dorn27 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I've decided to build a house. It has actually taken me a while to get to this point. I originally debated about 'remodeling' my old childhood dollhouse (I have no idea what it is, but I haven't spotted anything like it anywhere while shopping online for one to build), but my Dad built that and my sister wants it for her (incoming) daughter. I'm not sure that once I build it, and decorate it with things I build... that I'll want to give it to my future niece. So, I decided that I'm going to build a dollhouse for me. After that experience, if I want to fix up/update the house my dad built, I can do so without feeling the need to decorate it too. The only problem is that I can't decide what to get!!! Urgh. I don't want to spend a lot of money on a plain wood kit. I just want something with a few rooms (4? or 5 with an attic?) that I can decorate, craft furnishings and maybe make dolls and/or take photographs. I really like the look of the Orchid, that little octagon window steals my heart. However, no attic and no stairs. It's cheap and I can get it locally for under $40. (Actually now I can't remember if it was $29 or $39, but I don't really care.) I also like really like the Arthur. I like that it has stairs. I like that while it still has a dormer to work around inside... there is only one. I think that means more usable space. This one, is of course, more money. I can't quite figure out what I'm paying more for, it seems, basically the same size with stairs. What I'd really like is a Laurel with the add on Primerose. Lots of space, a cute porch, and flower boxes, attic. I can see why it's more. I just don't see it in the budget, especially since I'm planning on dropping a load of money to deck out the inside super nice and cozy. I think it's a someday, not a today. So, I guess, what it comes down too is the two smaller oners. Arthur or Orchid? A few other questions.... if anyone has time. What kind of glue and sealers? What should I use to put the building together? What should I seal wall paper printies with if I go that route vs buying papers? What should I glue the inside paper, trim, flooring on with? I'm ready to buy a house and get to work. I'm super excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorn27 Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 I forgot to add, if there is a better 4-5 room house out there that anyone recommends besides these two... I'm open to going another direction. I just like the style of these two and I like having a porch (or a little step in porch). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabrina Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Hi Kristi! Check out this site if you need help with building steps etc. More Minis She also has a page that shows you the sizes of both houses and their rooms. I have both the Orchid and the Arthur and haven't built either yet. Too many projects lined up already. When I want to buy a kit I usually wait until miniatures.com has a 40%off one item coupon, of course then I have to find places to hide all the multiple kits so my DH doesn't have a heart attack at the idea of one day our house being filled with houses. I'm almost positive that the Orchid does have stairs though. The Arthur screams Christmas house to me and the Orchid has been screaming shabby chic cottage retreat. I'm looking forward to your decision and I hope you'll post pictures of your build. As for tips on glues and sealers all I can say is 1) DO NOT USE HOT GLUE!!! It will become brittle with age and fall apart and you can not get a smooth, even, gap-less finish. I've used tacky glue and tiny nails to reinforce corners and where the floors hit the walls. 2.) Plan what parts you want to stain, if any, because if you seal it, the sealer will prevent the stain from soaking in and staining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannonc60 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Vote 1 for the Orchid. It's so cute. Then build the Arthur later! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 The building team has built and blogged both the Arthur and the Orchid, and the Arthur doesn't have an attic, either; and the Orchid does, indeed, have stairs. My first full-blown rehab was a Laurel that had been built with hot glue: http://www.greenleaf...lery&album=1103 For that one I had some leftover Greenleaf self-adhesive vinyl wood flooring as well as tiles, and I recycled the RL ceramic tiles that were in the original build. I bought NOTHING expensive to decorate this house or to finish it, and I had to make new doors and windows and their trims, as well as the front porch. I use scrapbook paper, giftwrap, 1:1 wallpaper in small patterns (and sometimes fabrics) to cover walls, and I hang them with real life premixed wallpaper paste. I used some of the Corona Concepts furniture kits in the Laurel. I printed two Tiffany windows onto transparency plastic for the bathroom windows and used plain acetate leftover from "blister" backaging for the rest of the windows. Is there any reason you couldn't start with a Primrose kit and get a Laurel later? There are lots of posts about what glues, etc, to use, and it's all what works for you. I'm simpleminded, so I use carpenter's wood glue to stick wood parts together and white all-purpose glue for the clear plastic window & door inserts. I either prime or stain my wood after sanding. I usually scribe floorboards directly into the plywood and stain them. E6000 is nice for attaching hardware and doesn't seem to fog the plastic like superglue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I've built both, and of the two I think the Arthur is better space-wise. The slant of the roofs and the octagon window take up a lot of space in the Orchid. I actually left out the stairs in my Arthur so I'd have more space. And on the Orchid I added an addition so I'd actually have room for a kitchen! You can find pictures of both here. (Note that the Orchid was my first build and I never really finished it. There are a lot of things I would have done differently if I were to build it today!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorn27 Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 I am just really confused on the stairs or lack of stairs on the Orchid. Sigh. I wonder if it no longer has stairs but used to have stairs or vice versa? I've seen two sites and two reviews online that both said no stairs. But, I tend to believe people who have more experience.... Is there anyone out there building it right now who knows for sure? I've got a 40% off coupon to Hobby Lobby (and they only carry the Orchid, no Arthur) and I'm debating using it on that or saving it for other supplies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I just looked at the pictures of the Orchid on the homepage site and the interior pictures do show no stairs, but both the wooden and plastic versions I built came with stairs. You might go to the Greenleaf homepage and then to the contact page and call or email them to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorn27 Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 I decided just to head into Hobby Lobby to check it out again. I had a 40% off coupon for one item, expiring tomorrow. The box actually does show stairs, so I went ahead and bought it. Either way, it was just $18 with the coupon! So, I figure if it doesn't I will just build it and if it doesn't have stairs... then I've got experience for the next one and I will perhaps sell the built item or gift it to someone I know. (My husbands cousin has 2 girls and we are very close with the family, and they are 5 and 7 now, so I think they'd enjoy it and be careful.) If it does, then it's full speed ahead towards decorating everything just the way I want as my own treasure. Thanks for your help! I picked up some good wood glue and I'm fairly sure I've got a lot of the other things I will need for construction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 My Orchid kit came with stairs, but I didn't like the style so I replaced them with Houseworks stairs. I bought this kit about 12 years ago so I don't know if it's representative of the kit sold today. You could contact Greenleaf customer service and ask about it: http://shop.greenleafdollhouses.com/Contact.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grammy97 Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 I just received my ORCHID kit and it does NOT have stairs in the box...here is a number to call: 800.253.7150 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotsoflove Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 I bought a Lily for my birthday a few weeks ago. It has seven rooms and is quite spacious. So far, I'm really liking the layout. From o.co it's, I think, 84 and 2.95 shipping. It's well worth the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Stairs aren't difficult to make, and a utility knife with a new, sharp blade will cut your stair hole, if there's not one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannonc60 Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 You can get narrow/steep stairs, e.g. these, or this kit, and these ones look steep so wouldn't take up much room. And I think Maple Street has stair moulding, which you cut to length and glue together. It's not on their website but used to be in their catalog (try e-mailing them). Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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