VICTORIAN BLUE
In late 1987 I started my second dollhouse. This time I handled the entire project differently. I dreamed, I planned, I drew and discarded countless pages of rough draft drawings. |
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As the final dimensions developed I drew accurate detailed plans on huge sheets of paper. Individual ones were made of every floor, wall, ceiling and cut out for doors, windows and stairwells. I drew full scale 1" to 1' drawings of particular features such as the front porch, back deck and circular staircase from every conceivable angle.
Finally I began construction using raw materials readily available to me---made my own doors, windows, siding, chimneys, fireplaces, roofing, walls, floors, everything.
Finally I began construction using raw materials readily available to me---made my own doors, windows, siding, chimneys, fireplaces, roofing, walls, floors, everything.
I named it Blue House for the obvious reason that it was painted robin's egg blue, and I placed it in the suburbs of Cambridge, Massachusetts at the turn of the last century. The exterior also has minor accents of barn red, but the remaining woodwork has been left natural so it will mellow with age.
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The predominant features outside are the steamboat gothic front porch and the wooden rear deck. There is also a very noticeable roof deck that is accessed by a small set of attic stairs up into the little house. It's a Folly.
Most of the interior furnishings are my own creations, but some kits were received as gifts, so I had to make use of them also. The place was meant to be Victorian from conception, and I tried to reflect that with every added accessory.
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All the rooms have been wallpapered and the woodwork stained dark. There is a most noticeable 270 degree spiral staircase between the downstairs and upstairs hallways with a giant chandelier hanging over the stairwell. Downstairs in the front of the house is the parlor and the library. In the back, the dining room and kitchen. Upstairs is the opulent red velvet master bedroom, the sewing room, the daughter's frilly blue and white bedroom, the bathroom and in between a small staircase leading up to the attic.
With
the house completed I needed a family to move in. So I located a
couple of books about making dollhouse dolls. I had to have ones I
could shape and pose into situations I hadn't yet decided on. The books
never mentioned that the doll family would develop a life of its own.
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Professor Robert Darling is Dean of Students and teaches Ancient History at the young men's college on the campus of Cambridge University.
Mrs. Robert Darling's given name is Dorothea. She is a very prim and proper Victorian matron and rules the household with an iron hand. She's also involved in many social, charitable and civic organizations. There's little for her to do around the house except light the evening candles. Her current major undertaking is finding a suitable husband for their soon-to-be-of-marriagable-age daughter.
Melissa Darling has just turned 16 and is still called Missy, even though she has turned into a lovely young lady with long russet curls that she spends a great amount of time maintaining in front of a mirror. Contrary to all that primping she isn't the slightest interested in boys yet.
Mrs. Witherspoon originally lived with her husband and would arrive at the Blue House's back door every morning to 'do' for the Darling family. When Mr. Witherspoon died Robert Darling partitioned off a living space in the attic for Mrs. Witherspoon to live in. No one knows her first name. Unfortunately at the turn of the 20th century Robert hasn't gotten around to remodeling the kitchen. It still has all the old appliances from at least 30 years ago. Mrs. Witherspoon has much to shake her spoon about with frustration in that kitchen.
There are 2 family pets. Chantie is a purebred cocker spaniel officially named Enchantment at the puppy farm. When it's close to dinnertime she keeps a constant eye out for any chance to get into the house. Missy has named the little Siamese kitten Yum-Yum because when a child that's what she always said after consuming a handful of cookies.
There's one other person. That's Horace Marple. He's a graduate student that Mr. Darling invited to dinner tonight at Mrs. Darling's urging, in hopes that their daughter's interest in the opposite gender might accelerate a bit. Of course, sneaking straight upstairs toward Missy's bedroom is a no-no in these Victorian times, so no wonder he looks nervous while fiddling with his bow tie. And the stems of that bouquet of flowers are pretty well ruined.
Mrs. Robert Darling's given name is Dorothea. She is a very prim and proper Victorian matron and rules the household with an iron hand. She's also involved in many social, charitable and civic organizations. There's little for her to do around the house except light the evening candles. Her current major undertaking is finding a suitable husband for their soon-to-be-of-marriagable-age daughter.
Melissa Darling has just turned 16 and is still called Missy, even though she has turned into a lovely young lady with long russet curls that she spends a great amount of time maintaining in front of a mirror. Contrary to all that primping she isn't the slightest interested in boys yet.
Mrs. Witherspoon originally lived with her husband and would arrive at the Blue House's back door every morning to 'do' for the Darling family. When Mr. Witherspoon died Robert Darling partitioned off a living space in the attic for Mrs. Witherspoon to live in. No one knows her first name. Unfortunately at the turn of the 20th century Robert hasn't gotten around to remodeling the kitchen. It still has all the old appliances from at least 30 years ago. Mrs. Witherspoon has much to shake her spoon about with frustration in that kitchen.
There are 2 family pets. Chantie is a purebred cocker spaniel officially named Enchantment at the puppy farm. When it's close to dinnertime she keeps a constant eye out for any chance to get into the house. Missy has named the little Siamese kitten Yum-Yum because when a child that's what she always said after consuming a handful of cookies.
There's one other person. That's Horace Marple. He's a graduate student that Mr. Darling invited to dinner tonight at Mrs. Darling's urging, in hopes that their daughter's interest in the opposite gender might accelerate a bit. Of course, sneaking straight upstairs toward Missy's bedroom is a no-no in these Victorian times, so no wonder he looks nervous while fiddling with his bow tie. And the stems of that bouquet of flowers are pretty well ruined.
This 1" scale dollhouse takes up a lot of space. It is mounted on a specially built cart with wheels, and there are hinges spaced all the way up the house between 2 of the chimneys and down the cart's back legs. So the whole unit opens up like a huge clam shell. It spreads to 42" by 18" when opened and is 26" by 26" by 36" tall when closed. The cart raises it so that it's weathervane peak is 67" above the floor.