A mother has revealed how she saved £230 by making a dollhouse for her daughter for just £20 using second-hand and recycled material.
Beauty therapist Faith Sheppard, 31, from Bristol, embarked on the DIY project after her daughter asked for a £250 Barbie Dream House for her birthday.
Faith purchased a second-hand pine cabinet to avoid buying something expensive and made from plastic. She then transformed it with everything from lollipop sticks and nail varnish to wash up sponges and nail varnish.
Beauty therapist Faith Sheppard, 31, from Bristol, embarked on the DIY project after her daughter asked for a £250 Barbie Dream House for her birthday
Speaking to LatestDeals.co.uk, Faith said: ‘I looked online for hours and I couldn’t find what I wanted without it costing hundreds of pounds and everything was mostly plastic.
“I saw the Barbie houses and thought that I could make one that was bigger and more durable.
She began to watch YouTube videos about miniature interior design to get inspiration and learn more how to build the doll’s house. Then she discovered the cabinet.
“It was free, and I knew it would work perfectly! My husband made shelves out of wood we had in our garage.
Faith purchased a second-hand pine cabinet to avoid buying something expensive and made from plastic. She then transformed it with everything from lollipop sticks and nail varnish to make it her own. The doll’s house is shown in the picture.
“I went to a hardware shop and bought wallpaper samples to decorate my walls. I also went to a local carpet shop, where I was able to pick whatever I wanted from the skip to make my flooring.
Using paints and primers that the family already had at home, she got to work and then topped the cabinet off with some retro handles that only cost her £4.’
Faith used a hot glu gun to attach tiny pieces like taps, and repurposed nail polish to paint them.
In addition to using lollipop stick for structure, she also recycled old sushi containers and made it into a bathroom. She also used the wrapping from a packet full of ham for the shower curtain.
The second hand pine cabinet which Faith found on Facebook Marketplace, cost her under £20
“I was given some Barbie accessories and furniture by a friend who was selling it.
“I made the rest of it from everything we had lying around. I added photos of my family and daughter to give it a personal touch.
“It took me about 2 or 3 weeks to do it every night from 6.30 to 10.
‘In the end the total cost of the project was £20. I am so happy with how it turned out.
Faith added tiny photos of her daughter to the doll’s house in order to personalize it.