A talented mother built her daughter a doll’s house out of rubbish after being quoted £250

DIY doll’s house! Resourceful mother whose daughter wanted a £250 Barbie Dream House saves money by making her own version out of recycled and second-hand material for just £20

  • Bristol mother, Faith Sheppard, created her daughter’s doll’s house from scratch
  • After seeing how expensive manufactured ones were she built one herself
  • Using Facebook Marketplace she bought a cabinet for the frame for under £20 
  • Included in the build were lollipop sticks, sushi boxes and a packet of ham


A mother has revealed how she saved £230 by making a dollhouse for her daughter for just £20 using second-hand and recycled material.

Beauty therapist Faith Sheppard, 31, from Bristol, embarked on the DIY project after her daughter asked for a £250 Barbie Dream House for her birthday.  

Wanting to avoid something so expensive and made of plastic, Faith bought a second hand pine cabinet and then transformed it using everything from lollipop sticks to washing up sponges and nail varnish.  

Beauty therapist Faith Sheppard, 31, from Bristol, embarked on the DIY project after her daughter asked for a £250 Barbie Dream House for her birthday 

Wanting to avoid something so expensive and made of plastic, Faith bought a second hand pine cabinet and then transformed it using everything from lollipop sticks to washing up sponges and nail varnish. Pictured, the finished doll's house

Wanting to avoid something so expensive and made of plastic, Faith bought a second hand pine cabinet and then transformed it using everything from lollipop sticks to washing up sponges and nail varnish. Pictured, the finished doll’s house

Speaking to LatestDeals.co.uk, Faith said: ‘I looked online for hours and I couldn’t find what I wanted without it costing hundreds of pounds and everything was mostly plastic.

‘Looking at the images of the Barbie houses I decided that I thought I could make one that would be bigger and last longer.’

She started to watch YouTube videos about miniature interior design to find inspiration and learn more about building the doll’s house, when she found the cabinet.’ 

‘It was free and I knew it would be perfect! My husband made some shelves from wood that we already had in the garage.’

The second hand pine cabinet which Faith found on Facebook Marketplace, cost her under £20

The second hand pine cabinet which Faith found on Facebook Marketplace, cost her under £20

‘I went to a hardware store and got some wallpaper samples to decorate the walls. I also went to a local carpet shop where they allowed me to choose whatever I wanted from the skip for my flooring.’

Using paints and primers that the family already had at home, she got to work and then topped the cabinet off with some retro handles that only cost her £4.’

To create intricate details inside, Faith used a hot glue gun for little pieces such as taps and repurposed nail varnish to paint them.

As well as lollipop sticks for structure, she recycled old sushi boxes and made it into a shower and for the shower curtain she used the wrapping from a packet of ham. 

‘I was kindly given some Barbie house accessories and furniture that someone I know was getting rid of.’

‘I made the rest myself from anything we had lying around. I added images of my daughter and family to give it a personal touch.’

‘It took me about two or three weeks of spending every evening from about 6.30 until 10 doing it.’

‘In the end the total cost of the project was £20. I am so so happy with the way is has turned out.’   

Faith put up tiny pictures of her daughter in the doll's house to give it a personal touch

Faith put up tiny pictures of her daughter in the doll’s house to give it a personal touch

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