Creating Your Own Dollhouse Castle: Unleash Your Inner Princess

Hello ladies and gentlemen – dollhouse castle builders and miniaturists! Yes, you heard it right—miniature castles fit for royalty!

So, dust off your crowns and get ready to unleash your inner princess or prince.

We’re about to dive into the realm of dollhouse castle wonderland, where creativity knows no bounds.

Let’s wave our scepters and let the fun begin!

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Update 21/01/24

Why Choose a Dollhouse Castle?

Personally, I have always been interested in castles in real life, as there is something about the Middle Ages that attracts me and it would be terrific to create that on a small scale!

Living in Europe, there are tons of castles and ruins waiting to be visited on short or longer holidays, and I am always impressed by the furniture and decorations, but also the darker side of those times and stories.

And one day I will try to create a small dollhouse castle, but that will be for when I’m pensioned maybe haha!

Imagine strolling through the grand halls of your dollhouse castle, adorned with exquisite tapestries and sparkling chandeliers. The towers reach for the heavens, inviting you to climb up and witness breathtaking views of the miniature kingdom below.

Tiny paintings on the walls depict mesmerizing landscapes and noble portraits and the possibilities for storytelling and letting your and your kids’ imagination run wild are endless. You can add daring knights, elegant princesses, but also fairies.

There’s something truly captivating about the blend of history and fantasy that dollhouse castles embody.

Planning Your Dollhouse Castle Project and design your castle dollhouse plans.

Before you start to build your own dollhouse castle project, you need to consider a few things beforehand:

1. Do you have enough space to exhibit your castle?

Dollhouse castles can vary in size and scale, so it is crucial to ensure that you have enough room to showcase them.

This might be a corner of a room, a dedicated display cabinet, or even a specially designed dollhouse room.

Remember, giving your castle enough space allows you to admire its details from all sides and you can immerse yourself in its beauty.

2. Keep in mind that you will probably need quite a few tools.

The specific tools you need may vary depending on the materials and techniques you choose for your castle construction.

If for example, you want to construct a dollhouse castle in cardboard, you need fewer power tools than a wooden dollhouse.

A general list can include:

1. Craft Knife: A sharp craft knife is invaluable for the precise cutting of materials like foam board, cardboard, or even thin wood (balsa wood)
   
2. Measuring Tools: Accurate measurements are crucial in creating a well-proportioned castle. A ruler, tape measure, and a set square can help ensure precision.
   
3. Glue: Choose a strong adhesive suitable for the materials you’re working with. Look for options like wood glue, or craft glue, depending on the specific needs of your castle construction.
   
4. Sandpaper: Sandpaper in various grits (such as fine and medium) will help smooth rough edges, refine shapes, and prepare surfaces for painting or finishing.
   
5. Paints and Paintbrushes: Acrylic paints are commonly used for dollhouse projects. Consider choosing colors that match your castle’s theme and desired aesthetic.
   
6. Clamps: Clamps are useful for holding pieces together while the glue dries. They ensure a secure bond during assembly.
   
7. Power Tools:
   Small tools, such as table saws and mini drills, can be helpful for working with smaller components and larger tools are helpful for cutting out large wooden pieces.

3. Explore different architectural styles and themes.

You might not realize, but in the dollhouse world, there can be different styles of dollhouse castles that you would like to achieve, like a real medieval castle, a Gothic castle, or something from a fairy tale. (examples below)

4 . Decide on the layout, number of rooms, and special features.

This might speak for itself, but when you are going to design your small castle, consider the layout, if the walls or open or not, the number of rooms, and if you want to reserve space for special decorations, like maybe a winterized diorama around the house.

5. Sketch out your vision of the dollhouse castle.

You can now start to sketch out your dollhouse castle plans and gather information and inspiration, as I will further explain below.

Let’s see some examples and resources on dollhouse castles.

If you can pull off some of the next examples, then well, I would pay for a museum ticket to come and see them haha!

Anyway, besides some breathtaking examples, I will also see if I can find some dollhouse castle plans, websites, or books on them.

1. Is this the most famous dollhouse castle? The Astolat dollhouse castle.

The name of this dollhouse castle was inspired by Elaine of Astolat, the fabled maiden who fell in love with Sir Lancelot: Astolat castle.

It is a privately owned museum-quality masterwork of art officially appraised at more than eight and a half million dollars.

Experts consider it to be the most valuable dollhouse in the world and it is created by artist Elaine Diehl around 1980.

