1:6 miniature Ikea inspired bed

Probably my first miniature inspiration for my onesixth apartment house was this kind of bed, seen at the Ikea store time ago. I loved the idea of no bedside tables but shelves at different levels.

Speaking of shrinking it into 1:6 doll size, I basically searched for a standard double size bed and divided measurements by 6. I have to say that I had already made a mattress for another miniature bed before, so I decided to use that for this new one, lucky me!

Basic structure

I made the basic structure with a rectangular frame of foam board, measuring 35 cm in length, 25 cm in width, and 4 cm high. To balance the mattress on this frame, I made an internal frame 0.5 cm shorter than the external one. At this point you have to be very accurate with measurements, as foam board has its width (I know my mistakes for experience, so I took my time to make sure everything was perfectly interlocking before cutting foam board). Then, in each of the horizontal pieces for the internal frame I made a little insert (see picture) to glue inside a vertical strip of foam board to give support. I ended making a frame as bed slats using jumbo popsicle sticks cut to fit inside and at equal distance from one to another.

Details of little inserts in horizontal pieces of the internal frame.

Headboard

In this case I made trials and at last I decided for this combination of popsicle sticks of two different lenghts, and four vertical ones for support, to resemble the Ikea one. To make sure to glue them in line one with another, spacing them 0.5cm, I used the grid of the cutting mat. The foam board will have to fit among them as shelves, so take a measure every 0.5 cm on the vertical popsicle sticks and follow that scheme. Make also sure to cut popsicle sticks ends in the same lenght.

I decided to cut the two vertical ones in the middle longer than the base of the headboard, so I can insert them in the internal frame of the basic structure (see picture).

My headboard measures 34 cm in width and is 13.5 cm high. I would have made it larger but, as I already said, I have a project with strict dimensions to fit on my shelves.

Bottom picture: middle vertical popsicle sticks stucked into the internal frame of the bed.

Bedside shelves

Shelves are basically four pieces of foam board, cutted to fit stucked into headboard. Simply take the right measurements and make yours with some trials, not to crush them on your sleeping doll head.

Later I cut the external two vertical popsicle sticks.

So I hope you enjoyed this tutorial of the first miniature piece of furniture for my dollhouse apartment. 
Leave a comment if you like, and keep visiting along my blog for new entries!

See you soon!

Let's start from...

...from a project!

Nothing is better then projecting when crafting. So I unveil mine: a miniature 1:6 scale apartment with detached rooms. It’s been months that I am drawing here and there house plans with all the measurements (according to my real available spaces), thinking of colors, shapes and styles of home decor. Somehow then I decided to start from making furniture, using materials that I already had, that were not enough to build the external structure.

I am using mainly foam board, a very easy to work with material, that I lately discovered (it is difficult for me to find it in stores in Italy, so I buy it online). Taking inspiration from online photos of home design, I found out that the style I was thinking of for my miniature house, was the Scandinavian one, but there will be brighter pieces of furniture and, besides, I was thinking of a lead color for every room.

Living room will have a touch of red; the kitchen a touch of yellow; bedroom will have some lilac; bathroom some green in it. It could be a clichè in design but… who cares?! I projected also a laudry but no color thoughts for this room yet. Sooo… I’m preparing and buying materials according to this scheme, and in this way I find it very easy not to go out from the original idea.

It is a long term project, so I don’t know how much time it will take to me to realize it interely, or even if, I have to say that, I will end it or transform it during the making. Having a full time job far from home, and combine it with spare time for this wonderful hobby is not so easy.

But this helps my mind, that has to be always engaged in something beautiful and crafty.

Will you follow me into my miniature construction work? I have something already planned for you to see…

First entry

Here I am, in a brand new blog about barbies, dolls and miniatures.  It is not my absolute first blog, I admit, but the very first on this hobby. 

Here I will share with you my vision of collecting, playing and creating, I hope you can share yours with me so we can enjoy our wonderful hobby together.

Beginning with a photo of the last few bunch of fabrics and something inspiring I bought too much time ago by now, so they need to be used!

Are you compulsive buyers with lots of materials stoked for further projects... like me??