Once upon a time, our client dreamed of having a dollhouse of her own, so the idea for this project was really born while she was just a little girl. What it has become is truly the stuff of dreams: a magnificent chateau with thirty-three rooms ready to decorate and fill with wonderful treasures.
Château des Songes (Castle of Dreams) is a composite of various Bordeaux Châteaux, rather than an exact replica. Mark Turpin and his client studied the elements and features that pleased them and translated those details into the 1/12 scale. Part of the grandeur of the piece is from its sheer size alone. On its stand, the château towers more than nine feet high – enough to dwarf even a tall adult. Imagine standing before its grand façade as a child!
Thousands of hours over a three-year period brought the château to this point, with its finished exterior and decorator-ready interior. The structure itself is comprised of eight sections, built from plywood, pine and poplar. The corner towers were particularly difficult to fashion, but Mark devised the means to produce the intended design. The faux slate roof and the aged stonework each required ten coats using various colors of paint to produce the desired effect. The windows and front doors were handmade by Mark.
Even before production began, Mark spent months planning the project with his client, to achieve a floor plan and spacious rooms that would be sufficiently grand. The ballroom ceiling is 32” high. Arriving by carriage, enter the château through the porte cochere, then follow steps up to the foyer with its grand staircase, or walk across a bridge to the formal salon and all glass conservatory. The front of the chateau features an elegant double set of steps leading to the main entrance.
In addition to the enormous ballroom, there is a grand foyer, a three-story stair hall with double staircase, the grand salon, reception room, large dining room, petite salon, kitchen, butler’s pantry, wine cellar, billiard room, cigar room, music room, library, conservatory, powder room, cloak room, his and her bedchambers with private sitting rooms, bathrooms and dressing rooms, art gallery, maid/valet quarters, nursery, and of course the tower rooms.
Château des Songes is 72" wide, 60" deep, and 72" tall. Scale is 1:12. Sold.
Château des Songes is included in the May 2019 issue of DollsHouse & Miniature Scene.
To read more, visit: 
https://www.hobbies-and-crafts.co.uk/dolls-houses-miniatures/
Click on the thumbnail views below to enlarge the photos and start the slideshow.
