Townhouse & Studio

Here is a quick post to share some additional pictures and details about the townhouse that was first shown in The Housewarming photostory.

I created the spacious living/dining/kitchen area by using a piece of 20x30 foam core for the first floor. 

       

The upper floors use actual shelf space, so those rooms are smaller. Here is a picture of the townhouse top to bottom to better illustrate what I mean.

The exterior walls are covered with brick print scrapbook paper, though you can’t see it in the photo. There is a second (not quite finished) townhouse unit for Mara’s dolls to the right of this one. A lovely patio area fills the space in between. That patio is on my list of projects to finish while on summer vacation, and it just needs a few finishing touches to be ready.

The first floor is mostly done. All that’s left to do is make or buy some books for the shelves. There are a couple of things left to do in the master bedroom like make the bed linens (right now the fabric is just draped over the bed) and find a better night table. Also, I think I’d like to fill that air freshener lamp with something decorative. Right now, Thomas is taking a nap while Camille and Grace chat over tea downstairs.

Another thing on my to-do list is to add a proper door leading from the bedroom into the bathroom. For now, there is a solid wall there. The super observant among you have already noticed that the bathroom has changed just a bit since the first showing. I finally got around to blasting away the silly pink lid on the toilet as well as the pink base on the sink. All that’s left to tend to is that pink bath mat. I haven’t done anything about it yet, because none of the paint colors I have on hand go with the bathroom, and I’m not spending  money on paint just for that itty bitty little rug. Both the frame around the artwork on the bedroom wall and the one around the bathroom mirror are those laser cut wooden frames available at Michael’s and other craft stores customized with spray paint.

On to Serena and Tommy’s room- Yes, they share a room for now because I couldn’t be bothered with adding another wall to separate the top floor into two bedrooms. I will do it eventually, though. Looks like the cousins have found a quiet activity, so maybe they won't wake Thomas from his nap. Julian should probably be holding the book, though since he’s the one old enough to read. 

Serena sits on a very pink bed. The beds came together in a set along with two love seat style sofas for $5 at Walmart. It’s one of their new cheapo doll furniture sets. There are other sets available, too. I figured I couldn’t beat two beds plus two sofas for that price. I can’t decide what color to paint them, but they will be painted. I will make little comforters for the beds, too. The floor lamp is one of those Dollar Tree lamps. It was too large to use as a table lamp in their room, so I extended it by spray painting a milk shake straw white and slipping it over the existing pole.

I decided that while I was at it, I may as well show you the progress I’ve made on Emerald’s studio apartment, too. This is the Liv Hayden house I bought on deep discount at Toys R Us last summer.

Emerald has a papasan chair (phone holder) from Pier One which coordinates nicely with the lovely blue Japanese bud vase that I somehow did not capture in the photograph despite intending to. I raised the ridiculously low bed (included in set) using cardboard, but it needs to be higher still. 

Emerald got a snazzy tile backsplash for the kitchen courtesy of scrapbook paper. I needed seating for two that would work with the color scheme and not overwhelm the small space, and then I saw the new Barbie furniture set on Phyllis’s blog several months ago. It was perfect. It looks like it was made to go with this playset, and the same is true for the bathroom set (same one you saw in the townhouse). Both sets were $8.97 at Walmart.

Well, that’s all folks. I should have the next couple of photo stories up before long. Soon, you'll find out the truth behind Brandy and Tony’s whirlwind engagement, and Tony will get some news that will rock both of their worlds.