I’m an Architect Building in the Full-Scaled World but I’ve Always Loved the Miniature World Too

Architecture is a calling. No doubt about that. Perhaps this only applies to what I term “good” architects (http://www.ccsarchenter.com/philosophy.html). Not sure about those other architects – they’re the ones who produce the McMansions and awful large scale strip malls surrounded by asphalt parking lots. They’re the ones who only pay attention to the owner’s program requirements and forget about light and shadow, scale and proportion. But back to the point. One of the ways that I knew architecture was my calling was at 4 years old when I saw a dollhouse for the very first time at my friend Amanda’s house. I was mesmerized and intrigued. I stared for a long time. I didn’t play with any miniature dolls in that house but I just stared at each room and all the mini plates and food and on and on…later on when I was 5 or 6 I started to created mini houses out of colored construction paper and secured the walls, roof and floors with scotch tape. My other friends Katy and Candice had amazing dollhouses. So did my godmother’s daughters and eventually my godfather Uncle Michael gave me my first dollhouse for my 10^th birthday. He gave me a Victorian cottage kit which is still manufactured and for sale by the ‘Real Good Toys’ company. He then assembled and painted the outside, wallpapered the inside and stained the floors. He even painted the front signage to read “Ceci’s Cottage”. I loved it but lost it when my family moved transatlantic overseas. Thank you so much Uncle Michael! I had one more dollhouse after that when I was 12. It was a beautiful London townhouse. Electrified too. But I was never able to fully complete it in my early teenage years because I just didn’t have the technical nor architectural skills to make it right. So I sold it right before I moved to Florida (http://www.ccsarchenter.com/aboutccs.html).

Finally in 2008 I was so unenthused about my architectural job in healthcare because of the lack of design opportunity that I decided to build my own miniature house. So being that it’s my first one – a trial if you will – I ordered a kit (as opposed to designing and fabricating from scratch) and then I customized much of it by changing-out doors, windows and stairs. I electrified it and the lighting is just magical. I bought most of the wallpapers from the scrap book section of the craft store and found many miniature scaled printed fabrics at the fabric store. I’ve stained and painted, and sewn and glued everything in that house. I’ve designed the exterior and interiors and it’s been so much fun. I chose a traditional style because traditional furniture is more forgiving in miniature…you just can’t make a perfect Mies chair in miniature. But fluffy chintz pillows and ‘down’ sofas are perfect in miniature. I’ve added interior moldings and chandelier rosettes. I’ve laid miniature bricks to provide each exterior façade with its classical base and water table. I’ve stained and assembled most of the furniture by buying “House of Miniature” kits off E-Bay. And can you believe it’s almost 2011 and I’m only half way there?



So I really am an architect building in the full-scaled world but I’ve always loved the miniature world too!

Best wishes,

CCS Architect


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