Hubby and I just finished our first major creative project together since getting married, and it is already in the hands of its new owner! We were so pleased with how this upcycled piece turned out, even though there were moments where we worried about meeting our deadline.

This dollhouse was commissioned as a special gift. The requirements were specific: it had to be solid wood, at least 4 feet tall, and have doors to close everything up after playtime. With a budget of $500 and lumber prices skyrocketing, we had to get creative.

The Marketplace Find

We found the perfect solution on Facebook Marketplace: a $40 hutch. It provided the solid wood structure we needed at a fraction of the cost of new plywood. We began by removing the glass shelves, mirrored backing, and old pot lights.

Carpentry & Customization

James (my husband) is a carpenter by trade, so he handled the structural changes. We decided to flip the hutch upside down to create a more interesting base. Inspiration struck, and we cut the top section to create two separate roof levels. This unexpected change resulted in a perfect garden terrace for Barbie to relax on!

James built custom plywood doors that swing from the center out, ensuring they stay out of the way during play. We used three hinges per door for maximum durability, as this was a gift for an 18th grandchild!

Paint & Finishing Touches

We chose a vibrant Fuchsia Pink in Behr flat acrylic for the body and a glossy Tremclad Black for the roof. The interior was primed so the family could add their own wallpaper and carpet scraps—a lovely tradition they have for handmade toys.

For the details, we used some clever hacks:

• Windows: Made from white Dollar Tree baskets cut to size.
• Pool: Created from a plastic container with a transparent blue lid.
• Toilet: Made from repurposed flip-top jars spray-painted white to look like porcelain.
• Fridge: Built from a clear acrylic storage container with electrical tape hinges.

This project was such a rewarding way to combine our skills. There's nothing quite like turning a discarded piece of furniture into a dream home for a child!

BONUS

We made some furnishings before we realized the family was decorating the interior. Here is a quick list of some of our creations. We used only Dollartree materials.

1. The swimming pool was made from one of the plastic containers with a blue transparent lid and some acrylic paint.

2. We used one of their Jot stationery organizers covered with marble contact paper for the counter and put it on a cabinet base made of Dollartree Jenga pieces.

3. The rooftop garden was made using one of the clear acrylic makeup organizers, some cut-up scrubbing sponges, and random small floral stems.

4. The bathtub was made of a plastic drawer organizing basket with a grey grip on the bottom. I used hot glue to attach foam board as a base and then used the tiny self-adhesive mirror tiles in hot pink to cover the two outside walls.

4. My favourite creation was the toilet, which we made using the small flip-top jars. You get 2 in a pack, and I just got hubby to cut the threaded neck off one to turn upside down for the tank; the other was perfect with the lid opening and closing like a real toilet seat.  We spray-painted these white to look like porcelain.

5. The final piece was the fridge, made from a clear acrylic storage container with 3 sections. I used electrical tape down one side to hold it together when it is opened and closed, and then we spray-painted the entire thing white.

We are really excited to find out how the birthday girl liked the dollhouse. Putting it all together turned out to be a really fun project.