A "Fixer Upper" fan from Pennsylvania has used her passion for interior design to create Magnolia-themed dollhouses all from scratch.
Kwandaa Roberts, an OB-GYN based outside of Philadelphia, discovered her passion for converting dollhouses when she bought her 3-year-old daughter a pink and purple dollhouse for Christmas. Roberts said she wanted the dollhouse to look more like a real home, so she repainted it, added wallpaper and bought new furniture for it.
This new passion spiraled into a dollhouse cul-de-sac in her walk-in closet. Since Christmas, Roberts has purchased three more dollhouses to redecorate and create a mini cul-de-sac in her new craft room, a converted walk-in closet she uses just for her dollhouses.
Roberts, who has been interested in interior design since she was a child, said she found herself playing with the dollhouse after her kids went to bed.
"The dollhouse was a way for me to have a creative outlet for designing that didn't involve me redecorating my house every 6 months," she said. "I have designed homes for my friends in the past, I surprised a friend with a total apartment makeover when I was a medical resident, and he cried at the 'reveal.' It was one of the best feelings I've ever experienced."
So, she and a friend who is also a "Fixer Upper" fan decided to buy plain dollhouses for them to decorate together.
Robert said she spent around $129 on the dollhouse itself and about $200 on decorations.
THE PROCESS
Roberts started her project by removing the wall on the first floor to create an open floor plan and place it on the second floor. She removed the stairs and patched the holes as well.
For the exterior of the house, Roberts stained the wood and repainted the top and bottom floor doors. The made the door wreath, welcome mat and lights herself. Additionally, she painted and added new hardware.
In the living room, Roberts stained and installed the wood beams, painted the shiplap and made the wreath on the door. She painted the windows black and used images on printed paper for the floors. Roberts bought antlers on Shapeways and turned them into a chandelier. The console table was painted and given additional hardware. The coffee table was purchased from eBay, and Roberts painted the tray sitting on it. She made the rug herself inspired by Magnolia.
Roberts purchased the bookcases online, painted them charcoal gray and installed them upside down. The books were painted white and with gold Sharpie detailing. She bought the fireplace from eBay, painted it, added marble and used twigs from her yard as wood. Roberts also bought the clock on eBay and added a mirror to it.
Roberts added legs to the sofa that she bought on eBay, used a red toolbox that she dip-painted white as the magazine holder and reupholstered the armchair with a buffalo check pattern. She said the magazine and books seen around the dollhouse were custom orders from Etsy.
In the kitchen, Roberts changed the refrigerator doors to match using bendable craft metal. She repainted the cabinet and changed the hardware. The backsplash was created by using an image printed on glossy photo paper.
Roberts made the range hood with a kit and craft wood. She bought cutting boards from eBay and decided to dip-paint one. She also painted the faucet, utensil holder and mixer.
Roberts removed the top of the island that came with the kitchen cabinets and built a waterfall edge counter. She used marble contact paper from Lowes to decorate it. The chairs were spray painted. She painted the pitcher and used flowers she found at the Dollar Store. The rug was purchased on Etsy, but she made the napkins herself.
Robert said the bathroom is her favorite room in the dollhouse. She used photo paper again for the walls and floor. The shower door was made out of craft wood and Plexiglas. The shower head, faucet and tub were purchased on Shapeways.
The vanity was remodeled by Roberts herself. She made the mirror from jump rings that she spray painted. The ladder in the corner was purchased at Michael's and dip-painted.
In the master bedroom, Roberts spray painted the bed and removed the original linens. She said the replaced it with bedding she made and a throw blanket from Etsy. She added shiplap to the wall behind the bed and painted a deer head. The center light was created from a chicken coop she purchased on eBay.
Roberts painted the dresser, printed botanicals and painted the frames. She created the barn door shutters from craft wood.
Roberts created the bunk bed based on a real bed Chip made in an episode of "Fixer Upper." She said she used craft wood and clapboards to create the piece. She made all the bedding except the pillows which came from Etsy along with the teepee.
The lamp was made from a candlestick. Roberts used plastic from the dollhouse container and scrapbook paper. The chairs were dip-painted, and the alphabet image was found online.
The wallpaper in both bedrooms is scrapbook paper.
Roberts shared her dollhouse on her personal Facebook and got a huge reaction - over 2,000 shares.
"I've been truly humbled by this experience," she said.
For more pictures of Roberts' dollhouses visit her Instagram @TinyHouseCalls or click through our slideshow.
Roberts' dollhouses are not for sale.
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