Well, well, the time is finally here. As much as I dragged this out because A: I didn’t want the fun to end, and B: A lot of dollhouse miniatures come from China and take two months to arrive, the dollhouse renovation is complete.
This is great news for Mrs. Hedgehog because she and her family have been living out of their van for two months while their home was being finished, and she’s over it.
Look how happy she is. I asked her what she missed most, and she said–and I quote–“diffusing my essential oils.”
What started as a fun idea and quickly turned into an all-consuming obsession has now yielded a fully furnished dollhouse that sits at the end of Nella’s bed, home to an array of Calico Critters.
Mrs. Hedgehog has kindly agreed to give us a tour of her home, but before we do, a few things:
1.) How much did this cost? I admit, dollhousing isn’t cheap, especially considering that everything you buy is for a house inhabited by characters who are not real. I had to remind myself of that several times when I found myself getting bent out of shape about an air bubble in the wallpaper or a slightly crooked picture frame. CALM DOWN, YOU DON’T ACTUALLY LIVE HERE. However, given the costs of actually renovating a real house, dollhousing is ridiculously inexpensive which makes up for half of the weird satisfaction of it all. I mean, you can have the kitchen of your dreams for $30! If you add everything up–even the $2 here and there–yes, it can be a lot. But I do look at this as a childhood investment–something we will hopefully save for years to come and pass on to grandkids. As wild as these dollhouse accessories may sound, this project is actually conservative compared to some of the dollhouse projects out there (there’s a whole WORLD of miniature-lovers like me–I FOUND MY PEOPLE!). We made a lot of things ourselves and bought most of our items from places like Amazon and Hobby Lobby, reasonably priced. Get into custom modern dollhouse furniture, and you can spend a lot.
2.) I pulled as many special personal touches into this home as I could–little photos of Nella, replicas of actual things we have in our home, funny details that represent our family. These Hedgehogs are Hampton hedgehogs, and I wanted their home to reflect that.
3.) If you are interested in this crazy little hobby, I have two things to say to you. WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE, and there’s a list of sources for everything in the dollhouse at the end of this post.
With no further ado, the Hedgehog Home:
Let’s start in the kitchen, shall we? Mrs. Hedgehog wanted something modern and bright but with fun pops of color. The print is a replica of the same one I have above my desk in my office and is from Bouffants and Broken Hearts (sized and printed a screen shot of the shop version and framed with painted popsicle sticks). The wallpaper is gift paper from Paper Source.
There is, of course, a tiny bottle of Nutella in the kitchen because it’s Nella’s favorite.
…and the Kinfolk cookbook because Mrs. Hedgehog loves to cook.
For the living room, Mrs. Hedgehog asked for “warm and inviting”. I started with brick walls (scrapbook paper), but added white wainscoting to break it up and add some brightness. I can’t even type this without laughing. I’m talking about this house like it’s real.
The curtains are cloth napkins that I cut and glued around tiny dowel rods. And on the T.V.? The Hedgehogs favorite movie–duh, You’ve Got Mail.
Some just-arrived boxes of Brett’s Amazon Picks make an appearance. Likely another can opener.
One of my favorite things in the house is the quilt on the couch–a replica of a favorite item in our home, the quilt made from my kids’ baby clothes. I took an overhead photo of our quilt and printed it on iron-on fabric paper and then ironed-adhered it to soft white jersey material. The pillows are made from an old Alice and Ames dress Nella wore and sewn fat ribbon from Nella’s wand materials.
We reincarnated Leg, Lainey’s goldfish that died this year. Now he lives forever in plastic.
The book ledge was fun to make–two square wood craft sticks glued together and stained.
I’ve never been so jealous of an inanimate object as I am when it comes to Mrs. Hedgehog’s bathroom.
The I Like You Very Much print is a replica of the one Juniper Prints sells.
And last, the spacious master suite which doubles as a nursery. Technically, baby hedgehogs only stay with their moms for ten days before running off on their own, but the Hampton hedgehogs like to buck the system.
