If I've learned anything in my years of dollhouse renovating, it's that it is FAR easier to make changes when the house is able to be disassembled. This is not some terrific revelation, but I am always relieved when I can safely take the house apart and gain more complete access to walls and floors. Whenever I am approaching changes to a vintage house, I try to be as sensitive as possible to the original design and features. I also think of how I can stay true to the house but inject some new life with wallpaper and flooring changes.
In the case of the TOMY Smaller Homes and Garden 1:16 scale house, I had already made some changes when I got the house back in 2011. The house comes apart pretty easily, although I had to take some extra care with the roof, and sliding the walls back in once there was paper on them. Patience, patience!
I decided to add some new papers on the upstairs wall and also in the downstairs kitchen and living spaces.
As you can see, I leaned toward pattern in shades of blue, gold, yellow, and white. The house is just so BROWN. This prompted me to take some risks with pattern and color.
Hope you like the results!
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| That wallpaper to the left is new; original is on the right |
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The time it took me: At least five to six hours total, including wallpapering and decorating
Credits: Kitchen: All appliances by Lundby; table and chairs are by Patie of minisx2; shelf is by Rement; ceiling light is by Playmobil. Living Room: Couch is Brio; chair is Reac; plant is a vintage dollhouse show find; table is by Patie of minisx2; light and pillow are by minimodernistas. Bedroom: Bed and credenza are vintage German; plant is from miniatures.com. Bathroom: Tub rug, and artwork are Lundby; sink is from miniatures.com; toilet is TOMY. Outdoors: chair is a gold spray-painted Christmas ornament from Crate & Barrel and vases are beads. Accessories throughout: Rement, Lundby, dollhouse show finds, modpodminis, vintage eBay finds, and miniatures.com.