"Light Shadow of Time", or, This Time in Blue!

After finishing my first Japanese dollhouse kit, I couldn't help myself. I purchased two more (just neither one in pink). While the continuing poorly-translated dollhouse names amuse and slightly baffle me, but this next one has a lot of navy blue. and has more of a 1990's/early 2000's feel to the design. 

I pulled out the instructions to get an overview of the project. It's not unpacked yet. Once you unpack the pieces, it's nearly impossible to get it all back in the box.

The other difference in this kit is the assembly method. While very similar, the this kit is from a different manufacturer. This kit's instructions have you assemble everything you possibly can before making the "shell" and assembling it all. On the one hand, starting with all the tiny pieces takes a bit of patience, but the payoff towards the end is bigger.  

The first piece to make - the kitchen sink/stove/oven. Very detailed for where it will go in the dollhouse!

The rest of the kitchen/dining room elements, minus the fridge

The kitchen, all in place, but without any of the walls/room dividers.

The flat-screen TV and entertainment cabinet. I wonder what they're watching on TV?

The living room, minus the couch, plus a bit of the kitchen dividing wall and the 2-story pleated curtains. The floor lamp wires are neatly hidden under the elevated part of the floor.

I wired just the lamp to give myself a little preview before moving on.

Like most dollhouse kits, downstairs is the kitchen/dining and the living room. This kit's "wallpaper" and "flooring" made a great guide for where walls, "carpet" and furniture needed to be placed.

The second floor in place with the bed and bathroom in place. You can see the couch in place, along with the kitchen room divider in place.

A quick look at the living room and kitchen before I put the second floor in. Don't the couch pillows look great?

The best view you'll get of the bathroom - from above. Very spa-like!

I just loved the shadows the stairs make in the living room.

This design has a neat little dressing area with a rug and low-bureau. The thing on the rug is supposed to be a hairbrush, but who puts their hairbrush on their rug?

The oh-so-cool piano in place, complete with rug, and roses in the piano. Because that makes the sound prettier, I guess?

I really liked the mod style of the couch, and the European-style bathroom sink. But the biggest draw for me in this design was the piano. Something about having a grand piano in a tiny apartment spelled class and culture to me.

A view from the side, with the lights off.

A look at the living room and kitchen, with the lights on. Somehow this scene says "4AM" to me.

And, in sharp contrast, this apartment has a more masculine feel. Well, as much of one as you're going to get from a kit designed for, and marketed to girls and young women.

At long last, here it is, all finished! It looks so clean and cool, but also warm and welcoming.  I like to imagine smooth jazz or slow blues being played on the piano, or a late night/early early morning breakfast being enjoyed on the glass dining table. And for some reason, I could totally imagine an apartment like this appealing to the character Mame Dennis from the movie Auntie Mame - if it was updated to be set in the 1990's, instead of the 1950's.

Ready to go in a showcase. Realtors hope for pictures of homes as appealing as this one!

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Stay tuned for at least one more dollhouse kit from me. No promises on when I'll get started on it, as we're heading into the holiday season and I'm sure life will get busy. But as a teaser - this next room has a lot of green and grey tones...