The Hudson Bay stripe blanket is modeled after the one Dash has on his bed and was much cheaper–cut from a $10 Pendleton sock. Pinhole Press sent us that TEENY TINY flip calendar, every month a perfect miniature version of the ones in our actual 2019 calendar hanging in our home.
See that tiny diaper bag? Can you handle it? My friend Rebecca of Better Life Bags made it. A tiny dollhouse bag made with a cause!
And I just about lost my miniature-loving mind when I found these miniature Eloise Wilkin books, one of my favorite children’s illustrators.
And look how thrifty Mrs. Hedgehog is! No time for expensive diapers with all these kids!
There’s only one thing missing in this house–the last special touch.
Nella’s wand.
Speaking of Nella, yes, she loves the house, especially all the little “Nella” touches. I look forward to all the memories we’ll make with this little house.
This has been such a fun, fulfilling project–creative therapy, in a way. It fed my creative heart in ways I didn’t expect and provided a good phone-free, stress-free, deadline-free, imaginative space to just “play.” I don’t want to bore you with specifics on how things were made, so I’ll leave some sources here for things we bought, and if you have a specific D.I.Y. question or something you don’t see the link for, let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to answer.
Sources:
Most of the furniture and trim came from Hobby Lobby. Other sources:
Our Dollhouse (I like the two big rooms and two smaller room layout. Easy to decorate and lots of room to play)
Battery Operated Lights:
Wall Light
Ceiling Light in living room
Hanging Light in kitchen
Fireplace (only $2.59!)
Refrigerator
Candlestick Set
Modern Kitchen Set
Crib
Bathtub
Sink
Sconces
Bed
Empty Wall Frame (gold)
Empty Wall Frame (antique bronze)
Framed Painting (can cover the painting with another print if you like)
Potted Plant
Small Potted Plant
Potted Plant (my favorite one)
6-pack small books
Etsy Shops:
Small Fun Shop (little letter board, striped rug, potted succulents)
My Tiny Nest Miniatures (succulents, classic books on the fireplace)
Miniature Crush (subway tile paper)
M for Miniatures (modern check chair in the bedroom, filled jars in kitchen and bathroom)
Whimsy and Pop (tiny perfume bottles in bathroom)
LC Miniatures (Eloise Wilkin books–oh my God, this shop!)
I love this!!! When you posted the picture on IG of the stained shelf in the living room I at first thought it was in your actual house. I also mistook the screws in the ceiling of the kitchen as can lights and thought to myself, “She thought of everything, even extra overhead lighting in the kitchen!”. I am so glad you shared your journey of doll housing on IG, it made me think about all the fun memories I had with my own dollhouse that I then passed on to my daughter who is now 15. We have packed it all away for now but I am saving in hopes of passing it on to my children’s children.
Super cool!
My kids are grown, but why do I have this overwhelming urge to now have a dollhouse??!!
haha, I was thinking the same. We did make one for the girls when they were little- how beautiful this one that Kelle made! enjoy!
So darling! Did you glue all the accessories down? Or is it all moveable?
A lot of the wall accessories are glued down (like pictures on the wall and shelves), but everything else can be moved. I think the most fun part of a doll house is moving things around and setting it up, so I wanted to keep that free for the kids to do.
Oh My. This is so beautiful and such a fun post to read.
I have so loved watching you enjoy this project! It looks amazing! Such a cool idea and way to get involved with your kids play as well as therapy for yourself!
Love it. I think the Hedgehog children need their own dollhouse to play with now…. Next project!!
It has been so much fun watching you do this. Thanks so much for sharing it!
I was in love while following this project. I was gifted a dollhouse that was built by my grandfather. It’s fallen into some disrepair and you have FUELED my desire to bring it back to life!
Oh my goodness, that is the sweetest dollhouse I have ever seen! I love all the personal touches. What a treasure!
