RITA'S CAMBRIDGE

I have started work on the Cambridge. 
The creative juices are beginning to flow. 
I like working with Dura Craft kits. 
I have all the siding assembled. 
I won’t repeat the first steps as they are very basic. 
 I have painted the siding and some of the wall connections. 
As it begins to come together I’ll keep updating. 

      Valerie and I have been busy little beavers. 
 I have decided on a color scheme for my house. 
 It is light turquoise with darker turquoise trim. 
The windows will be contrasting with black and white.

        

Here are close-ups of the front porch area and the bay window.
  I used a grained contact paper for the porch floor and the panel in the door. 
The bay window went together very easily. 
I just have to shingle the roof area to complete it.

 

      I like to complete the first floor before adding the second. 
I find it is easier to work in the larger space when fitting windows, baseboards, etc. 
 I have finished the walls in the kitchen area. 
 I wallpapered and used a tile sheet for the flooring. 
 A ribbon is used for the upper border. 
I also moved this wall to the other side of my staircase. 
 I didn’t want the stairs in the kitchen. 
It did make the kitchen small, but then kitchens
are not my favorite room in a house anyway.

 

       The living room-dining area is quite large in this house. 
 There is a partial partition on the floor that will eventually separate them. 
I used white textured wallpaper on the walls.
A light blue fancy fabric trim serves as the ceiling trim. 
The front door is accented with blue which will match the room partition.

    

      The staircase has been completed.  The coloring in the first picture is truer. 
 I just put several coats of clear shellac on the treads and banister.
  It will match the furniture I have in mind for this floor. 
There were no backs to the stairs so I used tongue depressors for them. 
I wanted to show the scalloped effect it made.  I am very pleased with the result.

      The windows have now all been added to the first floor. 
This shows the side of the house. 
I chose to leave off some of the extra trim. 
I don’t always like a lot of bric-a-brac and little additions.

 

The valance on the kitchen window is a piece of pleated ruffling
that just matches the room perfectly.

  

These two pictures demonstrate how I make a pattern for wall-to-wall carpeting. 
We like to use plush upholstery fabric for our carpeting. 
 I scotch tape pieces of paper around the whole perimeter of the floor. 
You can use small pieces for the nooks and crannies in the walls.
When I remove the pattern I have a perfect floor plan. 
 I then trace the pattern to the back of my fabric. 
Remember to reverse the pattern since you are on the reverse side of the fabric.
To lessen the confusion as to which side is which,
just write "top" on the paper before removing it. 
That way you can easily discern which side should be down on the fabric.

 

      This is the living room-dining room area with the rug and window treatments in place. 
I have also added the base boards. 
When I add the second story, the room partition and staircase will be put into place.

      The bay window has had the shingles added and the front porch is finished. 
I did not use all the trim on the porch as was suggested. 
 I liked being able to see the window and door unobstructed.
 I simply added the little accents under the roof for a bit of highlight. 

      Here is a good look at the wreath on the wall. 
It filled the space between the door and the window very nicely. 
Now I’ll add the second floor and begin to wallpaper
before I can insert the doors and windows.

 

      Finally, the second floor has been added. 
 I had no trouble inserting the windows and doors. 
This is really one large house. 
I’ve had to put it on a very low table to work on it.

 

 

This side view shows the sliding glass door and
an angel statue that I added to the side balcony. 
I love angels and thought this was a good accent for this side of the house.

 

 

Here is a closer look at the sliding glass door and the balcony. 
The lacey look on the door window is actually plastic. 
 We were in Wal-Mart and found plastic tablecloth yardage. 
I thought this worked very well instead of having to use fabric,
since it did not add any bulk to the door itself. 
I also added beads to the joints of the railing to conceal them.  
 I did this on the other balcony as well.

 



The staircase has now been added to the first floor. 
I wanted the flooring down on the second floor before installing it.
It was easier to set the banister on the finished floor
rather than trying to work the flooring around the installed banister.
 


The master bedroom is this house is huge. 
I used the same plastic on the windows as I used on the sliding door. 
Just gives a little privacy!  The wallpaper is a very fine stripe.
The ceiling trim is striped grosgrain ribbon that will pick up the colors
in the bedspread of the bedroom suit I plan to use in this room.

 


 

The wallpaper in the hallway is an all over pattern that just really adds color to the walls.
  I used a piece of leather for the floor. 
 I also added little appliqués to the center of the windows
just to eliminate the need for curtains. 
The rug was cut from a stripped fabric. 
The ends were raveled to create a fringe. 
My Mom, my grandmother and my aunts used to weave carpets
 from strips of cut fabric. It was a fond childhood memory
and I found this particular fabric reminiscent of those times. http://www.asmallcoalminingtown.com/Weaving.htm   
The ceiling trim is flocked rick-rack. 
 I really enjoy combining fabric and trim in my decorating.
 I will wait until the third floor is finished before I add the second floor staircase.

 

   
 

The wallpaper in the bathroom looks like water color. 
 The lavender trim which accents the door
is picked up in the trim I used for the ceiling. 
There is a closer look at the little rosebuds and pearls that outline the walls. 
Now it’s time to move  onto the mansard and the third floor. 


The mansard on this house went together very easily. 
 I did need another pair of hands to help me hold the corners while I taped, taped, taped. 
If you follow the instruction sheet and do all the taping you can’t go wrong. 
I included this picture to show the variety of helps I use until the glue sets. 
There are plastic clip clothespins on the top of the tower to hold the brace in place. 
The cans are coffee containers into which we empty our paint. 
 I hate metal paint cans! 
All our paints are reject miss matched paint from the hardware store. 
 They can be bought as cheaply as $1.00 a can. 
There is even an antique iron I use regularly for weight.
 Once the weights are applied, again I tape, tape, tape. 

This is the finished third floor. 
 I added a partition along the stairs to create another room. 
The interior that the mansard roof sits on makes a nice ledge around the rooms. 
I plan to utilize them for displaying items in each room. 
I just have to shingle and I’ll be able to start decorating the rooms. 
 I’m getting anxious now. 

  

         I have finished the exterior of my Cambridge. 
Here is a front and side view. 
I decided to move the angel from the bedroom balcony to the yard. 
Once I get to the landscaping it should all come together. 
This is a very large house, but it went together beautifully.  
I did not use the mansard trim from the kit. 
I substituted a scallop detail instead. 
Cutting the miters was a bit tricky, but I’m pleased with the overall result.

      

         Here are close ups of the balconies. 
I was delighted with the sun I found at Michael’s. 
It did not have a face so, artist that I’m not, had to add the features. 
I think I had someone guiding my fingers.

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