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Thursday, July 29, 2021

Beachside Bungalow - The Good Ugly

We often pay special attention to the wallpaper, lighting fixtures and furnishings of our dollhouse plans, but by leaving the functionality as an afterthought, we might be missing a lot of fun details. For me, the best dollhouses do a great job of supporting the story: hiding stuff that interferes with the "real" illusion and including everyday mundane things that add to it. The kinds of everyday things that are common to real life houses are what I call The Good Ugly.


Wires can be Bad Ugly, and having lots of lighting means a lot of wiring to run, connect and conceal. So how to hide the wiring? In previous posts on this build I talked about some of the channels I created to conceal the wiring. Here's the rest of the story...

For all of the second floor fixtures and "can" lights, I directed them to exit through the roof. I chiseled out recesses for the LED wiring where they protruded too far above the roof surface. The thin wires are just secured with masking tape, which will then have the roof shingles installed over top.

The wiring runs for the porch lights and second floor ceiling fixtures.

All of the wires for the project run to the left side of the house (if you are looking from the front). The second story ceiling wires bundle together near the left roof apex, then make their way down through the roof and under the eave. The first floor ceiling lights exit the bathroom's left wall at the the floor, then join the second floor's bundle. They all run together to one entry point into the foundation and under the house. Here I have the wires bundled and secured with masking tape.


To conceal the wires, I'm using a long utility box which runs from the roof overhang to the foundation. I constructed the three sided box using  1" wide basswood for the front and 3/8" sides. This is glued to the wall over the wire bundle. I covered it in stucco just to add a bit of texture. Trying to match up the siding would have been a huge time investment with little return. Painted the house body color, it nicely blends in. Presumably, it houses some kind of ducting added at some point to modernize the function of the house. Dollhouse builders will know it's where the wiring is hidden and regular observers are not supposed to see anything out of the ordinary. 

I am leaving the option open to add some cabinet lighting in the kitchen. If I do, I will probably just house it in some type of additional "pipe" that looks in keeping with the utility side of the house.


The wires exit the utility box and feed into the crawl space where they connect to the transformer plug. The transformer plug sits into the foundation so that it is as unobtrusive as possible. Once I am sure I have run all the lights I want, I'll connect the last few wires together with heat shrink tube and secure them for the long haul. The wires are labeled in case I need to track down a problem at any point.

Underside of house/crawl space

Transformer plug


There are a lot of odd looking devices placed on the outside of real life homes. They are essential elements to address the issue of post construction improvements and modernization to our standard of living. We do our best to blend them into the facade and then ignore them. This gives the miniaturist plenty of justification to add odd appendages meant to disguise wiring. 

The utility side of a real life house.

It also provides the opportunity to add some Good Ugly to the project.  Once we hide all of the things we don't want seen, we can think about the not necessarily pretty things we want to add for the sake of realism. Gas and electric meters and a phone/DSL box are always a treat for the mini eyes! After looking at some example photos online, I designed and printed like models with Tinkercad and my 3D printer.



Electrical meter and phone box


Gas meter


Electric meter with cover door, telephone/DSL box, gas meter and roof vents.

 
Printed with black PLA

Sprayed with flat gray paint and then varnish

Tiny labels for the meters...



Once I added some paint and details, I affixed them to the utility side of the house. I think they turned out pretty good, though I wish I'd had a cabuchon instead of having to use Glossy Accents for the electric meter's "glass" bubble cover. I'll remember to order some before my next utility box project!


Glossy Accents applied over a printed label.


I'll add tufts of grass or weeds to the pipe bottoms with the landscape board.




Kairi is just ecstatic to have the services connected. For her, this is real! Just wait until she gets the first bill!



And I couldn't forget to add water access. With just a little green paint marker for the see through green tubing of the hose, and some faux galvanized gray paint on the brass metal spigot and nozzle, this mass produced hose set can look a little more real. I suspect Kairi will want lots of flowers and will need a way to water them.




Now this side of the Beachside Bungalow looks a little more like a real house and a little less like just a dollhouse. And that's Good Ugly!



I hope you have enjoyed this week's progress on the Beachside Bungalow! I'll have to put this project on hold for the week and move my attention to last minute details and touch ups for Natasha's Kitchen. Just a few more days until we celebrate her birthday! I suspect the unveiling will be the subject of my next post.

Until then, I hope all of you are finding time and motivation to make mini wonders of your own!

xo xo,

Jodi

P.S. After I shared the name Betsy had suggested for her, Roxanne was thrilled! She said that name makes her feel like herself. How lovely is that? In fact, she said the name has emboldened her to ask for what she really wanted. She explained that, in spite of how neat a "Glencroft Treehouse" sounded, she would feel much more at home in The Travel Trailer!!! Well, dear friends, that was an unexpected twist! But if it's a trailer the little lady wants, I shall be glad to give it to her! She was so relieved that I understood and assured me that there was no rush. You see, Kairi has invited her to stay in the Bungalow for as long as it takes to build the trailer!  I just love happy endings, and so we celebrated with a new outfit! Isn't she cute?!? She's really embracing the casual beach style!

