Back Cover
A dollhouse isn't truly complete without a back cover. For this dollhouse, I used the same technique I applied to The Beacon Hill Dollhouse model, which has worked well so far.
This dollhouse has a flat, square back, but it still needs some modifications for the cover. Specifically, the mansard cornice trim must be trimmed back. I've marked the area in red that needs adjustment. If you don’t trim about an inch from each side of the cornice, the acrylic panel won’t fit properly. This is the only modification needed; everything else can remain unchanged.
In this model, the acrylic panel will slide upwards on rails instead of sideways. Sliding it sideways would require removing one of the mansard roof cornices entirely, which I do not recommend. The cornice is crucial for holding the roof in place and acts like a locking mechanism. Removing part of it could compromise the structure, which isn't worth the risk. Additionally, since The Willowcrest Dollhouse is smaller and narrower than The Beacon Hill Dollhouse, the acrylic panel can be easily lifted and removed without difficulty. I made my own L-shaped rails using strip wood from a craft store. I suggest using basswood instead of balsa wood because it is stronger.
First, I assembled the wood strips into L shapes and then cut them to fit around the back walls of the dollhouse. After finishing them, I glued them along the back edges of the side walls and along the bottom foundation. I glued the bottom rail to the edge of the foundation so that the acrylic panel rests on it when placed on a display table. This is important to prevent the dollhouse from bearing the weight of the acrylic panel. The bottom rail hides the cut edge of the acrylic and serves as a guide to keep it flush against the back of the dollhouse; it is not meant to support weight on its own.
I also trimmed all of the back edges of the floors. The walls face sideways, so they don’t need trimming; just sand them until smooth and paint them to match the exterior of the dollhouse. I painted only the sides of the back walls and did not use siding for two reasons - I wanted to avoid any obstruction under the rail system for the acrylic panel, and using siding would have made that small area look bulky. Instead, I chose to paint and frame just those two back walls, as well as the backs of the mansard roofs.
