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Monday, January 16, 2012

Darkness falls....

Now comes the fun. I started making the basic boxes for the kitchen counters and cupboards this morning...It is cloudy and rainy, so it is a good day for testing the darkness factor.

I did the sink box according to the measurements that I showed you yesterday. I decided to go with a regular sink. I am not going to waste time on a sink that is essentially going to be hidden.

Here's what happens when I put the front wall in place. You get a glimpse of the counter if you move waaaay to the left or waaaay to the right. Otherwise, all you see is the kitchen table.

I will be putting a light over the table, but so far it is going to be an LED light and not cast a wide circle of light over the rest of the kitchen.

The counter will be 1/4" to 1/2" higher, depending on the toe kick space that I put under it.


For those of you that question the use of illustration board for minis, this is a kitchen that I did about 20 years ago. I built boxes for the counter and cupboards. I painted the body of the cabinets and then cut separate doors and edged them with molding. The panels inside the molding are mini wallpaper that matches the wallpaper of the room.

For this one, the fridge is a small, counter height one. The lady of the house doesn't cook. It's mainly for carry out and bottles of champagne. Mirrored back splashes aren't to practical unless you don't use the kitchen.

I even did the stove and range hood the same way. All of the pieces have held up extremely well. Of course, that could also be because of no cooking going on. Note the catering boxes scattered on the floor. Even the cat food is catered....No pun intended.

I have a problem getting good photos of this one. The glass reflects terribly.

This is one of my favorite room boxes. When I built it, I made it so that it is almost impossible to get into. I find that is a good thing when you are like me and tend to pilfer from one project to use in another. This one is still intact.

I have to go back to playing with illustration board now.

See you tomorrow.

9 comments:

Marisa said...

you are a godsend! I've been so hesitant about building a roombox or starting a dollhouse becasue I'm not sure about how to do a kitchen

well now I am, thank you so much for posting this I'll let you know how it turns out


Hugs Marisa :)

PS dont tell my followers though they might get a bit ticked when they find out I want to put a hold on making mini foods

how many cakes/cookies and other things can you make before you go bonkers (or in my case gain weight because you go make it in real life)

Norma Bennett said...

Haha, it makes me laugh that you had to lock yourself out of your own mini kitchen so that you wouldn't steal from it :)

Thanks for this note about the use of illustration board for cabinets and so on. I think a lot of us feel a bit nervous about it, I'm sure that it's just 'conditioning' to think that only wood will do. I recently bought a large sheet of mat board to use but then I started seeing mention of illustration board around blogs and Googled to see the difference. It looks like illustration board is better because it takes paint so well. What I was actually shopping for was Bristol board but no-one had it(it's made from cotton rag and is acid free, it's what Lea Frisoni uses). I'm definately going to try the illustration board.

On a different note, I agree about the mirrored splashback - lovely to look at but they must be hell to keep clean if anyone cooks anywhere near them! They seem to be a great favourite of designers but I often wonder if designers actually cook!

Kathi said...

What a pretty little kitchen! I wish mine was done! :D

Amie said...

I use Greyboard for most of my furiture as I dont get on too well with wood and when its painted or stained you really would'nt know.

jeanuhlik said...

Yes I agree..illustration board must be the way to go. I have been working on a bathroom that came with my dollhouse, it does not take paint well, no matter how many coats I use, the grain still shows through (I also sanded the devil out of it). Ah well, that's what you get for "free". Tessie seems to be okay with the quasi kitchen! ((HUGGS))

Pia said...

I'm wondering and a bit worried.. I've been using a very thick grey cardboard which is used for book covers, I bought it from a book binding place.. (don't know the real name for it..) And I really hope that it will last! I wonder if it's even remotely the same thing as illustration board?

Piikko said...

Your little kitchen is very pretty!
I'm just starting with mine...

Lucille said...

I love the window in that kitchen, Casey. Did you make it? Also, did you make the stove?

Caseymini said...

-P- Bookbinder's board is great, but much more costly, and harder to use. It's very hard to cut, as you probably already know.

I use either illustration board or mat board. As someone said, the illustration probably takes paint a little better. It is pretty much smooth and the mat board can have texture, depending on the type you buy. Either of these is much cheaper than bookbinder's board. And one big advantage is, places like Michael's and other art stores carry it in stock.

Lucille,I made pretty much everything in that room box, including the box itself, with the exception of a few of the accessories.

It is actually a three room box. Dining, kitchen and livingroom are all there. I have it on the blog somewhere....Maybe under the section that includes room boxes. I will have to see if I can find it for you.