Roxanne Before and After

And for those that didn't know, Kelly and Chelsea (Barbie Doll) dresses fit Heidi Ott and Zjakazumi Dolls great as tops. You can buy them on eBay from $3 single pieces to $13 for an outfit with accessories. The shoes fit, too. Roxanne's have been made into sandals with a quick Xacto reshaping. You can find pants for around $4.00. No need to shop for expensive couture doll clothing if you don't have the budget for it. If you do, Rock On! There are some amazing mini seamstresses out there!

Kelly shoes before turning them into sandals and bracelets for Roxanne.


35 comments:

  1. Well, Jodi, once again you have taken us to a whole new level of building. While I will continue to use tape wiring, I really appreciate how you have concealed your wires, which no doubt are most reliable. I have put off wiring for a couple of reason. One: how to conceal the transformer. I like how you have hidden it on the underside with only the plug-in on the outside. I think I follow your lead. I'll have the meters, too, but will opt for the HBS ones, though I do admire you 3-D printed ones. Love the ladies who seem to be your building inspectors. And can't wait to see the birthday celebration. Gonna a good party.

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    1. Thanks Ann! I really do like the Evan Designs transformers because the plug can just sit into the foundation. I find a 5/32" drill bit in a regular sized DeWalt drill works great to make the hole for it, and then just a bit of cleaning out to shape it with the Dremel 1/8" drill bit. Wood glue holds it in and makes a nice caulking for the edges.
      I'm glad to hear HBS has the meters back in stock! For a while they could not be found anyplace! I really enjoyed making mine!

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  2. I think your ugly is beautiful. The utilities add realism and, in fact, they are needed for the proper functioning of the miniature house. I like to think about how my own craftsman bungalow has evolved over the years. In the early years, the wood burning kitchen range and water heater were removed and replaced. Then plugs for lamps and such were added in random locations and the sawdust burning furnace was updated. There was a dishwasher added and when we updated the kitchen, we added a garbage disposal. Finally, we added an air conditioning system which was heaven during the heat dome.

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    1. I love seeing how houses built before electricity have been retrofitted, and how savvy owners worked out how to add other modern conveniences! It only adds to the charm and character of an old house, especially when it's nicely done as in your amazing Craftsman! Having an A/C is becoming more and more a necessity and not just a luxury in our globally warmed world! I'm so glad you guys put one in! My dad just installed a dedicated one in his garage/workshop and he loves it! Since he can't fish this time of year (too hot even at 5am) he needs other hot weather activities to keep him happy!

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  3. I absolutely need the everyday ugly in my builds…..plugs, sockets, extension leads, light switches, plugs in sinks and baths etc etc etc. The devil is decidedly in the detail when it comes to reality and I am all for reality. I think there are at least two camps in this game….dollhouse owners where pretty much anything goes and it is all for fun and 'play' and miniaturists who obsess over every little detail. Your work, as always is just lovely.

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    1. Oh yes, Marilyn! Plugs, sockets and light switches are also so charming! Washers and dryers and hot water heaters are also so much fun to see when you have the room! I try to sprinkle in as much of this detail wherever I can, though I have yet to FULLY function a dollhouse with every drawer and door opening to reveal exactly what you'd see in real life. One day, that might be fun to go after!

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  4. Fabulous Good Ugly! I know details such as gas meters and power boxes are supposed to be 'unsightly' but if you really stand back and look at them - the winding of pipes, cables, hoses and boxes - they can be rather decorative. Maybe I am a bit strange. Anyway, I really like your good ugly. It finishes the side of the house beautifully and without it, it would look kind of bare and nothing-nes.
    Thanks for reminding us of the ever important details.
    Anna

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    1. Thanks Anna! Yes - this kit especially needs a bit of detail on the sides of the house. I am going to keep the landscape board minimal for space and upkeep reasons, so it's nice to have a little interest to see there.

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  5. Ugly? Only in the eyes of the beholder. You made it look like a decorative part of the house. Great idea!
    Hugs, Drora

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    1. Thanks Drora! It was a lot of fun to work out how to form the details of the meters using only combined geometric shapes! Like putting together a puzzle!

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  6. Brilliant work on the meters Jodi, very realistic. Your Tinkercad skills are impressive.

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    1. Thanks Shannon! I really enjoyed the challenge! One of these days I will make the time to learn Blender, but for now, it's so complicated and I have things to do, lol!

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    2. Haven’t heard of it so looked it up. Sounds interesting!

