Assembly Recap
This build is quite challenging and not suitable for beginners. It's important to take your time and assemble the dollhouse slowly. Frequent breaks can help you return with fresh ideas.
The most difficult parts of the assembly are the mansard roof and the porch roof. Instead of using the wooden mansard panels, consider replacing them with poster board or thin, flexible wood veneer, as I did. Similarly, replace the wooden dormer roofs with copper paint swatches on the exterior and ceiling paper on the interior. These substitutions will simplify assembly and improve the overall finish.
To hide gaps in the attic, trim it with strip wood, ideally with the top flat roof removed. Finish the dormers completely before installing them on the dollhouse to make this process easier.
Adding various sizes of trim to the exterior will conceal any siding mistakes and gaps, enhancing detail and providing a cleaner look. Using too much spackle can create a rough finish that detracts from small details.
The porch roof may present alignment issues, but once you attach the vergeboards and porch railing, these problems will be less noticeable. Staining the vergeboards was particularly helpful; it hides inconsistencies without needing spackle, resulting in a cleaner appearance compared to painting over gaps. Both the top and porch roofs would have required significant spackle to achieve a smooth look.
Texturing the porch roof is essential since it occupies a large visible area of the dollhouse. This texture conceals gaps and joints, giving it a polished finish.
Making the windows operable is straightforward and adds value to your project.
Decorating this dollhouse can be tricky. I ended up making several miniatures myself, like the doll cabinet and child's bed canopy shown below. Measure your furniture carefully and consider the room layout, as this will impact what fits. The pantry I created under the staircase adds architectural interest but may limit kitchen space for furniture. You might want to skip this modification to avoid overcrowding. Remember, it's a dollhouse, so you can be flexible with design choices if you want to showcase your items.
Creating the back cover was easy using the railing system, but making the top attic back cover can be more complex. This cover should be made from bendable poster frame acrylic to fit properly. The side and large back covers can be made from thicker acrylic cut at a hardware store.
You can visit this dollhouse gallery here.
