Dollhouse Decorating

Making a dollhouse couch (sofa) out of foamboard

2014-12-11T22:06:00.000-08:00

Here is how to make your own doll house sofa out of foam board... we put it in our foamboard dollhouse. Here is a finished picture, followed by detailed instructions.

Print this template... I designed the file to be 10.5" x 8". You can scale it to be larger or smaller than that, or just come up with your own style!

Now lightly glue your template onto a piece of foam board. (You will peel it off when you're done cutting it out so don't use permanent glue stick.)

Using a straight edge, and a very sharp cutting device (see the picture for the type we like to use), trim out all the pieces...

The pictures below show what "score cut" means... The idea is, that when you score cut foamboard, you are only cutting through one layer of the paper and all of the foam... you do NOT cut through the second layer of paper. By doing this, you can gently fold back the foam board both directions and then pick out the foam. Score cutting is generally measured to be the same width as your foam board. The foam board we use is 3/16th of an inch thick (4 cm). If you have thicker foam board than this, please adjust the green line width in the template file.

Note how score cutting allows you to have a finished looking corner with no visible foam. It not only looks better, but helps you get your corners hot glued at 90 degrees.

Here are a couple of pictures showing the two ways you can glue your foam board that you have just score cut...

Next glue together the 3 couch (sofa) seat pieces...

Now take some fabric and "wrap" your sofa seat like it's a package, using hot glue where you would normally put tape if it were a package!

Next glue the bottom of your couch (sofa) back and sides to the middle of your fabric piece...

Now trace the sofa back shape onto the fabric...

Trim the fabric along your trace lines (you can leave some little fabric wings to cover part of the foam if you'd like, see the picture below)...

Glue the couch cushion to the back... the positioning of this is entirely up to you. You can make it flush with the floor, or raise it up a bit like we did.

Now stand up the sides of the couch and hot glue them... we put glue in the white "gap" and along the side of the couch cushion. Push down on it with your hand to make sure the glue makes good contact and keeps your couch at 90 degree angles...

Almost done! The edges of the foamboard show... so...

...trim them with trim, or extra matching fabric, or rope... whatever you think looks good!

That's it! Have fun!

A Quick, Easy, Fun, Cheap Foam-board Dollhouse!

2014-12-09T15:30:00.001-08:00

This was such a fun, fast project! We decided to try our hand at creating a different type of doll house made from foamboard. It is extremely light weight. It is actually quite sturdy, but probably would not hold up to someone sitting or stepping on the side or back walls. The decorating was super simple too... we decorated it before putting it together (with the exception of final trims). We used items on hand... scrapbooking paper (affixed with glue stick), duct tape, and some left over fabric scraps for flooring. Here are some pictures with extra directions so you get the idea... The possibilities are endless, so have fun creating!

If you are new to our blog, be sure to check out the free printable wallpaper and floorings. They would work great with these foam dollshouses too!

YOU NEED:
*2 sheets foamboard (dollar store foam board is what we used)
*razor-blade (exacto) knife to cut the foam board
*glue stick
*hot glue
*decorating supplies (duct tape, scrapbooking paper, print-outs, etc.)

Use this as a guide... You can cut each piece out and glue everything separate if you are more comfortable with that. We chose to use a "scoring" method for some of the cuts as it makes it a bit easier if you only have 2 hands! If you are uncertain what this means, please comment and I will create a separate post.

If you would like to cover edges that will be showing after your house is completed, use the above method...

...and trim out the corner so that you can use hot glue to stick down your finished edges.

Hello Kitty duct tape siding! This is the fastest, most fun, easiest dollhouse siding I've ever done :) Not realistic looking, but that wasn't the aim here.

The walls being raised... notice everything has been predecorated - just stuck everything on with glue stick. The wall corners were secured with a line of hot glue.

Once you have the entire house frame glued together, lay the house on the second piece of foamboard and trace the outline.

Here's the outline. Cut it out using your exacto knife.

Once it's cut out, make sure it fits and trace the interior rooms...

...decorate the back walls of the dollhouse

Here's the completed project, all hot-glued together!

You can add some think duct tape to the edges if you wish, either for looks or if it feels like the glue isn't sticking on the edges.

Note that using a hot glue gun does leave some "light shining through" but nothing major.

We added this purple flower trim (because it was what we had) to cover up the white part of the foam board.

This room is tiny but we wanted to experiment with gluing an interior wall.

