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This takes up so much space...an entire 6 foot table, with the bakery kitchen extension, no one has even seen yet, but it will be up again soon.



I renamed the whole thing the Grand View. It has a bakery, bakery kitchen, a beauty salon, a small office on the main floor. Second floor houses 2 condos, one a living/dining room, another a studio condo.


I found a Grand Hotel...in poor condition..faded, dirty, electric shot and decided to make a Condo building with stores below.



Since all Mattel structures are stingy on space...I started to plan a deeper 'house'. Here you see the structure opened flat out...and existing floors removed. I built new floors to make the floor 22"...instead of the barely 12" it was. I added a "2x4" wood foundation made to look like concrete to raise the main floor ceiling.The outside walls were created with foamcore.


Everything was secured with velcro or duct tape, so it could be taken apart. After a year, I reconstructed all exterior and interior walls with plywood, I had the foam core walls as patterns. At that time I also eliminated the center posts and patched the floors. This allowed for better placement of furnishings on the first floor. It's amazing what difference 1 3/4" makes in 1:6 scale or equal to 10" added in ceiling height.




I planned the center of the Condo building on the main floor as a place to visit,


relax have a cup of coffee from the 'bakery'...



In the doll world, the focal point in the hotel 1890's restored building was a huge stained glass window...that went up the back center through to the second floor. This was made from printing on vellum of an altered online illustration from a book of a once existing window. The book was so old, I didn't have to worry about copyright.


the upper floor landing overlooked the space and provided great opportunities for photos.


When there is a light behind it, it really is stunning.



Two condos are on the second floor, I used cobbled parts from thrift store purchased Mattel houses I took apart. Doors and windows as well as snitching any fixtures/cabinetry from them. I have a huge stash of doors removed from travel closets,





My Barbara M. Roberts owns the building and has penthouse on the imagined third floor.


BMR: Russell will it be possible to bump out that wall and make the kitchen and dining room to be adjoined to this room?


(Contractor) Russell: Of course Ms. Roberts...actually I always wanted to do that to begin with.

BMR: I will be gone the latter part of February, Lara will oversee anything you might need to know. Oh, and please include tile over the existing cabinetry, something subdued and easy to clean...and of course new lighting. Perhaps the cabinets a very light green, something soft.

Russell: Will do, I will have Richelle included in the design also and she can contact you on any choices or changes. Have a great trip, Mam!

(BMR does know what she wants)