This miniature marvel is artistically precise and touches the whimsy and delight of the child in all of us with nearly 30 rooms on seven levels with staircases, hallways, and hidden passages.

This dollhouse castle was created for 360-degree viewing. What do you think, can you create it? 🙂

2. Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle

There is a “wow”, a second time for me about this dollhouse castle from Colleen Moore!

This dollhouse castle is known as the Fairy Castle, created by Colleen Moore, a Hollywood actress.

The castle is a magnificent nine-foot square structure, standing fourteen feet tall, with 11 rooms filled with murals and paintings depicting fantasy stories.

It showcases exquisite furniture, precious art, glowing chandeliers, and elegant bathrooms.

The castle, currently housed in Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, was restored by conservators and features treasures like autograph books, miniature books by famous authors, and tiny luxurious items.

The castle has a rich history, representing Colleen Moore’s passion for dollhouses and her whimsical personality. It continues to captivate visitors and bring joy for generations to come.

This dollhouse also has a terrific book (available on Amazon) that takes you through every little detail about this piece of art!

Within the Fairy Castle: Colleen Moore’s Doll House at the Museum of Science and Industry

Buy Now →

3. A dollhouse castle renovation by Michelle and Jim

Instead of building a dollhouse castle from scratch, you can off course renovate or do a makeover on any dollhouse type, and this goes for castles as well.

If found a wonderful Castle Dollhouse Renovation Project on YouTube by Michelle and Jim, go check it out!

Make sure to check out part 2 as well and be amazed about the progress and grandeur of this house!

4. Create an easy Medieval castle from stiff card and a book!

You were looking at the previous castles and you were like: “Well, Lizzy, that is beautiful and all but, no thanks, not my budget or expertise”.

Also, you might be on the lookout for something to do with your kids this summer.

Why not use this book which has templates to be cut out and printed on stiff cards, and create your own 14th-century castle? It includes mini characters for recreating castle life, and the base of the model is 59x46cm.

It includes market stalls and jousting knights and even portcullis.

Stephen Biesty’s Cross-Sections Castle (DK Stephen Biesty Cross-Sections)

Buy Now →

5. Find ideas and dollhouse castle plans on Pinterest

Now, the ideas that I found on Pinterest are most of the time scale models for castles, but you might find some of these interesting still or inspiring, so let’s go!

• MinisontheEdge
  

Minis on the Edge has created a Medieval castle and she talks a little about it on her blog:

• SharonoJala:

Now this is a great idea, turning a dresser into a castle dollhouse! Make sure to click through to her website!

• Wicked Whinglings

Another great makeover project idea is this castle dollhouse which was originally just a wooden timber frame.

• Hogwarts Castle!

Just wow! This Hogwarts castle is made by Rik Pierce and it takes you to the next level of miniature castle-making for sure!

I hope that I could provide you with plenty of examples and inspiration to help you on your way, but if not, there are always the DIY kits to the rescue!

Selecting the Perfect Dollhouse Castle Kit

Why would you want to use dollhouse castle kits and are there any cons? Let’s find out more!

The Good.

• When using dollhouse kits for castles, you don’t need as many power tools as building a castle from scratch. A few crafting materials will do.
  
• Convenience: Dollhouse kits come with pre-cut pieces and detailed instructions (well, mostly lol), making the construction process more straightforward.
  
• Time-Saving: Kits save time since all the necessary components (again, usually haha) are provided, so there’s no need to look for extra stuff.
  
• Design Options: Dollhouse castle kits offer various design options, allowing you to choose a castle style that matches your preferences and vision.
  
• Suitable for Beginners: Kits are often designed with beginners in mind, making them an excellent choice for those new to dollhouse crafting.
  
• Cost-Effective: Purchasing a dollhouse castle kit can be more cost-effective than buying each component separately.

The Bad.

1. Limited Customization: While kits provide design options, they may limit your ability to fully customize aka “bashing” the castle to your taste.
   
2. Quality Variations: The quality of dollhouse kits can vary, and some may not meet the expectations of experienced hobbyists.
   
3. Skill Level: Advanced crafters may find the simplicity of kits less challenging and prefer to create their own designs from scratch.
   
4. Not Unique: Using a kit might result in a dollhouse castle that looks similar to others, lacking uniqueness.
   
5. Assembly Errors: Mistakes during the assembly process can be frustrating, and it may be difficult to modify or correct certain parts of the kit.

So keep these pros and cons in mind, always when choosing a dollhouse kit in general but also a castle, and let’s go!