Other ideas:

*Cut doors and windows into your foam-board dollhouse...
*Make a 100% duct-tape covered foam dollhouse :)
*Poke holes through the back wall and stick Christmas lights through to light up your foamboard doll house (see our other blog posts for ideas and pictures)

Free "oiled walnut" dollhouse floor - extra large file!

2014-03-31T21:47:00.000-07:00

If you are decorating a doll house that has larger floors than our other files print, here is an extra large file of wooden flooring. It should print around 30" x 30". You could use a printing service (like Costco, or Walmart) and print either a regular print or a poster print to get some "instantly ready" flooring. I have not done this so do not know how durable it would be without spraying with an acryllic sealer... let us know if you do it - do you like it, would you do it again, what would you do different... Enjoy!

(Be sure to select the picture, save to your computer or device and print (or order a print) from there. Printing this page will not print the full resolution of the floor.)

As always, for personal use only. Thank you!

close-up photos of doll house carpet samples

2014-03-01T16:09:00.001-08:00

Here are some close up pictures of fabrics that work well for dollhouse carpet... the upholstrey fabric is easiest to install as it tends to be stiff. It all works though!

Great List of Free Dollhouse plans and tutorials

2013-01-16T09:54:00.001-08:00

This site called Home Tips World just came to our attention, and if you're looking for free ideas to make your own doll house, you'll like them too. There's everything from bookshelf style dollhouses, to room boxes, to sewn doll houses, to magazine doll houses, to a unique fairy dollhouse!
http://www.hometipsworld.com/the-top-16-free-dollhouse-plans-tutorials.html

doll house wall box roof: free printable

2013-01-01T17:10:00.003-08:00

Here's a free printable for you in case you want to "roof" your dollhouse wall box...

Dollhouse Wall Boxes

2013-01-01T17:06:00.000-08:00

If you love "dollhousing" but don't have a lot of time or space or money, these are very fun! Hammer together some wooden boxes, affix a picture hanger to the back, and decorate as you have time. You could eventually have an entire "house" hanging on your wall! They also work well as gifts for a child, or as a "memory diorama" for someone who is moving and you want to preserve the memory of their home.

You can decorate them the traditional way with paint/glue/wallpaper, or you can (as we've done below) glue everything to card stock and make the doll house wall box very easy to change... you can have a Palace one day and a Log Cabin the next!

Start with a wooden box: (The INTERIOR measurements of the box shown are 9.25 inches wide, 7.75 inches tall, 5 inches deep)

Now, you can decorate the dollshouse wall box the traditional way with paint, glue, wallpaper, etc. Or, as we've done in these two samples, use pictures to help you along. These two wall boxes use edited internet pictures, but you could just as easily take your own, especially with the panorama feature most cameras now have.

Print the pictures, glue them to card stock, and cut to the correct size. Do the same thing with your choice of flooring.

Now, you can either glue these on for a permanent theme, or affix them with tape for a quick "redecorate" now-and-again!

Tape Method 1: (I tried this and decided my fit was too close, so opted for Method 2)

Tape Method 2: This is what I like for a changeable dollhouse theme

Here are some completed pictures of the palace dollhouse wall box:

Notice how in the picture above the perspective makes the 5 inch deep box appear deeper?

Don't forget, these dollhouse diorama boxes can be either hung on a wall, or set on a shelf.

And, here are some pictures of a very quick and easy log cabin dollhouse room... It would be very fun (or a great home-school project) to do Laura Ingalls Wilder doll house rooms... her dugout, little cabin in the woods, house, etc.

These pictures were all from different sources but I edited them in Photoshop to get the color tones to match... As you can see, the corners don't match up, but by the time you decorate, you don't notice (at a first glance anyway!)

Can you see the picture above the mantel? I put a small piece of tape directly on the "wallpaper", then attached the picture with a piece of looped tape. Now, when we decide to redecorate, the picture easily comes off and won't tear the wallpaper.

Remember, one plus of this tiny project is that it can be stored anywhere... even on your bookshelf while waiting for paint to dry!

Have fun!!

A dollhouse fireplace that really lights up

2012-04-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a great blog for any of you wanting to make a cardboard dollhouse... She even installed a "real" working fireplace :) It's called The Cardboard Crafter. She also does other things so you might have to hunt through the posts to find the dollhouse ones.

