DIY DOLLHOUSE – My Craigslist Before & After

January 27, 2012


This was such a fun DIY Project!
We were on the hunt for a dollhouse to give our sophia(3) for Christmas..
but just could not find anything that was 1..in our budget..
and 2..wasn’t HUGE and PINK.
(I wanted something a bit more neutral/could grow with her..
and look cute in her room!)
Thought I would share some of the inexpensive diy details
I used to make it fun for her!

Check out the video below of me sharing all the details of the dollhouse!

WHAT I USED:
Dollhouse – Craigslist Find…$30
Craft Wood Plaque Multi Pack- Michael’s…$3 or $4
5 Furniture Pieces already made- Dollar Store/Michael’s…$1 Each
Ikea Fabric Scraps & Batting Material Scraps…Already Had
1 Dish Rag from Dollar Store
19 or so Pages of Scrap Book Paper- JoAnn…$9.99 for the 180 Page Fresh Floral Stack
Scrap booking Sticker Christmas Decorations- Michael’s..on sale.. couple bucks.
Mod Podge/Double Sided Tape/Scissors
Graphics printed off computer- Kitchen, Bathroom Tile & Mirror, Fireplace, Frame graphics filled with photos or prints.


  • Tracey @ My House of Giggles
    January 27, 2012 at 11:16 pm

    You are amazing!! I want to live in that doll house! ;) It looks like such a fun project….if only my boys would appreciate it :) You are such a great momma!! I’m sure Sophia loves it so much. What a lucky girl :)

  • Hayley
    January 27, 2012 at 11:51 pm

    I also want to live in that dollhouse. Love it!!!!

    Hayley
    wee.hayleysworld.com

  • Laura at Ms. Smartie Pants
    January 28, 2012 at 1:46 am

    This is adorable! I want to share it on my blog, do you mind? My blog name is Ms Smartie Pants so when I see someone who has done something really special I show it off and give them a Ms Smartie pants award. I wish I had a house like this for me!

  • Grace Marie
    January 28, 2012 at 9:15 am

    Julia is waving and waving and waving at you in the video …. so funny.

  • Laura@Cowboy Boots
    January 28, 2012 at 11:08 am

    that was so amazing!!!! loved the bathroom votive sink idea!

  • Krista
    January 28, 2012 at 11:47 am

    So darn cute! What a great job! I love all the bright colors used and the awesome attention to detail. Sophia is sure to love it for many years. You may have even creates an heirloom :)

  • Whatever Dee-Dee wants
    January 28, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    Amazing! This doll house is beyond cute.

  • Nikki
    January 28, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    This is so creative and adorable! We want to get Evie a dollhouse for her 2nd birthday, coming in July. I really want wooden and love how you did this on a budget! I was wondering, what dolls do your girls have to use with this doll house?

  • The Trailovs
    January 28, 2012 at 4:14 pm

    i want to redo my daughter’s dollhouse now….beautiful!

  • Stephanie of Gumdrop Pass
    January 28, 2012 at 8:24 pm

    Oooh my gosh – this is just so so so creative and cute. Way to go, Momma! You’ve made me hope for a girl now. There’s only so much fun that can be had with monster trucks :)

  • Carpenter's
    January 29, 2012 at 12:53 am

    This is AMAZING! Oh and I LOVE how you incorporated your love and faith in God in the adorable posters. I can’t wait to duplicate this for my daughter! Thanks for sharing.

  • mtmoller
    January 29, 2012 at 3:09 am

    This is so cute. I have been trying to figure out how to make decent looking, inexpensive furniture for a cragslist dollhouse bookshelf. Look at your daughters face, she looks like a super happy girl!

  • Jessica Cietek
    January 29, 2012 at 11:50 am

    Oh oh I adore!!! I cannot wait to do something like this for my 2 1/2 year old…maybe for her birthday in August!!!

  • Marjorie
    January 29, 2012 at 2:26 pm

    love this dollhouse so much! i agree with you about plastic, pink house there’s something special about the wooden ones :)

  • Mari Krumholtz
    January 30, 2012 at 7:15 am

    How precious!!! Having such a cute dollhouse is already awesome, but one that your mom decorated with so much care and love is priceless! Great mamma, lucky girls!
    (so sad in my country I would pay at least 150 for just the frame of the house, even if used :( )

  • Christy from fountains of home
    January 30, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    This turned out so beautifully! You did a great job-hope I can do it one day!

  • megan
    January 30, 2012 at 5:08 pm

    This is AMAZING! I love it so much. I will now be on the lookout for an empty house to fix up for my girls. Thanks for the great inspiration!

  • Amy
    January 31, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    Wow! You are so creative. Where do you find the time and energy with all that you do?

  • Morgan
    January 31, 2012 at 11:55 pm

    Wow! This is SO Neat! Going to be referencing when I’m ready to DIY a dollhouse for my little one :). Lovely job!!

  • Anonymous
    March 24, 2012 at 5:45 pm

    Great job on your project! I’m doing a similar one for my kids, but I’m having trouble finding graphics for the kitchen wall of cabinets…any suggestions? Thanks!

