my dollhouse design board

I contribute writing {and sometimes develop DIY projects} to a variety of home and lifestyle magazines, and I love love love it! I still pinch myself with each new assignment and finding my work on the newsstand still makes me as giddy as ever. It's always a pleasure to interview homeowners and inquire about the origin of every big and small decor choice. I'm always inspired to look around my own home with fresh eyes for ideas to explore, but some are just not possible either structurally or financially and that's where my curbside-scored dollhouses come into play!

When I'm not writing for magazines, I'm reading them! And one of my favorites is Country Living, which inspired this rustic bedroom in dollhouse no. 2. As you can see, I'm not overly obsessed with scale or perfection. The ceiling beams are painted coffee stirrers, the chair and TV were gifts from my longtime blogging friend Mercedes aka LibertyBiberty who is a magician when it comes to miniatures. 

Coffee stirrers played a big part in this room -- I used them to construct the bistro chairs and for bead-board paneling. I even mixed a tiny batch of Saltwash to give the green console table a layered look. Inspired by Maria of Dreamy Whites, twigs serve as curtain rods for pieces of lace trim.

Recently I did some spring zhushing around my home which lead to doing the same to my two dollhouses, both frozen in a state of decor-dormancy since November! A Shabby Chic fabric swatch tablecloth sets the stage for a guilt-free treat!

After completing articles for Boho Style I wanted to play with bolder patterns and black accents. At over $400 per roll, this Bloomsbury wallpaper from Anthropologie isn't in my budget but printing it out to estimated-scale works. This room is still very much a work-in-progress.

Boho meets Prairie in this little studio at the top of the stairs. The chair is from childhood -- anyone remember Japanese wooden apple tea sets? 

Selina Lake's latest book Garden Style, which I recently blogged about, has me slightly obsessed with botanical prints. Visit this post on my Instagram page to view an easy project.

This ode to Cath Kidston from dollhouse no. 1 featuring bits of stationery was lightened for Spring by swapping out dark furniture with a white slipcover sofa I constructed from cardboard and the cut-up cloth bag from a set of sheets (no-sew, of course).

I'm hoping to explore this concept more fully in a book. Wish me luck!

Thanks for reading!

xo

elyse