The story beginning

I don't know how many people have a story that goes with their dollhouse- but I had a hard time even thinking about the house until I imagined the characters. I'm a dollmaker, and had originally planned to make dolls, but then found 3 wonderful little antique china and stone bisque dolls about the right size. I'll introduce them soon.

Right now their names are Althea, Aurelia and Augusta , but we'll see if I can even remember those names tomorrow! Althea however, will be first, because she has been named for some time.

I remember I said that the era of the dollhouse is 1885 - but that is for the story, not the house. The house is meant to be built much earlier, although I haven't completely thought that out.

The search for interior space and roughing out the story

My mom used to tell me about her "greatmares" , which were usually about finding more and more space in the house she was living in. Wonderful ballrooms, and multiple attics filled with wonderful treasures.

The original Houseworks shell had approximately 4 rooms. I've never figured out why the staircase hole was configured the way it is. When I started planning to redo the house, I realized that there was no way in the world that I could squeeze in the music room, map room, workshop, sewing room that I wanted in addition to the large kitchen  and three women's bedrooms. I was hoping to find a space for the Seamaster's bedroom, but he might need to sleep in the Map room. Here are the original spaces in the house (please forgive the renovation mess) .

On the right bottom is the parlor/music room. Up top is the prissy sister's room. One bedroom is in the attic, along with a small storage room and a nursery converted into a sewing room. 

On the left was originally the kitchen , but it just wasn't large enough when you put the staircase in the place designated (see to the left of the upstairs wall). So you'll see I added an addition onto the right side of the house . But it didn't stop there!