Here is another overall project shot of the house. It’s been a couple days though since these pics, so I have even more done now than the photo shows. As I think I said before, it’s all the small detail work now, trimming out the windows and the rooms.
I shot this pic of the finished living room with the flash. I wind up working on the house off and on all day and then take progress pics at night. Unfortunately taking pics at night isn’t the best of things. Anyway the flash made the aqua paint seem lighter than it actually is.
Here is the front door area. I wanted to have working doors on this house and also some windows you could open and close for photo ops, and well fun also! Some of the windows I am framing out though are not hinged. I am also not putting any type of fake glass in the windows, because I am just not that fond of it, however as you can see from my photos I have been adding the detail of wood sashes as it makes things look more charming.
I can’t remember what I’ve already discusses by way of working with hinges, so if I repeat myself forgive me…The doors are hinged using 1/2 inch hinges. These were attached with screws and are very sturdy so these doors can be played with, without any fear of them coming off. The windows on the other hand are only 1/4 inch thick wood so I’ve been having to make do with small 1:12 scale brass hinges. These are the type of hinges that you have to nail in with tiny brass nails, and not surprisingly they pull out easy. I’ll be frank, using the 1:12 scale hinges for playscale is sucky, because they are not durable enough and can’t handle the stress of the larger windows and the repeated usage. However because these hinges were all I could find to hinge my windows, I’ve been having to deal with them, and I can share a few tips with you.
My first tip for working with the 1:12 scale brass hinges is to start your nail hole with a straight pin. By starting the hole with a straight pin you create a channel to get it started and thusly it makes it easier to hammer those tiny blasted nails in. Secondly you’ll need to use a nail set to really get them in there good. My second tip, and probably unorthodox one, is that once you have your hinges in place, and you know that everything is functioning, you can very carefully put a dab of super glue over each nail to be sure to secure your hinges extra tight to the wood. You have to be careful though because if you accidentally get the glue in your hinges you will ruin it. I generally do one side at a time and prop it up so that if the glue starts to run, it will run away from the middle hinge part. I imagine there is a possibility that you could try to forgo the nails altogether and just superglue the hinges on, but I thought perhaps glue and nails might be sturdier. My final piece of advice is to inset your hinges. I inset my hinges by using a dremel to gently shave out a small patch of wood where my hinge will set. I also have a preference for H hinges as they cover a little more area, but you may have your own ideas of what you want to work with.
Well, that’s it for now. I’ll be sure to post more progress later even if it is a little late.
So envious of this house..! I need to start visiting flee markets and recycling/goodwill stores, it seems! Will definitely come back here for hints and tips, should I be so lucky as to come across a house like this. Perhaps I can trick my dad into making the “shell”; he was supposed to make me a house for my tiny BJDs but ended up getting me a Lundby “Stockholm” house in stead.. 😉
LOL, go for it! I think I tricked my dad into cutting down my wood, but in the end I think he enjoyed it and it also gave him an idea for creating a kitty hidey cottage for our cats. I’ve been doing all of the trimwork though and be forewarned if you ever decide to make one yourself, the trimwork takes twice as long as the base construction! Also I swear I have spent as much money (or possibly more) on trim wood as I did on the plywood for the house base. Now I fully understand why dollhouses are so expensive!
You know I just realized that I have visited your blog before. If you start visiting the thrift stores and find anything good you will have to blog about it! 😉
I definitely will share any finds and experiences! And yep, about the dollhouse my dad was supposed to make – it was the thought of the time he would need to spend (he’s quite meticulous), and of course the final cost, that had my parents giving me the Lundby house..! I actually got it for Christmas, I am still pondering what to do with it in regards to decorating, which rooms to set up, etc. Most likely, I will try to turn my tiny BJDs into chibi versions of adults, and have the dollhouse become some sort of office/work collective.
Awesome, what a wonderful Christmas you had then! I have an old 1:12 scale dollhouse that my grandfather made for me when I was little….lately I’ve been considering doing something like what you just described with tiny bjds….this would have to be after getting the first dollhouse finished of course, and I don’t have any tiny bjds….yet. 😉
Anyway I’ll be looking forward to seeing how you decorate your new Lundby house!