Custom Rosedale
Introduction:
I'm especially fond of this house because not only did I get a chance to work with one of my very favorite dollhouse collectors again, but I was given the opportunity to build the house, dress the furniture, design the window treatments, and landscape the exterior. That's the kind of treat that every dollhouse builder loves!
I fell in love with the storyline for this house as soon as the owner showed me the dolls* who will be living there. First is Rose who loves to bake and takes in every stray animal that comes along. She's a very sweet spinster lady who inherited the house from her parents. She takes care to maintain the formal elegance her parents had designed into the house, but every now and then her own personality peeps through in places like her bedroom or out in the garden. When you see dark red, you know that Rose has brought a little of her hidden passion into the house.
Rose is a very loving and caring person so when her niece Cherie needed a place to live, Rose took her in. Cherie is a bit of a wayward little Victorian miss but Rose does her best to ensure that Cherie has a loving home and is chaperoned very well. Perhaps Rose recognizes a little of her own hidden passion in Cherie.
With a storyline like that, who wouldn't want to build the perfect house for these two ladies? During the entire building process, the storyline was always running thru the back of my head as I contemplated things like "If I put shelves on the wall and a faux cupboard in the kitchen it will give Rose more space for her baking supplies" and "How do I create the perfect courting area in the garden for Cherie without making it difficult for Rose to keep an eye on her?" From selecting the perfect upholstery fabric for each piece of furniture to the last final touch of paint, this house literally brought Rose and Cherie to life for me. I think they'd enjoy a visit if you'd like to drop in on them. Just click the links below to take the tour of the house and garden.
Continue tour to:
Take a walk around the exterior and the landscaping
See the empty house before Rose moved in
Visit the house fully furnished
Custom Furniture and Windows
Bedroom Furniture (and a few more close up pictures of the bedroom)
Attic Furniture (and more pictures of the attic)
*(The dolls are creations of IGMA Artisan Julie Campbell. Stop by her website to see more of her fabulous dolls.)