Monday, March 22, 2010

The Key West Island Paradise Home #2


This dollhouse was my second house depicting a Victorian Sea Captain’s style Key West Island home. On this house I had a stronger focus on the tropical landscape. I think this time I really captured the feeling of these island homes and their lush gardens. I lived In Key West for three years before moving to Ft. Lauderdale. Using the three large Royal palm trees helped balance the profile of the house. I love looking at them through the second story windows from the inside of the house.

The house started out as a “house that Jack Build” Lady Anna or Ashley model. To capture the open airy feeling I needed, I cut 9 extra openings from the original design for additional windows and doors. More natural light coming into the rooms gives them the relaxing warm breezes feeling. The exterior is a crisp clean white with an accent of the color “sea glass”, a very trending color right now.



I chose not to use the original Mansard roof, but create a tower for watching ships out in the gulfstream. The laser cut trim in the design of a ship’s wheel defines the space with a nautical flair. The tower really opened up with the additional windows for a scenic view.

I used many of the same wallpapers as on my first house which is in my personal dollhouse collection. I just loved they way many of them lent themselves to the theme and worked well together in the design. I kept the pallet for this house in the blues and yellows to bring in both the shades of the water and the yellows of the sunsets.

~ Robin Carey


The beautiful palm trees were created by Marilyn Heath Lauffer, of http://www.virtualdollhouse.net/Customer/Earthscapesbyheath.htm