hallway. It was one of the pieces that came with the house and I have always wanted it in the house as a tribute to the previous owners. It was a glossy mahogany finish inexpensive piece. I first painted and aged it with yellow paint. But when I chose this wallpaper, it no longer looked right.
It’s now blue.
2nd floor landing in progress.
First floor entrance/hallway looking into the kitchen. I made the grandfather clock from a HoM kit. It’s now being tweaked and aged.
I removed the built in fireplace in the 3rd floor den.
Wallpapered the room.
Added the piano – also made from a kit by MiniMundus.
Playing around. The sofa will stay. Some bookshelves will be added. Another piece will be the desk.
My vintage Morris chair was added to the living room.
I painted and aged what had been an inexpensive cabinet that I was using in the entrance hallway.
I’m pretty pleased with the result.
