I'm A Giant....Dollhouse update, with a self style diagnosis
Thursday, Oct 13, 2011 36 Comments Dude. This dollhouse thing is hard and expensive and so much work. My future daughter better read all of these posts and give me foot massages for life - in fact maybe she gets to earn 1 hour a day playing with the dollhouse for 1 hour foot massage. That seems reasonable. And not weird at all. Or manipulative. What if she doesn't like it? Don't worry, i'll force her. It'll be fine.
It'll be fine.
So here's what i'm thinking for the general concept of the dollhouse design: i'm going to combine three different styles in this house.
First: 70's glam/regency - More 70's, less asian inspired pieces (because Corbett is going in that direction), but there will be a lot of brass and lucite, tufting and crystals.
For instance there will be a brass tile floor in the kitchen - made from rivets that you put on studded belts.
I know you've seen this a trillion times, but its just good.
I can't seem to find the right movie, so for now i loved the sets of Casino when they were rich and living it up, a la:
You get the idea.
Next up: Crazy victorian grandma. All the stuff that men hate, but i can't get enough of.
como este:
Super feminine, girly with lots of florals and antiques. I have to be careful with this style because the dollhouse is already by nature kinda 'granny' and victorian, so i need to make sure it feels modern.
Let me be clear, Brian would never ever live in my dollhouse with me. Ever.
Part of me loves traditional wingbacks, crazy wallpapers, ornate mirrors, and yes, florals florals florals. So This might be a powder room situation.....
A la Maria Antoinette:
Next up?
Get ready for this folks. Early 80's COUNTRY PARTY. WHAT?? are you cray cray? maybay. But I dare you to try to find me NOT wearing beat up leather boots or a vintage plaid shirt at least 2 days a week. I can't deny my country roots and i can't deny the fact that i wear a TON of early 80's princess sleeved secretary shirts.
It really can be summed up with these photos:
What? I JUST WANNA DANCE!!!!
And drive a vintage bug.
The early 80's were dope - hair was big (which i appreciate) and people wore lots of color, as opposed to the 90's that was all black and beige. Combine it with the rustic/unpretentious countryside and i'm in.
Yup. Ready to want to kill me? i have that loveseat. Me. I own it. Sans the nailheads (which i don't really like) and a slightly different shape. It's sitting in my apartment waiting to get shot for a pretty picture. (and i don't mean i have a miniature version of it). I love it so much.
The floors are plank hardwood and there will be an element of this worn leather country, although not too much, just a touch - cowhide rug, leather seating, maybe an antler or two, you get the idea.
So i guess what we have is:
'70's glam' meets 'Victorian grandma' meets '80's country party'.
WOAH. oh, and of course a bit mid-century in there for some straight lines to break up all the femininity. Already its sounding cuckoo for cocoa pants.
Or in movie terms it would be:
'Gotta get Footloose with Casino Antoinette'
There might be some editing to that. Casino doesn't feel quite right. What movie can you think of that was set in the 70's in So Cal specifically that has a glam vibe to it? AND you can find good set photos of it (which are strangely hard to find.)
So, waddya think? Can i pull it off?
OH AND IF YOU ARE PARTICIPATING IN I'M A GIANT, LEAVE A LINK TO A DOLLHOUSE BLOG POST OF YOUR AND/OR PICS AND I'LL LINK THEM ALL IN THE NEXT DOLLHOUSE POST.
its insanely fun to see what you are all doing...
xx
e
Reader Comments (36)
Looking good!
BTW your post totally made me miss the 80s!
Emily, you are adorable and I so enjoy you. I am so very happy that you participated in Design Star and won so that your talent and lovely personality are now shared with so many. Keep up the good work - you are inspiring, fresh, and, I'll say it again - ADORABLE!
If anyone can pull this off, it's you. :)
tell me about it! I have been working on mine *ahem, my daughter's, since last christams. Joining along with you.
Here is my progress:
http://lavitapetite.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/im-a-giant-here-i-come/
Gee, I can't imagine why Brian wouldn't want to live in a dollhouse like that! It sounds totally whack, but super-cool at the same time. Looking forward to seeing how it all comes together, especially how you use littlei pieces of this and that to create furniture and decor.
