Lines DH11


DH/11 1921-1923. Dimensions: 35.5 inches [89 cm] wide, 17 inches [43 cm] deep and 35 inches [88 cm] high.

There's nothing I like more than a challenge, and this DH11 was a big one! A poor specimen with no back, stripped out inside and a very tatty exterior. It had a certain charm but I still couldn't wait to begin bringing it back to its former grandeur. 

The first job as always is to clean them thoroughly and check for worm and rot. This one had no worm but I treated it anyway. When I turned it over to check the bottom for marks or damage I found the base completely rotten in one corner so the first job (or the second if you count the cleaning) was to get the Trusty Assistant to make a new one.


While he was doing that I stripped the roof paper and tidied up inside. This is a big house, not as big as the DH12 but it has a pleasing number of rooms but a narrow annoying to decorate stair way. To make things easier, I got TA to remove the wall to the right of the stairs in the picture so it could be nicely painted without breaking my wrist.


Making some small repairs to the render at the base of the chimney, I painted the outside in antique white and it immediately looked better on its new base. And while we waited for roof paper to arrive I got started on the inside.


I left the scraps of old paper in place and papered over it. I didn't realise the same floral paper was available until after I'd ordered mine. I would have liked to keep the same. It seems to have been used in every room, and on the back of the opening doors. It is so pretty. As you can see the wood was very rough but once decorated it didn't show.


I painted the top part of the wall, not only does this make the wallpaper stretch a little further but it was a popular style of decoration during the 1930s. I used vintage trim from my stash to act as decorative border and kept one wall plain. I was so short of paper that I used brick in the kitchen, and I rather like the effect. It is a bit out of scale but I don't mind that and since it is only tacky waxed in, is easily changed.


Then I had the fun of filling it with furniture and accessories.










I still need to black wax the roof to age it down a bit and then find somewhere for it to stand. It is currently on the dining table while I think about where to put it. I really need a  bigger house to house my houses!

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