Using decorator fabric to make dollhouse bed covers and spreads

2011-07-02T14:53:00.000-07:00

Often window covering places or interior decorators have old fabric sample books that they throw out when new ones come. If you can get some of these, they have great dollhouse-sized swatches. In these pictures 3 different fabric swatches were used to make bedspreads for wooden dollhouse beds. Simply cut out the swatches and fray check the edges. Since these particular ones were very stiff fabric, I chose to glue the ends down to the bed (can you see the rubber bands used to keep it in place until it dried?).

How to make your own grass mat for a doll house...

2011-07-02T14:41:00.000-07:00

If you have access to some old window covering books, usually there is one book devoted to "natural" type window blinds. They contain samples using things like woven grass and bamboo. Find one that suits the color and style you are after, and put gobs (LOTS) of glue down each of the far ends of the sample. After about a day when it is dry, cut along the middle of that glue line and, presto, you have a "grass mat", "bamboo rug", or whatever else you want to call them :) Here's a picture of a "jungle themed" room with a woven grass and bamboo throw carpet.

How to put a small bit of wallpaper in your dollhouse...

2011-07-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

In an earlier post I told how I put full walls of wall paper in a wooden doll house. This post will tell how I do smaller bits of wallpaper... for example, a painted top and wallpapered bottom. This method also works for installing borders. Remember things look better in "thirds" rather than "halves". (for example, paint 2/3 of the wall and wallpaper 1/3... or wallpaper 2/3 and paint 1/3...)

1. Measure and cut your wallpaper
2. Always have your wallpaper go continuously around a corner... don't have it stop at a corner or a dark "gap" will show when you're all done. To make this easier, crease/fold the wallpaper piece where the corner will end up.
3. Use an old magazine and lay a piece(s) of your wallpaper upside down on it.
4. Smear tacky glue all over the back of it, paying special attention to the edges.
5. Quickly go wash and dry your hands, or keep a wet rag handy to wipe the glue off your fingers before pressing the wallpaper into place.
6. Turn the magazine page, and you have another fresh surface for gluing the next piece!

A quick, cheap doll house waste basket...

2011-07-02T12:52:00.000-07:00

Use an old cap (from toothpaste, hairspray, etc.) for a quick dollhouse garbage pail!

A completed playable lighted wooden doll house...

2011-07-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

We received a request for a playable lighted wooden dollhouse decorated in earth tones, orange, gold and black... Here are some pictures for you to get ideas from... in case those are the color tones your child (or you!) likes too!

How to make a quick dollhouse picture frame using a tissue box pattern...

2011-07-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

If you have ever seen this pattern on a box of tissues, it works great for some quick doll house picture frames! Just trim out a square and cut a picture to fit in the center, glue, and you're done!

How to make your own dollhouse mantel clock...

2011-07-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

Making your own doll house mantle clock is quick and easy...

1. Find a piece of trim that has a profile you like.

2. Cut off a small chunk about 1/2 inch deep.

3. Do an image search to find the type of clock face you want and print it. I took this picture myself, so you are free to use it (personal use only, no resale).

4. Paint or stain your clock and let dry.

5. Glue on the clock face.

6. You can stop here, or for a more playable dollhouse mantel clock, spray it with clear acrylic sealer.

For instructions on how to make a grandfather clock for your dollhouse, please see our earlier post.

Making a mini rose garden tutorial by Cassy V.

2011-07-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Cassy V. for the following tutorial!

Supplies:
* Popsicle sticks
* white paint (optional)
* moss (you can buy it at craft stores)
* ribbon (any color)
* posterboard

1. Cut the rounded end off approximately 30 popsicle sticks.

2. If you're going to paint them, paint them now.

3. Cut 6 of them in half, and put another 12 aside.

4. Cut a square of posterboard so it's the length of one full popsicle stick and the width of one half.

5. Lay 6 full ones in a row, so that their long sides are touching and glue them so they form a little wall.

6. Do the same with another 6 full ones. Then do again with 6 halves. Then do one last time with the last 6 halves.

7. Now you have 4 little walls for your box. Set them up standing around the poster board square and glue them there.

8. Take the remaining popsicle sticks and glue them together the way the lattice work behind the roses in this picture is set up. (You may want to cut the ends of these sticks at a diagonal for a cleaner look)

9. Glue the diagonal design so it becomes the back "wall" of your garden box.

10. Fill the box with moss and weave some of the moss up your diagonal wall.

11. Use this: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Silk,-Satin-or-Ribbon-Roses tutorial to use your ribbon to make the roses.

12. Glue the roses onto the moss in the box and climbing up the wall.

You're done! This would make a nice movable outdoor dollhouse decoration, or done on an even smaller scale, a window-box.

