Renovating a 1980 Model Homes Victorian dollhouse

[Ellen1980]

It's a long read, so here's a summary of my new member introduction; I'm renovating a dollhouse I'm very sentimental about and grateful for this forum and how much information I've been able to find in a relatively short amount of time. 

After 41 years, I have finally gotten around to renovating the dollhouse my dad and grandfather built for me for Christmas when I was four. I was prompted because my dad has terminal cancer and I realized that my window for asking questions about how it was built and getting advice was closing quickly. The first hole was made shortly after we had to cancel our Christmas plans to see them in 2021.  Although this isn't a pandemic project, I am very grateful to all of those who took it up during quarantine because they've been asking the questions I have and their renewed interest has made finding 40 year-old wallpaper much easier.

It started with the simple goal of adding the dormer my dad and his father-in-law didn't have time to add (there was a note from Santa saying that the paint was still wet). My dad had kept everything from the kit, so it seemed a shame not to make use of it. Then, since I was already making changes to the roof, I thought I might as well open up the tower room that was walled off from the rest of the house. It had always bugged me that the only access was through a removable roof with a non-working hatch. Like any renovation, once you start thinking about all the things you'd like to change, the list of changes becomes very long. 

I'm now past the stage where the most difficult decisions, dealing with structural issues like adding stairs, dormers and safety railing, have to be made. While waiting for some items on backorder (worth it, I got dollhouse skylights!) I moved out of the kitchen and into the basement where my home office/ library was turned into a work room. However, it's the first week of June and spring has finally arrived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, so I don't expect too much progress will be made on the dollhouse. In my search for vintage supplies, I acquired another dollhouse, so I'll probably have to come up with a name for this one. TBD for now. 

[havanaholly]

Welcome to the little family Ellen.  When you have made five posts you can make an album in the Gallery of your house's "before" and "after" pictures.

[madtex1967]

Hi Ellen,

I'm glad you found the group.  I am a fan of Model Homes kits.  I am working on (its been a couple of years since I touched it) the MH Cape May.  I have enlarged the tower, so it is accessible from the attic.  I also added a wing to one side and added two dormer windows.  You can see it in my galleries.  I also have two of the MH San Francisco kits.  It is basically a smaller version of the Cape May.  I plan on bashing them together.

Matt

[Ellen1980]

On 6/8/2022 at 12:48 PM, madtex1967 said:

Hi Ellen,

I'm glad you found the group.  I am a fan of Model Homes kits.  I am working on (its been a couple of years since I touched it) the MH Cape May.  I have enlarged the tower, so it is accessible from the attic.  I also added a wing to one side and added two dormer windows.  You can see it in my galleries.  I also have two of the MH San Francisco kits.  It is basically a smaller version of the Cape May.  I plan on bashing them together.

Matt

Matt, your MH Cape May gallery is how I found this group! I owe you a huge debt. I've always wanted to open up the tower so I cut down the wall leading to the attic, but I wasn't sure how the connection should be built. I thought I'd just extend the widow's walk, ugly as that would be*, but then I saw what you had done and now I get to maintain the look of the tower. I also used your photos to convince my husband, whose taste in decor far exceeds my own, that three dormers wouldn't look too crowded. It's my house and my project, but experience has taught me to trust his judgement on things like that. 

Needless to say, I am a huge, *huge* fan of the work you did on it and the changes you made to the design. As I mentioned, you've inspired a number of my renovations to the house and I have so many questions. Did you ever finish the layout of the inside? My dad and grandfather were both home builders so the existing walls will be staying where they are. 😉

*I've attached the quick photoshop job I did to see how extending the tower wall would look. It's not great. 

[madtex1967]

On 6/13/2022 at 3:50 PM, Ellen1980 said:

Matt, your MH Cape May gallery is how I found this group! I owe you a huge debt. I've always wanted to open up the tower so I cut down the wall leading to the attic, but I wasn't sure how the connection should be built. I thought I'd just extend the widow's walk, ugly as that would be*, but then I saw what you had done and now I get to maintain the look of the tower. I also used your photos to convince my husband, whose taste in decor far exceeds my own, that three dormers wouldn't look too crowded. It's my house and my project, but experience has taught me to trust his judgement on things like that. 

Needless to say, I am a huge, *huge* fan of the work you did on it and the changes you made to the design. As I mentioned, you've inspired a number of my renovations to the house and I have so many questions. Did you ever finish the layout of the inside? My dad and grandfather were both home builders so the existing walls will be staying where they are. 😉

*I've attached the quick photoshop job I did to see how extending the tower wall would look. It's not great. 

Hi Ellen!

Thank you for the kind words!  I really love this house, and feel bad it is sitting, untouched (except by the cats who have done some repairable damage).  I've been doing some cleaning of the hobby room/office and will probably get back to work on it.  The exterior is 95% done.  I've not touched the interior, other than cutting holes for the staircases.  I have not installed the interior walls, but have a basic idea of how it will come together.  As Holly says, "Let the house speak to you".  This one has and gotten me this far on the bash.

I am anxious to watch your work.  I am sure it will push me to get back to mine!

Matt