It was after the arrival of her daughter Holly, and the onset of a serious bout of postnatal anxiety and depression, that Stephanie Wallace started working on decorating a dollhouse – a therapeutic outlet that has now become a successful business called Mostly Miniature.
“Like for so many of us mums, having my first child changed everything. Unfortunately, along with my daughter came a dreadful bout of postnatal anxiety and depression that left me reeling. Creating things with my hands has always been my therapy so I began to steal small chunks of time to work on my dollhouse, setting myself the challenge of making every detail in the home myself,” says Stephanie who has always had a passion for interior design.
“I started creating tiny versions of the homewares I coveted in real-life!” She began posting her creations to Instagram, which opened up a lifeline of support through what was a rough period. “I discovered that making these tiny pieces and sharing them with my amazing Instagram community really lit me up inside and I began to find my way back from that dark, post-baby place.”
With a background in design and fine art, Stephanie used to own a small art gallery and has always enjoyed the process of creating. “Every day, I wake up and look forward to the part of my day where I get to create on-trend tiny furniture for my incredible customers. I currently work on my little business part time (thanks to a busy two-year-old) but it’s my aim to make gorgeous teeny accessories, that help create magazine-worthy dollhouses, my full-time focus,” says Stephanie.
And while the modern dollhouse is a super-hot craze at the moment, Stephanie’s creations are particularly on trend – she certainly has a knack for creating the interior item du jour. “Because trends in interior design can change quickly it means there’s a never-ending stream of inspiration for making tiny versions. Standing the test of time however, lasting customer faves would have to be my West El- inspired four-poster bed and my Mark Tuckey-inspired couch – both have such gorgeous, clean, minimalist lines.”
She also produces wall and floor effect papers in herringbone, marble, tile print and polished concrete to name just a few designs. “They are a super easy way to create amazing designer spaces,” says Stephanie who is very excited about her upcoming kitchen release. “It’s sleek and modern with the most divine gold hinges and leather handles! It’s my dream kitchen!”
As for the construction process, Stephanie concedes that it’s a time-consuming process, the difficulty of which took her by surprise initially. “Before I began this journey, I had no idea that even the simplest looking item takes great skill and time to make. When things are so tiny there is nowhere to hide your mistakes! I recently uploaded a short, time lapse video of part of the process of creating my new kitchen range onto Instagram and my blog. It serves to demonstrate exactly how much patience is really involved in these tiny works of art,” says Stephanie.
With a rare generosity, Stephanie also shares technical tips that are appreciated by her loyal following. “I really believe anyone could and should create these experiences for themselves and their loved ones. If I can help someone bring a bit of the joy that these beautiful miniature spaces have brought to me, then I will!”