How to make your own doll house floor lamp

2010-10-16T16:15:00.000-07:00

Making your own dollhouse floor lamp is quick and easy:

1. Cut a small diameter rod to the height you want your lamp to be.

2. Cut 2 small disks from a large wooden dowel or rod

3. Punch a hole in the center of each of these disks the same diameter as your small rod. (A drill press works best, but you can do it however works for you.)

4. Insert the long narrow dowel into the holes, secure in place with glue

5. Paint it!

6. Glue a small bit of ribbon trim around one end.

7. Add any embellishments to "dress up" your light.

That's it! Have fun!

How to make your own dollhouse pie

2010-09-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

Making your own doll house pies is a lot easier than you might think. You need a bottle cap, some craft foam and a small hole punch (or tiny beads or used air soft rifle pellets), glue and water, a scrap of thin brown paper.
Here are step by step instructions with pictures:

1. Take an old bottle cap (you can also buy them at a craft store for a few cents), fill it with tiny beads or small punches of craft foam to see how much filling you need:

2. Dump the loose pie filling into a small container, add glue and stir.

3. Dump the pie filling into the bottle cap(s) and wait for it to dry. Here's a before and after picture of the wet / dry pie filling:

4. Next, make the crust... turn a pie upside down on thin brown paper and trace around it. Cut out the circle.

5. Cut the brown paper circle into thin strips.

6. Mix a little water and glue together - make it fairly runny, like the consistency of milk. Put the strips in the glue mixture and stir them around, being sure they get coated on all sides.

7. Lay the strips across the top of the pies in a criss-cross lattice pattern. (Note: I use a toothpick or end of a paint brush to help get the strips in place. Otherwise they start sticking to both hands and you end up really frustrated.)

8. Wait for the pies to "bake" (dry!) and you're done!

Free printable dollhouse wallpaper

2010-02-04T10:32:00.000-08:00

Here is some more "print your own" free doll house wallpaper... same pattern, just different colors. As always, personal use only please, thanks!

A couple of small "studio" dollhouses for you to look at...

2010-01-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

I made these a couple of months ago... Strawberry Shortcake and her friends, the Calico Critters, Littlest PetShop animals, etc. like living in these small doll houses! They are a fun "quick" project and are small enough to pack away when not in use.

How to make your own dollhouse daybed!

2010-01-21T17:04:00.000-08:00

You can create your own doll house day bed by following the directions in our no-sew doll house sofa post. Just use a larger block for the base. For back shape ideas you can look at pictures of real day beds. Here are pictures of a couple I did with different kinds of fun feet!

Use a knitting loom to make doll house blankets or bed spreads...

2010-01-12T14:31:00.000-08:00

Using a knitting loom (this one was done with the Knifty Knitter brand) you can knit a small swatch and very quickly have a dollhouse bedspread or blanket. If you've never used a Knifty Knitter before, I highly recommend them! They're good for all kinds of projects. You don't have to know anything about knitting or crocheting to use them... you just wind yarn over and over, always taking the bottom loop off the peg!

Don't throw out those holiday cards, candy wrappers, or old calendars - yet!

2010-01-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

You can make some quick, cheap gilt (gold) doll house picture frames by saving foil candy wrappers! Cut out a picture (a small rectangle from a holiday card works well, or else one of the small pictures from the back of an calendar or calendar envelope). Glue the picture in the middle of the wrapper, and fold the edges up until the picture is framed! That's it! Here are step by step pictures:

eat the chocolate :)

smooth out the foil

glue the picture to the center of the foil and start folding in the edges... you can cut a little from the long side like you see in the picture so that you don't end up with so much "bulk" at the corners.

Keep folding in the sides...

Use a tiny bit of glue to secure each corner.

You're done and ready to hang the pictures in your dollhouse!

Painting dollhouse tables and chairs

2009-12-12T12:27:00.000-08:00

Any of you who can actually paint will look at these pictures and know that I cannot :) But there's something unstressful about painting patterns... if any of you have a habit of doodling while you're on the phone or waiting on hold, you can definitely paint on doll house furniture! Here are pictures of some of my doll house table and chair doodlings... maybe it will inspire you to try too! One thing nice about paint, if you don't like it, just wait until it's dry, paint over it, and try again! Use a tiny brush.

Another dollhouse stove picture...

2009-12-11T12:18:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of another wooden doll house stove. Unlike the other wooden stoves I've done, this one has all painted on faucet handles, door pulls, and stove burners. These particular ones were not meant to look "real", so I used pink!