These Abandoned Dollhouses Are Miniature Haunted Houses

From House Beautiful

When we think of dollhouses, bright and beautiful spaces that reflect the innocence of childhood often come to mind. Take the designs of Ella, the 13-year-old maker behind @life.in.a.dollhouse who has caught the eyes of none other than Joanna Gaines. The white and gold kitchen that Ella made for designer Caitlin Wilson’s dollhouse for our Dollhouse Beautiful franchise is a perfect example.

But there are dollhouses that look far different than the one Santa gave you when you were a kid for Christmas. Juli Steel, a self-taught artist from Texas, creates abandoned dollhouses. These haunted wonders embrace both the old and the forgotten.

“I have a deep attachment to the old, damaged, discarded and forgotten,” Juli told the website Messy Nessy in a recent interview. “Rust, clocks, keys, dolls, and miniatures are some of my favorites. To the average person, these items may seem useless. But I feel a great sense of strength, and I ask myself what story lies within this old worn item that sits in front of me.”

You can explore Juli's abandoned dollhouse designs on her Instagram handle @twistedcopperforest. Though they channel the damaged and the discarded, Juli's attention to detail is beyond impeccable.

Miniature abandoned dollhouses, art dolls, and more are available for purchase in Juli's Etsy shop. These items would undoubtedly make the perfect addition to any All Hallow's Eve celebration.

"When completing a piece, I have a wonderful story to be told. I can remember as a child making my own Barbie clothes, as well as Barbies house," Juli writes of her process on Etsy. "As you can see from my listings, I have a crazy imagination. Hours are spent in my studio using all kinds of mediums while building an item. I myself never really know just what I will end up with."

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