Dollhouse Transformation: The Kitchen

I have to say that by far, the kitchen is my favorite room on this project. Why am I so obsessed with tiny kitchens? It really was a challenge as this "room" had no more than french doors and a teeny partial wall.

 Fortunately I own more than a few Barbie size kitchen sets. I think I pulled each and every one out to test in the space to determine what would work best. Yes, I believe I have 8 kitchens. Not including a custom set that I am in the process of building from scratch! You'll see that in a future project.

 The base cabinets were part of a pink Barbie kitchen from the 1990's. I acquired it second hand and it did not have the backsplash or range hood (or any other pieces for that matter). Unfortunately the cabinets are molded into the piece and are not functional. This is what it looked like when I started.

 I primed the unit and gave the cabinets a cream colored base highlighted with raw umber glaze. Silver spray paint updated the stove. I used black permanent marker to give the oven glass and knobs a more authentic look. The countertops and backsplash are cream and covered with a cream/gold marble paper.

The upper cabinets were built from scratch using laminated cardboard (heavy duty) for the frame, back and shelf. I trimmed them out with scrap wood to make them look more substantial and painted to match. The outside of the cabinets were glazed as well. The ornate corbels underneath the cabinets are scrapbook paper embellishments that I bought a few years ago. I wish I had bought more! I absolutely love these. I gave them more presence by adding strips of wood where they meet the wall and cabinet. Then painted to match.

 

The cabinet section of the kitchen is actually an addition of sorts. Walls here did not exist in the original house. I added a box bay made from foam core. It is not a permanent piece should I ever decide to "remodel". Rather than adhere the cabinets directly to the foam core I used a piece of the heavy duty cardboard instead. It was cut to fit snuggly inside the foam core box. I covered the upper half with the marble paper. Glued the upper cabinets and corbels directly to it. The base cabinet is loose and can be removed or changed if desired. The refrigerator is part of the My First Kenmore set.

 

The kitchen table came with the High School Musical play set. I appreciated that I didn't have to alter this piece. The white top and silver base went well with my overall color scheme. I like to mix and match finishes in a room. Cream with white. Silver with gold. My style is completely eclectic and fun. The Gloria furniture dining room set provided the chairs. I painted the frames black and chair seats white.

 The zebra rug is a piece of printed felt and what house is a home without a few furry friends?

 I made hanging pendant fixture by deconstructing a Christmas ornament. I attached a plastic bowl to the bottom of it to look like the light shade.

That is the kitchen portion of the dollhouse in a nutshell. I hope you are enjoying your tour so far! Stay tuned for the next installment-the upper level.

 Happy Crafting!
Stephiejo ♥