People Are DIYing Affordable Dupes of the Pottery Barn Gingerbread Village Houses

They’re a fraction of the cost, fun to make, and look just as cute as the store-bought versions—and you can try it out for yourself. Here’s how.

The adorable Gingerbread Village Houses from Pottery Barn have been all over social media and on countless wishlists this year. But despite their trending looks, their price price point (a small house starts at $39.50) is encouraging DIY enthusiasts and non-crafty people alike to look for more affordable alternatives to the whimsical (and tasty-looking) decor—and they’ve found a way to make an extremely similar DIY dupe.

Start with a Base

TikTok users are starting their dupe with bases all of kinds, including houses made of ceramic, wood, and tin. (The original Pottery Barn houses boast hand-finished stoneware in a true gingerbread cookie brown with meticulous “sugar icing” details adorning the roof, walls, and window trimmings.)

TikTok user @mysweetsavannah sourced varying ceramic Christmas houses from thrift stores for less than $5 a piece, making the project affordable and sustainable. Another TikTok user, @livinwithmb, opted for tin houses she found at Target for $10 in combination with small, white ceramic ones she found in the $5 bin. Other DIYers have been able to find wooden ones from Michaels or their local dollar store, and some are even pre-lit.

People across the internet are sourcing replicas of churches, Victorian-style homes, and general stores of all sizes for this dupe DIY, even though the Pottery Barn line is all houses. The beauty of the project is being able to customize your gingerbread village to whatever you’d like!

Related: The 12 Best Gingerbread House Kits of 2023 for the Whole Family to Enjoy

Paint the Houses Brown

While some DIYers have been hand-painting their houses a gingerbread-brown, most have found it most efficient to use spray paint instead. If you choose to spray paint rather than use a brush, be sure to do so in a well-ventilated area and use cardboard as a protectant for your space as you spray. To be safe, wait 24 hours for the paint to fully dry.

Some recommended brands and colors have been Krylon COLORmaxx Gloss Equestrian and Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover Satin Warm Caramel. Any brown will work, it all depends on how light or dark you want your gingerbread house to appear.

Add Frosting and Details

Now it’s time for the fun part—the frosting of the designs and snowy appearance on the rooftop, windowsills, walls, and doorways. TikTok users have used a variety of mediums for their faux frosting, including white puffy paint, white hot glue, white fabric paint, or a white paint Sharpie. Paint or draw lines where you’d typically see white icing on a real gingerbread house, and if needed, use a photo for reference.

To make your icing even thicker and more snow-like, mix paint with baking soda for extra volume on the edges of your house’s roof. If you’d like a glistening rooftop, sprinkle some glitter while the paint or hot glue is still wet. To finish, adorn the village scene with fake fluffy snow, mini trees, and fairy lights.

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