Watching you do this project has made me want to dig my old dollhouse out of storage at my parents’ house and decorate it for myself and for my niece and me to play with. Thanks for the reminder to always look for things that bring you joy – and then do them, no matter what anyone else thinks.
yes! Yes! YES!! Everything is perfection. I’ve been spending free time adding all of my must have miniatures to carts. I keep a pad by my keyboard so I don’t forget my wish lists. I’m having trouble finding a dollhouse that I like, though. Thanks for reigniting a childhood passion. xo
You inspired me to renovate my daughters plain wood Melissa and Doug dollhouse. I just finished decorating and it was SO MUCH FUN! We used a 3D printer to make a lot of the accessories including a replica of our black shar-pei!
Have you been to the most amazing Dollhouse Museum in Danville, KY…just south of Lexington? There’s a dollhouse furniture and accessories store in the front. You must go!
So freaking cool! What a sweet gift to your daughter, and yourself to do what makes you happy.
I love this, but am I bit sad…I looked forward to your updates on Mrs. Hedgehog’s home. Maybe, she has a friend that she can refer your services to!
I commented this on your insta, but wanna make sure you see it…next time you are in Chicago, you gotta check out the Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute. You’ll die, lol
https://www.artic.edu/departments/PC-15/thorne-miniature-rooms
Thank you for sharing this! You are an inspiration! I love watching how much fun you have with your children!
I have started collecting treasures to create a dollhouse for my granddaughter. ( She is nearly 4 months old and has no clue how much fun we will have someday!
How did you make sure everything was size appropriate in terms of scale? Did you stick to a particular scale model size?
Yes. Stuck to 1:12 ratio.
Dollhousing was one of my FAVORITE childhood memories! I have lived vicariously through you every step of the way! Bravo! – ? Andie Dunning, mama to SuperG (a.k.a. Gavin) with Ds— and 5 more awesome kiddos! ?
Have you seen The Queen’s Dollhouse?
https://www.rct.uk/collection/themes/trails/queen-marys-dolls-house
It’s absolutely stunning. There’s a kids book about it that I adored as a kid.
Please become a dollhouse flipper! I have been living for these updates. I’m 100% sure you’re the next “tiny house” show on TLC!
Did I miss where the living room furniture came from?
Hobby Lobby
I love all the details, one by one. Those pink chairs!!! Did you make it? I didn’t see all the furniture at the links ? Maybe I’m not at my best day ?
Ah, and I emailed you several weeks ago, did you receive it? I had some troubles with my email and I’m not sure if it went to spam ???
Kisses from Spain ???❤?
So cool! So creative and fun!This brought back memories of my own doll house. My uncle made a replica of our farmhouse. I still have it. But never had a girl.
Love this, Kelle. I never had a dollhouse of my own but will have a book version one of these day!
haha, I was thinking the same. We did make one for the girls when they were little- how beautiful this one that Kelle made! enjoy!
I can’t even handle this- it is a complete work of art and the most amazing doll house I have ever seen! The details!!!
I want to move into it.
You are so incredibly talented, and have such an eye for style.
Watching you work on this dollhouse has been such a fun part of this year already!! And it may be the reason I bought a giant unfinished dollhouse on FB market for $50… let the games begin ?
Absolutely love the personal touches!!! How did you do the wall trim around the ceilings and floors?
This is amazing. I absolutely loved hearing how into it you got! Good for you! I vividly remember painstakingly creating our favorite meals with sculpey for our doll house as a kid!
Where is the b&w floor from?!
HI, the link to your dollhouse is broken. Do you remember the brand name, or could you relink? Thanks in advance!
How did you adhere the “wall paper” to the walls? I’m wanting to do this for my daughter for Christmas and came back to your old post for all the tips!
Hi kelle! My kids are super into maileg mousies and I showed them this dollhouse you amazingly decorated! Do you happen to know the one and of the dollhouse? The link is broken and our eldest is hoping for a maileg mouse house for Christmas and I think this would be perfect!