1. Dollhouse castle kit number 1:

A large Dream Come True Castle.

Spilay Dollhouse DIY Miniature Wooden Furniture Kit,Mini Handmade Big Castle Model with Dust Cover & Music Box & LED,1:24 Scale Creative Doll House Toys for Adult Gift (Dream Come True Castle)

Buy Now →

Brand	Spilay
Scale	1: 24
Pro’s	– Affordable castle kit – Includes dust cover and music box – good quality, the house and frame is sturdy
Contra’s	– glue and 2pcs batteries (type AAA) not included – you really need to check if the product is in order and not a retour, to check on missing pieces – sizing seems of
Our Ratings	4,5/5
Hours to Make	About 32 hours at the least

Check out more details and prices here on this dollhouse castle.

2. Dollhouse castle kit number 2

A Fairytale Princess Castle which has 718 pieces and is 57cm high.

The kit is cut from high-quality 3mm MDF and is laser cut. You can still paint and decorate it yourself if you like.

Brand	SamanthaKGifts
Scale	1: 24
Pro’s	– laser cut wood is a very sturdy material – durable – unique design you won’t find on Amazon – paintable in any color you like
Contra’s	– a bit more pricey – returns and exchanges not accepted
Our Ratings	4,5/5
Hours to Make	24

Check out details and prices here.

3. Dollhouse castle kit number 3.

Here we have a simple DIY castle kit called “Moonlight Castle” and it is terrific if you are looking for a quick castle project. It includes miniature furniture and has a living room and a bedroom. The design is fairly simple.

Spilay ,(Moonlight Castle k012) Mini Handmade Kit,1:24 Scale

Buy Now →

Brand	Spilay
Scale	1:24
Pro’s	– Includes a dust cover and a music box – very affordable kit – a basic lovely design that you can still “kitbash” with other methods for the roof, stone walls, etc..
Contra’s	– It is a very small castle with only 2 bedrooms – bad instructions – lots of sanding to do for the windows
Our Ratings	3,5/5
Hours to Make	18

Check out details and the price here.

4. Dollhouse castle kit number 4

This castle is the largest and most expanded so far on this list, reason why it is also the highest in price.

But for that price, you get a dollhouse castle with a gorgeous design and it is sturdy enough for even your kid to play with for hours and hours!

Brand	Buildeez
Scale	19 inches tall, 12 inches deep and 14 inches wide
Pro’s	– functional drawbridge – very expanded and detailed caste kit – sturdy laser cut cabinet grade MDF wood – free shipping
Contra’s	– quite pricey, high end castle – no castle furniture included
Our Ratings	– quite pricey, high-end castle – no castle furniture included
Hours to Make	14 hours

Check out more details and the price here.

Bringing Your Dollhouse Castle to Life

I have a few extra tips for you to get some more life into your castle dollhouse, let’s dive in!

1. Let enough light in!

Yes, castles can be pretty dark, but with a few tips and tricks, you will not hide your amazing miniatures somewhere in the back of a room:

• Avoid placing your dollhouse castle in a dimly lit corner, but try to maximize natural light by placing it near a window and take advantage of natural sunlight!
  
  
• Use LED Lights! As I am doing this for my treehouse as well, it is always a good idea to brighten up rooms with LED lights.
  
  And there are miniature lights that are fantastic for a castle, which look just like lighted candles or oil lamps.
  
  Yes, they do look bright white, but you can add diluted brownish paint, to make them look more real.
  
  

Or why not a magnificent chandelier for a castle later in time?

• Uses mirrors! Having small mirrors and placing them strategically in the rooms can reflect and enhance artificial lights and natural lights within the castle so that there’s more brightness and a sense of space.
  
  
• Choose glass windows and doors. Glass doors and windows allow light to pass through more easily, brightening up your indoor spaces.

2. Create a landscape around your castle grounds.

Part of the cozy atmosphere of a castle belongs to landscaping!

You can winterize the surroundings, or create any kind of seasonal diorama.

Including little rivers, bridges, cobblestones roads, etc, creates a cozy atmosphere and catapults you back in time! The only limit is your imagination!

In the video below, for example, you can see how I created a small bridge with popsicle sticks:

My Final Conclusion

I hope that you found this article on how to create a dollhouse castle and where to find dollhouse castle kits interesting.

If you have any more questions about this topic or would just like to chat with me, please leave a comment down below in the comment section or join me on my social media channels or my cozy Facebook group.

I wish you happy crafting!

Kind regards,

Lizzy

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