  • Sherry
    April 15, 2012 at 1:02 am

    This is a wonderful idea and looks great!! Thank you for sharing my boys are wanting a doll house thinking of building something simple have a feeling they wont play with it for very long!

  • Becca
    April 22, 2012 at 4:09 pm

    I love your site. <3 So many ideas to do with my little one. <3
    Thanks for sharing.

  • Gabrielle Gottula
    July 7, 2012 at 5:57 pm

    I love your blog!!! You have so many have such inspiring things on here and your personality is so fun and lively. I love the dollhouse!! Great job! I also saw that you are expecting in November and so am I. I’m pregnant with our 2nd child. We have a little girl Rowynn. We just had our ultrasound, but did not find out. I was just wondering if you guys found out what you’re having? I just wanted to let you know that I can’t wait to see more from you!!
    Take care. Gabrielle

  • Lesa
    August 1, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    That is the most precious dollhouse EVER! Love the simplicity and charm! Awesome details with recycled materials too!

  • Alison
    September 5, 2012 at 10:43 pm

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  • Southern Elle
    November 23, 2012 at 6:11 pm

    I love what you’ve done here.. and I’m about to begin work on a dollhouse myself. I had a question about the kitchen… is that background of countertops and everything an image attached to the wall? OR does it have actual mini counters?

    Love all your projects. So inspired.

  • Ginger Lola
    February 4, 2013 at 3:50 pm

    This is soooo beautiful, you did an amazing job…you and your daughter will get so many hours of fun from it, my niece and I love playing with her dollhouses. I make them from scratch using cardboard and paper mache, but I would love to find an old dollhouse frame and work with it…going to kijiji right now :)

  • Grace Johnson
    February 5, 2013 at 6:07 pm

    Cool doll house, guess you and your daughter enjoyed doing this one. I remember me and my mom picking out some LA furniture for our newly-renovated home. I think that doing things together with your family will really create a tight bond to any relationship.

  • Janice Milton
    February 12, 2013 at 2:56 am

    This is the cutest thing ever! My daughter will absolutely love this. I will make this my next project but I definitely need my hubby’s help. I will start looking for materials and tools online. Just thinking about it makes me so excited!

  • Love and Lollipops
    March 17, 2013 at 10:11 am

    Absolutely an awesome dollhouse! All the little details made me smile :)

    Georgia

  • Denese Garrett
    June 7, 2014 at 12:11 pm

    This is adorable. I’m a pre-school teacher and came across what looks to be the exact dollhouse sitting in a neighbors trash. So I grabbed it and wanted to re-do it for my classroom. Your ideas on the furniture are exactly what I’m looking for. But the dollhouse is pinks and purples which I’m not a fan. Did you re-paint the outside of yours? And what does the front look like for some ideas?

  • Mary Beth
    June 23, 2014 at 10:05 pm

    I was wondering if you could share the approximate dimensions of your adorable doll house- I’m currently scouring craigslist to attempt something similar, but I’m having a hard time visualizing what dimensions to look like to match the Michael’s & homemade furniture pieces. Thanks!

    • natalie
      July 2, 2014 at 8:26 pm

      Ooh Let me get back to you on that! I’ll find my measuring tape and try to remember to post back here! thanks!! :)

  • Stazja
    July 2, 2014 at 5:33 pm

    I’ve been searching for something like this and I’m so glad I did! I have a dollhouse of my own but my younger sister wont stop touching it because the one she has now (my old one) needs alot of work. For a 6 year old this is perfect!

  • Leah
    September 24, 2014 at 9:16 pm

    I am in love! Where did you find the minature subway tile graphic for the bathroom? I would love to do this for the dollhouse I’m redoing! Thanks!

  • Janelle
    October 16, 2014 at 8:59 pm

    What people did you use? I love what you did!

    • natalie
      October 20, 2014 at 9:08 pm

      all the princesses in the photo are from the dollar store! they are always mixing up the people who live in there ;) currently fisher price little people super heroes are living in there.

  • Meredith
    November 14, 2014 at 2:01 pm

    Did you ever get the dimensions posted? I am recycling some dollhouse parts (roof and possibly stairs) and am wondering if I can replicate your dollhouse. What great work!!! Thanks.

  • Hannah
    November 19, 2014 at 11:52 am

    Hi!

    I love your dollhouse and so many of your adorable projects for your kids! I have 2 daughters (an almost 3 year old and a 9 month old) and I am wanting to make a dollhouse shelf for them for Christmas this year! I know this is an old post, but I was wondering if you could tell me how you made the kitchen cabinets and counter tops? Is it just a print out glued to the wall? Or is it actual countertops and cabinet pieces?

    Thanks!!
    Hannah

    • natalie
      November 19, 2014 at 11:12 pm

      hi! it’s a print of an image from the internet :)

      • Hannah
        November 30, 2014 at 11:36 pm

        Thanks so much! It looks so 3D from the photo! I’m still working on mine but you greatly inspired me to try it out! :)

  • Jen P.
    December 11, 2015 at 8:06 pm

    Hi Natalie! Would you happen to know the dimensions of this? I think I have found an identical one on Craigslist. It measures almost 46″ tall. Thanks! Oh and my Sadie (my #3) and your Asher are a week apart. Love when you talk about him. I can so relate. :)