How to Build a Miniature Room

Miniature room setting created by interior designer

There are many reasons to build a miniature room. Whether it's a school project, prototype for a real room or just because you enjoy making exquisite things, building miniature rooms is an engrossing and enjoyable hobby.

Things You'll Need

• Graph paper
• Pencil
• Wooden or cardboard box OR
• Thin wood or heavy cardboard OR
• Shadow box
• Paint
• Decorative papers
• Scraps of cloth and/or carpeting and/or miniature tiles
• Miniature furniture (optional)
• Balsa wood for furniture and details (optional) OR
• Heavy pasteboard for furniture
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Glue/adhesive

Instructions

Before you build your rooom

1. Plan your room before you start to build. Decide on the type of room you are building. There are many options--bedroom, kitchen, family room, office, bathroom and living room are just a few.

2. Research your room setting. If you choose to re-create a room from a specific historical period, find out what types of furniture, wall coverings, floor coverings and window treatments were in style. If you are doing a modern room, you can look through magazines for ideas on interior design.

3. Create a blueprint of your room on graph paper. This is especially helpful if you will be building to scale. Make sure that you position windows, doorways and architectural features like fireplaces on your blueprint.

4. Decide what furnishings you'll need for your room. These can be purchased or you can make them yourself from scratch or from a kit.

5. Gather your materials. In addition to the materials listed in the "Things you'll need" box, you might also consider:Decorative papers, stencils or paints for wall coveringScraps of carpet or 12-inch-by-12-inch tiles for floor coveringQuilt squares or other scrap fabric for curtains and to upholster furnitureProject board or balsa wood to make furniture and/or moldings and baseboards

Building The Room

1. Prepare your room base. If you are building the base, sand the wood, then prime and paint the inside of each piece before gluing them together. If you are working with a cardboard box, carefully trim all front edges, then tape them to hide raw edges.

2. Using a craft knife or box cutter, cut out windows and doors in the walls. Sand or trim cut edges with masking tape. To create "outdoor" scenes, glue pictures cut from magazines onto the wall before adding balsa wood window sills and moldings.

3. Measure and cut wallpaper to fit each wall, then glue in place. Use a craft knife to trim edges evenly. If desired, cut balsa wood strips and glue in place to serve as moldings.

4. Measure and cut tile or carpet to fit floor, then glue in place. If desired, cut balsa wood strips and glue in place to serve as baseboards along the bottom of walls.

5. Add any other architectural details, like fireplaces or doors and door moldings.

Decorating Your Room

1. Cut curtains, draperies or window treatments from fabric scraps. Use toothpicks or coffee stirrers as curtain rods, or glue in place above windows.

2. Use pictures from magazines or small decorative plaques on walls.

3. Arrange purchased or handmade furniture in the room as desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Check out the scrapbooking section of your local craft store to find an enormous selection of decorative papers.

• A package of pre-cut quilt squares provides enough coordinating fabrics for curtains, bedspreads and upholstery for furniture.

• Check the local discount or dollar store for 12-inch adhesive floor tiles to use for flooring in your miniature room.

• If children are working with you, be sure to supervise them when using craft knives and hot-glue guns.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• A page of building tips for making miniatures from kits
• Many links to resources for dollhouse and miniature building
• Get instructions and basic info on building miniatures