When I put together my dollhouse years ago, the idea was that it was to become a 'Hat Shop'. Well now my visions are grander - and more complicated... I have painted one room on the ground floor a lovely Laduree green, in hopes of making this room a shrine to delicious food (pastries and cake specifically!) and beautiful things to wear (hats in this case!) A place where a woman can feel special and pampered! I created two lovely epergenes out of tiny teacups and 3-tier round shelves which I painted a darker 'Laduree' green. I am thinking of painting the shop counter pink or gilded gold - what do you think?
Next came the tea tables, I still don't like the chairs, (wanting something a bit more substantial and French looking) but these will do till the 'lady of the house' has more money... The dressing table has dreams of being pale pink with pretty little flowers painted on it. And the silver shoe, from dear Mrs Staggs is destined to be the seat one must recline on to admire oneself! The birdcage in the window, (with tiny little birds inside!) was purchased for almost half-off - as some of the little finials are missing. I can't tell - can you?
I have another tiny little teacup, that I have put on top of an old chess piece, in the thoughts of it becoming the vace for a luxurious bouquet by the front door - now I have to learn how to make itty bitty flowers... In the 80's I actually taught a class on how to make dollhouse size hats at a local miniatures shop. The shop is long gone, but I still have the hats! I hope they will be happy in their new home.
I am debating about hanging either tiny mirror tiles in lengths on the walls or pieces of old faded embroidery (you can see a tiny bit of them on the floor) or both... any ideas? I also am thinking of using both gilded and white trim on the walls. I love the idea of using things you wouldn't think of using in a dollhouse - for accessories and furniture (like the teacups). With this in mind, I went searching at one of my favorite places to find old and unusual things in Berkeley called Addison Endpapers and managed to leave with all kinds of wonderful treasures!!! The blue silk will make lovely curtains - don't you agree? And those fish have got to go into the Loo somehow!
Last but not least, I have been toying with the idea of having a mural in the hallway leading into the boutique. One of my paper theater backgrounds (with a lovely Italianite scene) looks fun there. I also thought it would be fun to have a life-size (doll size that is) figure painted on the wall - looking like he is going upstairs! More to come...
