Front view of the Sea-Worn Beach house showing the distressing and the "not-to-code" stairs.
This is my most recent cardboard house - the Sea-worn Beach House. The goals with this little house were to make a wraparound porch, add the siding BEFORE cutting out the windows and doors, add dormers, and use different colors. I did pretty well for the most part.
Update - The free pattern to make this house is available at this post - The Sea-Worn Beach House - Free Putz House Pattern. The pattern is available as a printable PDF and in SVG form so you can use it with an automatic cutting machine like a Cricut or a Silhouette.
Angled view of the Sea-Worn Beach house
Details about Making the Sea-Worn Beach House
I added dormers to the roof which was a serious pain trying to get them to stick on with regular glue because they kept sliding up or down depending on how I was pushing on them while waiting for the glue to hold.
And I did ok with the colors. I chose blues primarily because I wanted to enter this month's Frilly and Funkie challenge "Winter Hues". I think these colors can have a spooky vibe without being out and out Halloweeny.
I did glue the siding on the house before cutting out the windows (an idea I learned from watching one of Tim Holtz' videos on making the Village Manor - great idea!) but I didn't do it for the tiny dormers. The dormers would have looked much better if I had done it like I did the house. It was so much easier than my "glue each tiny piece in place" technique after windows, etc. are already cut out.
Close-up of rusted roof on Sea Worn beach house with texture paste to add more rust-like texture
But the wraparound porch?? I just couldn't get the angles right and my lopsided prototype looked funny with such a tall, narrow house with a steep roof. The front porch was the best I could do.
Overview of the Sea-Worn Beach House
Not to Code Stairs
My brother, the cabinet maker, helped me by cutting the stairs from scrap wood in his shop. Cutting tiny pieces of wood is probably more dangerous than cutting large sheets because your fingers are closer to the saw blade. We were debating about the steps being too tall and he said, "Nobody is going to use them. We don't have to build to code." I laughed.
Side view of the Sea-Worn Beach house showing how thin it is. I make them this way sometimes so I can get a full house out of one A4 piece of cardboard.
I noticed on this view that I didn't add a chimney. That will just have to be on the house punch list and done later. I just plain forgot. The painters need to do some touching up as well.
LED tea lights shining in the Beach house. This paper house is lined inside with some aluminum tape to help reflect more light since it is so tall.
Two LED tea lights make this house light up nicely. I made the base with a space for the two lights. I also lined the inside of the house with metallic tape to reflect the light better. It might actually be too much. What do you think?
It's more winter-like weather here again this week. I hope everybody is staying warm. Thank you for reading my blog.
Here are the links to the 2 additional Putz Seaside Beach Houses:
Sea-Worn Beach House No.2 and the Little Putz House by the Sea.
Pin to Your Favorite Pinterest Board
Tutorial for the Rusted Tin Roof may be found here
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Redanne
I do love sea themed projects and this reminds me of time-worn houses in New England and Nova Scotia that have been aged by salty winds from the ocean. I love the way you did the porch and the roof looks amazing! This one might just be my new favourite... Anne x
Kathy
I love this one too, Lucy! (and, as always, John cracks me up) 😉
Kathy/NorthCarolina
Wow! This is an amazing 3-D project! You captured the weather-worn look of an old Cape Cod home perfectly here. The details are fantastic...right down to your "not built to code" stairs. I can't even imagine how long it took you to do this. I can almost hear the winter surf crashing on the icy shore at this cottage by the sea! Thanks so much for sharing with us at the Frilly and Funkie Winter Hues Challenge!
Anita Houston
I saw this on pinterest and loved it. Great to double story it, and I so want to live there right by the beach!
Zoe Hillman
This is absolutely incredible! Would it be okay for me to spend the summer there? Thanks for joining us for the "Winter Hues" challenge over at Frilly & Funkie.
Sara Barker
Love this version, and I had a good laugh at your post, too! I've lived in a few beach houses and none of them had a fireplace, so you should be good! So happy to see you joining the challenge at Frilly and Funkie!
Team Clark
Oh Lucy! How happy I am to see your name among the top 3 at Frilly & Funkie! So well deserved! Hugs, Autumn
Jane
Well done with your Top 3 over at F+F...such a cool beach house ;0)
Lisa H
Wow, this is such a cool house! Congrats on being one of the winners at Frilly & Funkie. =)
Myrna
I really like the house the way it is.
Lucy
Sometimes I just make little changes trying to make it easier to build. The Sea-Worn Beach house is pretty easy to build as it is. The only hard part was trying to get the dormers stick to the roof. Well, porches are a bit of a challenge, too. Thank you, Myrna.
Peggy Reed
Ohhhh I think this one is my all - time favorite of yours! I'm going to have to try one for my kids who LOVE LOVE LOVE the beach!!! Thanks for sharing with us!
Lucy
Peggy, I don't quite have the pattern ready. Still tweaking a few things> But it will be ready soon.
Lucy