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  7. Hi Jodi! I LOVE your utilities!!! I still have not gotten that far on any of my buildings...! I "temporarily" run the wires out through the "basement area" and leave them in a mess while I decide whether or not there will be one more light or a different fire in the hearth! Gosh, I need some discipline in my builds! LOL! But I am learning things! And I just love the realism of all those meters on the side of the house! (I am assuming that some of my open backed houses just have the utilities on the fourth wall):):) As for the Beautiful new Roxanne, I am so thrilled to have been of assistance in her "revealing" herself to you! The Travel Trailer sounds like so much fun!! (Will it be sort of Gypsy caravan-ish???) And will it come with a Jeep or a Guy with a Truck? Lol! It is useful to know that the clothes for Keyy work on the Heidi Ott dolls, but I love to sew so much... even though I never seem to get to that part...! I have hopes and plans for my needle and thread! Maybe when I am retired ..... Lol!
    I am thinking of you and the Party girl! Happy Birthday to her and Many many happy returns! :):)

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    1. Thanks Betsy! You don't need to change a thing about the way you enjoy your artistry! It's when we try to conform ourselves to an ideal that we lose our very own uniqueness. You are perfect, and so are your amazing builds!
      And guess what the cherry on top of Roxanne's name is... Russ got so excited when I asked him to help me build a better chassis for the trailer, that now we are looking for a 1/12th scale truck kit to build together! It will be what pulls the trailer and how Roxanne, an organic farmer, makes her living!!! She'll sell her produce right out of the back at farmers markets! I am so excited and want to thank you again for your inspiration!

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  8. Ooops.... I meant Kelly...!!! Not Keyy... I am a terrible typist!!! :):)

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    1. Me too! After 30 years of typing I still have to look at the keyboard now and then!!!

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  9. Oh it looks great! I love all the real stuff in mini. I actually like the less than perfect look for the 'glass' meter covers. It looks like they've been there a while and have gotten beat up and some watermarks on them from years of rain.

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    1. Thanks Sheila! I love the aged look, too! I really need to indulge in a project again where I can work like Mother Nature to derelict a structure!!! It's so much fun!

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  10. Un resultado espectacular !!!!!!
    No se te resiste nada.

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    1. ¡Gracias Eloisa! ¡Es muy divertido tener tantas cosas de la vida real para intentar reproducirlas!

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  11. You made a perfect copy. Great work!

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    1. Thanks Faby! What did we all do before the internet? Stand on the side of the house with our sketch pad? 😁

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  12. This is for sure a good ugly!!! And of course a wonderful post! ;O) But it made me wonder... do you know the movie by Sergio Leone in the U.S. called "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (starring Clint Eastwood, Lee van Cleef and Eli Wallach)? *LOL*

    It's always fascinating to see how your solving this sort of "hiding-the-ugly"-problem. And adding the utilities and a water hose was for sure a wonderful touch of realism. But once more I had to think about this... which made me feel somehow relief that my beary projects don't need this kind of realism. *grin* Here in Germany none of these things like the gasometer, the DSL box etc. are outdoors... if we're lucky to have one it's in our cellars. Speaking of cellars, what a perfect thing that this kit offers this crawl space, just perfect to hide all that wiring stuff.

    I hope a lot of tissues were needed at Tasha's party and I'm looking forward to hear about the big reveal - and of course to see more of this stunning build. And it made me smile that Roxanne asked for another kind of home now that she's got a name which turned her into a character. Another fun project to look forward to - yippiieee!!!

    Hugs
    Birgit

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    1. Oh yes! I remember that movie well! I saw it for the first time when I was a little kid at the drive in movies with my parents! The music is still a classic!

      In cellars, huh? Interesting! Do the meter readers have to go into the cellars every month to read the meters? In new construction communities, our water meters are in the ground out by the street for the ease of the meter readers. Some newer gas and electric meters just send the information electronically. Old neighborhoods here still have power lines connected from every house roof to telephone poles. Ours are run in pipes in the ground and are less likely to fail during storms.

      Tasha's party was a wonderful 12 hour event! So much fun and I can't wait to share all about it later this week!!!

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  13. The good, the bad, and the.. oh wait, different script. :-)

    I Lóve your good ugly!
    It is indeed a great way to enhance the realism. And it is something that goes further than the half eaten cake and empty cup of tea left on a table when the occupant left the room.

    And when it helps to hide some of the nescesary items(wiring) we want to have but not want to see, all the better.

    So, how was the big reveal? I bet it was/will be a delightful event.

    Huibrecht

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    1. Ha Ha! Yes - a different kind of script! 🤣

      Thanks Huibrecht! It is so much fun to add a touch of realism to every scene!

      Tasha's party was so much fun, and I will share all the details later in the week!

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  14. Es impresionante el realismo que ofrecen todos esos detalles-

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  15. The ducting and utilities are the perfect touch. Your 3D printer is worth its weight in gold.
    Thanks for the clothing for dolls tips. Do I see a bangle from a shoe strap?

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    1. Thanks Megan! It is such a luxury to have that thing! Need something? Just make it!
      You do see a bangle from the shoe strap! With a little effort, it could become a dandy wristwatch!

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  16. Has realizado un gran trabajo y has conseguido ocultar todos los cables dando un aspecto de realidad con todos esos accesorios que forman parte de nuestras casas reales.
    Felicidades.
    Me encanta.
    Un saludo

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    1. ¡Gracias Marian! ¡Es muy divertido desafiarnos a nosotros mismos haciendo mini réplicas de las cosas de nuestra vida cotidiana!

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  17. I'm always intrigued by and looking to learn from fellow miniaturists on how they deal with wiring and am always open to ideas on how to disguise it. This is an amazing idea and so good that no-one would every guess what's going on underneath it all. Perfect!

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