At (THE NEW) Home with THE BROAD WOODS
Sylvie is a talented and enthusiastic member of Petite Properties’ online modelling community on Facebook. Recently, she shared her imaginative and stunning version of PP’s Watch Tower kit, which she’d cleverly adapted and transformed into ‘Tour Du Temps’, aka The Time Tower. I was intrigued by her steampunk inspired tower and Sylvie very kindly agreed to chat to me! I hope that her innovative 1/48th tower inspires you to also think outside the box, take the plunge and have a go yourself. Bea
How long have you been making miniatures?
I started when I was a teenager with matchboxes and boxes of Camembert (a French cheese). After my two daughters were born, I bought my very first 1/12th dolls house kit, and then another one, and then I made shops, gift boxes…
How did you get involved in the dolls house hobby?
I always loved inventing, creating, imagining and miniaturizing. When I moved to Blois, in the centre of France, I met other people who were like me - passionate about miniatures. That’s when I started showing my creations in exhibitions.
Do you only work in 1/48th scale?
Like many others, I started with 1/12th which was then the standard dolls house scale. In 2015, I discovered the work of Petite Properties on Pinterest. Among all the creations was the Pumpkin Cottage, which I loved so much I then bought it and made it myself. Since then, I’ve become a great fan of this scale. I also like working on 1/144th occasionally.
Why do you like 1/48th scale?
I like it because with this scale, you can make a whole street, a village, outdoors, gardens, a whole incredible world… and it takes such little space compared to 1/12th! It’s also a lot faster to build, and this scale lets me explore more styles and atmospheres.
Where did your inspiration for your tower come from?
I got lucky enough to get a Petite Properties advent calendar in November 2020. The furniture kits it featured made me want to try a new medieval/steampunk look (I really like real-life medieval festivals) and I needed a structure to match that atmosphere; the Watch Tower was a perfect fit!
Did you do any research or make a plan before you started building it?
Yes, I always do some research on Pinterest and miniature websites, I also research landscape inspirations… I then let my thoughts and ideas grow for a while. When I received the Petite Properties’ tower, I proceeded as I always do; I first dry build the structure, then I put the furniture onto the floors and take pictures. I already had a pretty good idea of what I wanted the tower to be, even though things can always evolve and take a slightly different turn depending on my wishes or some difficulties I end up facing.
How long did your tower take to complete?
I spent three months on it, working almost every day.
How did you create the exterior finish on your tower?
I wanted to create something that looked like a tree’s bark and roots for this tower, as it was for me a symbol of time passing by and travelling through the past, present and future. I used rehydrated papier mâché powder to coat the walls, then I drew the grooves and bark patterns with a sharp tool. Once the first coat was dry, I added some relief and the roots. After 48 hours to let it dry, I sanded and painted and that was it! I also use this papier mâché powder for the base of the houses I build, as it is easy to use, lightweight and more moldable than polymer clay.
Did anything go wrong during the construction of the tower?
Nothing went wrong, it was pure joy from start to finish. I sometimes make mistakes or have technical difficulties, but I always find a solution even if it means making changes to my original plans.
How did you install the lighting?
The lighting is easy to install in this tower since the stairwell lets you hide your wires. I used four warm white LEDs and one red LED kit for the chimney; all battery fed. I put them in place once the floors and walls were glued, the three main rooms were already decorated and almost fully furnished. I added the top room later. The battery is hidden in the base of the tower.
Can you describe the story/ theme behind each of the four rooms in your tower?
The furniture is in a Victorian/steampunk style, with shades of mahogany, black and light oak. And of course, lots of gears, cog-wheels, metal and noble cloth. At the bottom of the tower, you can find the sitting room/reception room, with a nice fire in the fireplace, welcoming seats, a vintage TV and a radio. First floor is the kitchen, with an industrial but functional and modern style. Second floor is the bedroom, with a medieval comfy bed, noble cloth and what you need to read or freshen up! The top floor is the office, a large room with a patterned floor, books, parchments and a few steampunk objects. The storm grey colour for the walls and paneling makes it look both cosy and open too… time travel? In the turret at the top of the tower you can spot a Tardis, Doctor Who’s ship that can travel through space and time.
How did you decide which furniture kits to use and how did you customize them to fit the style of the interior of the tower?
The furniture from the PP advent calendar inspired me. I really like these kits because they’re easy to transform and customize. I used alcohol-based dual tip markers to stain them, in order to avoid the thickness you can get with paint. I chose colours related to the steampunk style. Then I ordered 50g of watch parts online. I sorted them, glued them to the furniture and turned some of them into objects and decoration.
What was your favourite furniture kit and why?
That’s a difficult question, I love them all! The assembling of the kitchen furniture seems pretty good to me, but if I really have to choose, I would say the bed for its welcoming look and its decoration.
Did your tower turn out as you had hoped/planned?
It turned out even better that I imagined, I really liked building and inventing during the whole process.
Are you pleased with it?
Yes, fully! It occupied my mind and hands for three months! It has now come alive and I still look at it with amazement, thinking
‘did I really do this?’ I love the atmosphere, the timeless and yet medieval look and the natural but sophisticated aspect with the tree-look and metal gears. I also like the cultural nod to HG Wells, Dr Who and X-Files.
Now that your tower is finished, are you planning your next project? And if so, what is it?
I always have something planned… so yes, I do have something in mind! I’m going to use a Petite Properties’ base to place two caravans and a beach cabin, which will be like a tiny campsite by the sea. As for the next project after that, I’m still thinking about it.
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