When I was young my Papa built the most incredible dollhouse for me and I loved it with all of my heart. But at the time (pre-Internet shopping … shocking!), dollhouse furniture was expensive and hard to come by; so much of the dollhouse’s interior remained unfinished. However, in today’s world of sharing DIY ideas, not only are there a million great ideas for building your own, but also a million more on how to creatively decorate it and fill it up. Without further ado, here are 12 darling DIY dollhouses to inspire you!
DIY Dollhouses Built From Scratch
Our first DIY dollhouse, built by Ana White, is truly a kid’s dream! It boasts three stories, anywhere from 7-11 rooms (depending on preference), eco-friendly and child-safe materials, and a set of castors to move the big, beautiful home wherever you’d like. Since this is designed for 12″ dolls, Barbie better get ready for her new dream home!
As if one incredible DIY dollhouse plan isn’t enough, Ana White also developed this smaller, more modern alternative to the massive dream home above. Complete with skylights and and family photos, user woodchuck submitted this gorgeous dollhouse to Ana’s site.
Another user, Keribeth, modified Ana’s plans a bit to make this sleek and modern DIY dollhouse as a Christmas gift for her children. How do I get on her Christmas list?! This is the perfect size and layout for a creative imagination.
Another amazing design for a DIY dollhouse is this one, handcrafted by Young House Love, for their daughter. The open, vertical design is ideal for smaller spaces, as it can be stored against the wall without missing any of the fun. With a bit of decorative paper, gift wrap, metallic tape, and spray paint, the house is decorated stunningly to please the dolls pigs that inhabit it!
Our next DIY dollhouse has a similar design to the one above, made for Under the Sycamore by her loving grandfather, but it creatively uses fabric from her niece’s nursery before becoming a perfectly pink birthday gift to that very same niece. Not only is this dollhouse fun, bright, and impeccably decorated, but it has sentimental family elements that will make this dollhouse a very special toy for a lifetime.
DIY Dollhouses from Re-Purposed Objects
We don’t all have the time or, more likely, skills it takes to create a lot of the breathtaking DIY dollhouses above but thankfully there are a bunch of great ideas out there for making DIY dollhouses from other objects. Our next DIY dollhouse, created by Simple as That, re-purposed a bookshelf to create an adorable DIY dollhouse. While it is staged as a bookshelf in the photos below, which looks super cute in its own right, the intention is to add miniature furniture and use it as a quaint home for the dolls of the family’s two young girls.
How would you like to spend less than $5 on the initial structure of your future dollhouse and not have to pick up single tool? Sounds like my kind of DIY project! By using an inexpensive dollhouse-style CD tower from the local chain craft store, Bright and Blithe added a few coats of paint, some decorations, and a little chimney to transform the tower into a sweet two room dollhouse! How cute is that!?
Another blogger saw the same CD tower but had very different plans for making it her own! By adding some pine cone pieces and twigs from her backyard to the exterior, as well as some rustic wood furniture to the interior, The Laughing Monkey created a woodsy retreat for some lovely handmade fairy dolls (with the most adorable acorn cap hats!) as a beautiful birthday gift. So clever and thoughtful!
Our next DIY dollhouse, by Neon Fresh, was created by placing two drawers from an old nightstand back-to-back and attaching them with some wood. Using plywood to add a second floor, bright spray paint, and lots of fun paper attached with Mod Podge, these drawers were transformed into a happy doll home that has a design perfect for a second playmate!
Thinking Outside the Box
Traditional dollhouses are wonderful, but what if you were looking for something just a little different? Why not make this adorable, portable suitcase dollhouse by Hart and Sew? With interchangeable backdrops and accessories, this vintage suitcase becomes a unique, space-saving dollhouse with unlimited options for customization! The best part? Everything is stored right inside the suitcase, under the floor, so your child will always have the next room at arm’s reach.
Our next DIY dollhouse by Checkout Girl is perfect for those who are very low on space. This incredible felt board with movable furniture pieces and accessories can be hung on a wall and takes up no floor space! Sewn to perfection, this imaginative DIY dollhouse idea has endless options for making your dream dollhouse with no limitations. You can get seriously creative with this one!
The ULTIMATE DIY Dollhouse!
I know, I know… these ideas have all been really impressive so you are thinking, “Erika, what can you show me next that will possibly knock my socks any off more than these other magnificent houses?” Well, get ready because Mad’s Mouse House is about to blow your mind! Taking 11 months to complete (you can see how it was made here), the detail in this DIY mouse house is exquisite. Inspired by the Brambly Hedge books, this mouse house is truly a work of art! And, hey, it’s for sale in case the DIY is a little too intimidating for you! While you may not have 11 months, there are a lot of great DIY tips and ideas from this masterpiece to inspire you.
I don’t know about you, but these impressive and creative DIY dollhouses make me want to run out and find some dollhouse-making supplies (despite the fact that I do not have any kids to make it for)! The beauty of making your own DIY dollhouse is that you can be as imaginative and whimsical as you were when you were a child and truly tailor the dollhouse to the interests of your kids.
You have a long holiday weekend ahead of you, so channel your inner child and have a TON of fun making a DIY dollhouse!
