Cellars
This dollhouse features two cellars, which add a nice touch of realism, though they are quite basic. The manufacturer included them as part of the design, but they don't stand out on their own. Similar to The Beacon Hill Dollhouse, these cellars provide a great opportunity for creativity. In the Beacon Hill Dollhouse, I transformed the cellar into a raccoon lair, but for this dollhouse, I chose a different approach. I created two diorama displays - one depicting a wine cellar and the other a garden/storage area.
First, I built display boxes for the dioramas. They needed to be tall enough to fit under the dollhouse at the cellar window but not too tall, as the weight of the dollhouse could press down on them. I made mine from balsa wood and covered them with brick-printed paper. It's important to keep them narrow and shallow so that the miniatures are easily visible through the small cellar windows.
Next, I arranged miniatures inside the boxes to create scenes. I recommend using repositionable glue to secure your miniatures. To enhance the appearance of the display boxes, I covered their sides with black-painted balsa wood. This hides the raw wood beneath the dollhouse when viewed through the cellar window and gives the illusion that the cellar extends beyond the box.
In my wine cellar diorama, I positioned miniature wine bottles horizontally to make use of some small bottles I had. Alternatively, you can create a wall-mounted display by drawing black circles on your walls and gluing jewelry beads to resemble corks. Once your diorama is complete, glue it to the underside of your dollhouse. Be sure to clamp it until dry and use plenty of glue, as some miniatures can add weight and you want to ensure everything stays in place.
Cellar Windows
To finish the cellar windows, glue acetate to your window trim and use repositionable glue to attach the assembled window to the opening. This allows easy access to your diorama display whenever needed.