"Crazy victorian grandma " Ha! Love it!
Latest update on my dollhouse reno: http://stringfellowart.com/blog/2011/10/09/im-a-giant-challenge-family-room-update/
Hi Emily! Is this cheating?
http://sophieandlilihandmade.blogspot.com/2011/09/tiny-boxes.html
I think Boogie Nights was set in the 70's -- that could make for a fun style name.
This is so cool! I can't wait to see the end result. It sounds a little crazy, but I think I see where you're going. You will pull it off!
I was just thinking the same thing – Boogie Nights!
Also, there are some great scenes in Annie Hall when they go to California, very opulent and glamorous.
Dude! The teasers are killing me, I want to see this clusterf... of a dollhouse you are making!! HURRY UP PLEASE!! :)
First I'm a Giant post here:
http://thismagpiesnest.blogspot.com/2011/10/back-home.html
Thank you Emily for an inspirational push, you're a doll.
oops...my link is--
http://thehoneyhut.blogspot.com/2011/10/i-might-be-giantsooner-or-later.html
Yay! I'm so glad you're doing this dollhouse project! Earlier this year I turned a bird house into a doll house. It was just big enough for one room (birds don't quibble over space I guess) but I made most of the furniture and accessories myself. It was so much fun (and so much work.) It's lives in my new daughter's room now. Here are some pictures of it: http://amandaconley.blogspot.com/2011/01/birdhouse-dollhouse.html
I'm sure yours will be ever so much more fashionable, though, and I can't wait to see everything you do! Good luck!
Really good movie set photos - http://hookedonhouses.net/
I can't wait to see it!!
Here's my dollhouse link!
http://jwkstyle.blogspot.com/2011/05/big-reveal.html
I'm taking part. My house won't be anywhere near as glamorous as yours.
I have four kids who are itching to tear it apart, so I'll keep mine simple, otherwise there'll be tears. Mother tears.
Here's my first linkage http://makeminemid-century.blogspot.com/2011/10/dolls-house-challenge.html
Just in case you want to make your own mini Castiglioni Arco Lamp, check out Altera's Mini World: http://alterasworld.blogspot.com/2009/02/diy-castiglioni-arco-lamp.html
you had me at cray cray... maybay. actually, long before that, because i am totally dollhouse-ing along with the rest of you i'm a giant crazies. and it is FUN. not sure of my style diagnosis, but you can take a gander at http://wonderswillnevercease.blogspot.com/search/label/DOLLHAUS
kristina
wonderswillnevercease.blogspot.com
Love all of your looks! I'm participating and here's what I have so far: http://www.withtwocats.com/search/label/Dollhouse (Although for your own sake it may be easier to use Linky Tools/McLinky instead of entering all of these URL's by hand - I highly recommend it!) http://www.linkytools.com/
Hi! All of these are amazing! I'm going in a slightly weirder, totes non-chic direction, but it is a dollhouse: http://dashislittle.blogspot.com/2011/10/yes-crazy-no-way-around-it.html
I'm very excited about this whole challenge! I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with... Here's mine http://asapearson.blogspot.com/
Count me in! I can't wait to see the designs you come up with ... and I'm very appreciative of the extra push I needed to get my daughter's dollhouse christmas present done in time. And you're right, this dollhouse stuff is really expensive. I had no idea! I'm trying to make most of the furniture and I'm sharing my DIY posts and other dollhouse updates here:
http://warmhotchocolate.com/?s=dollhouse
Two things: First, I wore a princess sleeved secretary shirt to a party last week and said to my husband, "This shirt is SO Emily Henderson!" He just stared at me and said, "Huh?" (Evidently, someond needs to stop playing games on his ipad while Secrets from a Stylist is on....)
Secondly, I'm a little late, but in on the challenge! I love your self-diagnosis and can't wait to see more of your ideas. Here's what I've got so far: http://www.sillyeaglebooks.com/2011/10/im-giant-dollhouse-challenge-and.html
vanessa