dollhouse furniture – The Interiors Addict

Dollhouse dreams: The real house created in miniature

After Youla Saff had finished styling her two daughters’ rooms, she decided to pursue the painstaking task of recreating them in miniature in what resulted in one of the most amazing dollhouses we’ve ever seen. From the tiny replica furniture to the amazing finishes (Youla even stained the timber floors!) you can’t help but be impressed by the level of detail.

“I had this little lightbulb idea to replicate our home in miniature so the girls can have a piece of our home forever. After styling and revealing their rooms, I decided to dedicate some time towards the gorgeous Victorian dollhouse we had and start planning the mini reno. Little did I know then, it wouldn’t be so little,” says Youla who purchased most of the items online – a mix of regular and custom pieces.

Youla estimates that she put in at least 40 to 50 hours work on the dollhouse. “It took me approximately two days to stain, cut and install the timber flooring as I did it all myself using the same stain as the timber in our home. We repainted the house to our feature colours and built custom furniture too,” says Youla who explains that the timber floors were the most intricate, fiddly and messy part of the project. “But sanding back the mahogany paint to recreate my study was also a nightmare!”

Taliah's teepee in miniature — Taliah’s teepee in miniature

The dollhouse was initially received with a fairly lacklustre response from five-year-old Taliah. “Her exact words were ‘I don’t care, this isn’t a gift’ and then she cried. I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh myself and my husband just burst into laughter. I think she expected some bright Barbie pink furniture which would’ve been much cheaper and easier. But I don’t think she understood the concept of the replica,” says Youla.

“She plays with it a lot now. I often find her hidden in her room pretend playing and I absolutely love it. It’s a big difference to the initial reaction of when she received it. She didn’t love it at first sight, but she has definitely learnt to love it and appreciate it. I would love to lie and say I have deleted that reaction from my mind, but it will be eternally etched into my memory. Maybe there is a lesson to take from this, maybe keep things simple next time. And maybe fewer projects? Yeah right!” says Youla.

And if you thought that was impressive, check out the cubby house her husband just completed for the girls!

When can we move in?!

Follow Youla’s decorating adventures on her blog, Belle Abode

Where to find stylish dollhouse furniture

Creating modern dollhouse furniture was this mum’s saviour

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!”

Shop online.