1980s Honeychurch dolls house to Victorian Villa.


 I was given this lovely house! All very splendidly done out in 1990 pastel decor. I needed to give it the Arnopp touch. It is a gorgeous house. I think, along with Sid Cooke, these are antiques of the future so I was excited to start work on it.


The paper was easily removed, revealing a clean smooth surface so unlike the rough, aged wood I am accustomed to on the Triang houses. When I am doing up an antique house I like to restore it to the original but with a newer house I have a free hand, to do as I please.

I love old houses, I love old times so it is unlikely I am ever going to do a modern home.


I wanted it to look old so I painted it in two halves. The upper in red brick, the lower half in bath stone bricks. As before, I did the colour mixing and painting while trusty sidekick drew the bricks - freehand.


I don't seem to have taken photographs of the process, I must have been too busy enjoying it. Inside I used three ply paper napkins for wall paper. I mod podged it to heavier drawing paper before sticking it to the house walls. there are some lovely designs available and far cheaper than dolls house paper. I use an antique mod podge to give an aged appearance. the bed  and washstand are those bare wood paint it yourself stuff, cheap as chips and you can paint it to match your decor. 









This house was relatively cheap to restore. I decorated with napkin, recycled bits I already had, made carpets and curtains. It was fun, and I think the house has more character now. It is one of my favourites now, but I say that about all of them.

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