Mock-Ups

When I began the Manchester Country Home by DuraCraft, I set some guidelines--rules--goals--for this build.

First, I wanted to test my skills and apply all the things that I have learned since I began this mini journey in 2016 when my soon-to-be 37 year-old requested that I finish her childhood house for her birthday. I never thought that I go as far as I have, but here I am.

Having said this, I expect the country home to be my last big kit. I don't know what else I'd do with a big house and I'm running out of room. It becomes quite challenging to find new ideas and do things differently with each house. I'm not going stop making minis, for I have other projects in mind and each one of my houses could use more work, more plants, more stuff. I also want to recreate my grandmother's cabin and build a tribute to Betsy Ross.

I also decided that as many items as possible in the house must be handmade, so I will:

• create items from scratch 
• make things from  kits
•  purchase items that I can't make satisfactorily  from miniature artisans who can
• use as much as possible from my stash

Pink here, a former MacDonald's Happy Meal Girl, was rescued along with a bag full of other Happy Meal Girls who now have happy homes in my houses. Once she recovered from her humiliating stint in the thrift store, she took over shopping for the dollhouses. I just wish she'd do something with her hair. Anyway. She's been helping with the layout of the kitchen and doing all the shopping. 

I finally settled on moving the kitchen to the far right room because of the size and space; however,  the stairs in center of the house make for a difficult layout. I'v'e used an assortment of odds and ends to simulate the layout of cabinets and appliances. 

This arrangement seems to be the final plan. I spent the day cutting out the pieces on the Circuit to create a more realistic mock-up of the kitchen. I have learned to cut my designs out of paper first to make sure that my measurements are accurate before I cut the basswood. For these pieces, I've used Cricut board.

While the stair wall is meant to be on the other side of the stairs, I think this arrangement will work even thought the wall will end in front of the door rather than off to the side of the door, but it will work. The tall cabinet will have the built-in microwave and oven with a cabinet to the left of it that will serve as coffee bar. You can see one of my purchases, the coffee maker, from My Miniature Emporium, along with other pieces that I'll share later. The taurine  and canisters  came from Mollysue Miniatures, another favorite artist. I don't know if it will they find their way into the house permanently.

The far wall will have the refrigerator, upper cabinets with ample counter top that will have the cooktop with a pot filler. The sink and dishwasher will be located on the center island. The final challenge for this kitchen will be to design the upper cabinets and exhaust fan. I've worked it all out on paper, but I haven't decided on the fan. I've been looking at modern kitchen design and there are so many routes that I could take with the fan design. 

With the kitchen finally figured out, I turn to the bathroom. I wanted a really modern bathroom--one that I would like in my own master bath. I ordered these bathroom pieces from Shape Ways, a website that supports 3D printed products, including miniatures. I found these pieces offered by Paper Dolls Miniatures. I love them. The quality is exceptional and Kristen, shape owner, is amazing. I have already messaged her to ask how to paint theses pieces and she responded with very good directs and with such an enthusiastic voice in her writing. 

The bathtub and the standing faucet--ordered separately are so modernly vintage. As I searched for inspiration modern bathrooms, the round sinks that are mounted on top of the cabinet are the rage and this little sink that come with the faucet is just amazing. The shower head and faucet come as a pair and the bridge faucet will go in the kitchen. Love these pieces. I still need a toilet and am considering a wall mounted one, but the lids don't open. For some reason I want the lid to open. Next challenge will be to paint these pieces. Later.

The last qualification on my list of must-do rules is to use items from my stash. I found this little table that I think I made as a bench for the Hen House. I think it didn't turn out like I wanted to because I made two; not I can't remember why I made two or what is wrong with this one. I may or may not use this as the vanity, but it will work. 

Pink has given her final approval on the bathroom purchases, but she but has made it clear that shower stall needs to be sent back to the stash. Yes, Madame.

We are still digging out from the Big Storm that hit Sunday. Actually our neighbor kindly used his fork-lift with snow plow attached remove the foot of snow that covered  the drive-way; the horses are okay, but our massive pine trees are stressed under the weight of the heavy snow and some have suffered major damage. We will have a big job doing that clean-up. 

        

On the bright side, snow days are perfect days for working on minis and made very good progress today. I have two more big design projects: the kitchen top cabinets and the entertainment center for the living room. Stay tuned for those projects.

Do you make mock-ups for your rooms?

Usually I link my gardening blog with Monday Mosaics, but just to shake things up a bit, I'll link this post with Monday Mosaics. Join me there.

Thanks so much for visiting.