Craft an Inglenook Fireplace for Your 18inch Dollhouse

Our version of a doll inglenook has a faux 
cast iron wood burner.

       An inglenook (Modern Scots ingleneuk), or chimney corner, is a recess that adjoins a fireplace. The word comes from ingle, meaning "fireplace" in Old English (from Old Scots or Irish aingeal, "angel" or euphemistically "fire"), and nook. 

       The inglenook originated as a partially enclosed hearth area, appended to a larger room. The hearth was used for cooking, and its enclosing alcove became a natural place for people seeking warmth to gather. With changes in building design, kitchens became separate rooms, while inglenooks were retained in the living space as intimate warming places, subsidiary spaces within larger rooms.

Supply List:

• masking tape
• sturdy cardboard box and cardboard scraps
• paper mache pulp
• novelty printed brick on cotton fabric 
• Styrofoam (thick cut) for mantel
• black, brown, yellow, and white acrylic paints
• acrylic sealer or Mod Podge
• hollow paper tube
• recycled plastic lid and clear plastic sheet (for wood burner door)
• small cut tree branches for logs and supports for the mantle (These are sold at the dollar store or search your own backyard.)
• sandpaper 
• paper toilet tube
• faux wooden paper

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Inglenook Fireplace:

1. Tape together a strong, thick cardboard box for the fireplace/ inglenook. I found a box with the opening already cut away at a local Sam's Club.
2. Then I resized my doll's inglenook to the shape and proportions of approx. 12"x14"x3".
3. Mask (with tape) the areas that you will be covering with fabric and Mod Podge in advance.
4. Use a large soft brush to apply the craft glue/ Mod Podge to the cardboard surface. Then layer on your novelty printed, brick fabric onto the box surface. Reapply the Mod Podge onto the surface of the fabric and let the cardboard fireplace dry in the sunshine.
5. After this surface has dried, you may then mix and layer on the paper mache pulp to the inside of the inglenook. I elected to paint my surface white after the pulp was fully dry. I had to wait a few days before I could complete each of the above steps.
6. It is important to give your surfaces plenty of drying time between applications so that the cardboard does not warp while you work. 
7. It is also important to remember to construct a paper mache project like this one, in a hot dry environment in order to achieve the best results.
8. I cut a mantle to fit on top of my inglenook from foam insulation. 
9. I masked the bottom of the mantle with tape before hot gluing it down on top of the fireplace. Then I used a heavy tin (or book) to apply pressure to the top of the mantle while it dried.
10. After the Styrofoam mantel was successfully mounted, I dry brushed the side surfaces with three different brown colors of paint, alternating the layers to acheive a wood-like surface.
11. Next, I layered a wooden looking paper onto the mantel top with Mod Podge.
12. You may need to use a bit of sandpaper between gluing the surfaces to give your project a professional looking surfaces.
13. Hot glue two cut pieces of wood (shaped from tree limbs) to the underside, edges of the mantel, to look as though these were supporting the mantel.
14. After finishing the inglenook, I sealed all of it's surfaces with an acrylic varnish.

Directions for the Woodburner:

1. In order to construct the woodburner, I removed the lid of a baby wipes container from it's original container and then reattached it to a smaller box constructed with thick cardboard. I had to cut a corresponding hole, mask off the surfaces where I would be gluing the pieces together and also cut a round hole at the top of the box for a cardboard chimney pipe.
2. The chimney pipe was cut from a toilet paper tube and sized to fit into the hole.
3. I used glue to attach a wooden block the the bottom of my wood burner to act as a foot.
4. Then I painted the entire woodburner with black acrylic paint.
5. After the paint dried, I then cut a small piece of plastic to line the inside of the woodburner's door.
6. I stacked wooden faux logs inside the woodburner for appearances. 
7. With a bit of hot glue and manipulation, I mounted my faux woodburner inside the inglenook. Now the dolls will have a very romantic looking fireplace for their future winter parties!

Left, First you will need to tape together a strong, thick cardboard box for the fireplace or inglenook.
Right, use a heavy tin (or book) to apply pressure to the top of the mantle while it dries.

Left, I had to cut a corresponding hole, mask off the surfaces where I would be gluing the pieces together
 and also cut a round hole at the top of the box for a cardboard chimney pipe. Right, hot glue two cut
 pieces of wood (shaped from tree limbs) to the underside, edges of the mantel, to look as though 
these were supporting the mantel.