Greenleaf Fairfield Dollhouse Kit - 1/24 Scale

As many reviews have said, assembly can be a bit tricky. The wood splinters so easily, (I had more splinters in my fingers than I can count) pieces don’t always fit together properly and some pieces arrive warped… but, if you pull out extra sand paper and spend more time making things fit together the end result is so worth it. This was my first attempt at a full dollhouse but I wasn’t ready for a 1:12 scale, so finding this half scale dollhouse was perfect! You definitely have to read and become familiar with the instructions, especially if you plan to customize any part or add lighting. It took me about 45 days from start to finish, but I made a lot of changes that took extra time before I could move on to the next step. I made some of the pieces inside myself, which also took extra time. If you’re able to do any landscaping outside it completely finishes the overall look. If you’re doing this as a display, take extra time as you assemble because once each floor is glued in you can’t go back. I chose to hide my lighting wires in the floor above each ceiling, so I had to carve out the channels before I could assemble each floor. So preplanning is very helpful. I also wallpapered each wall before assembly so doing a mock up before gluing is helpful to figure out where the wallpaper should go. If you’re doing this as a dollhouse for play, I definitely recommend doing a bit of sanding before assembly to avoid anyone getting splinters during playtime. Despite the “negatives” I still give it 5 stars and highly recommend, it’s absolutely beautiful when completed!

IT'S FUN - IT's GREAT. This house is an exceptional buy. You can build as shipped and it will be very nice, or you can upgrade with extras listed in the instructions. It seems to be the most compact of the miniature dollhouses too which might be a plus for storage since it doesn't come apart. Calling it a dollhouse is a little deceiving because it is a miniature and well suited to an adult builder -the sky's the limit on tricking this house out. The more craft experience you have of any type, the easier the build and more creative you can be.Although the instructions and piece sheets are daunting, it is relatively easy to construct if you follow the directions.The fits are tight, but pieces do fit well for the most part. They do mean it when they say construct in the order directed. I did use a very small file to enlarge some slots a little (some tab/slot places just woulnd't fit) and a nailfile to smooth tight places. I needed a small hammer to tap parts in that fit tightly. Tweezers might not be bad.Before you buy, examine the reason you're buying. If you expect to assemble this on Christmas Eve for the next morning, it won't happen. If you take the time to do a nice job (which is easy but does take time) decide whether you'll let a child play with this as a dollhouse. It's pretty sturdy, but will smudge and may break. If you can't stand that after all your work, buy the child another type of house. This house is probably for an older child who might collect miniatures or help with construction. If you want to buy the house just for the challenge and fun - you can't go wrong.

One star is not low enough to explain how horrible this item is. If I could give negative stars, I would.We purchased this for my daughter’s 13 birthday, as she wanted a dollhouse she could build. This seemed like a great deal. First off, the directions are complete garbage and not at all very clear. The pieces do not fit together without having to take a Dremel or some other saw to trim and cut. After seeing the absolute frustration my daughter and how much difficulty she was having, my wife jumped in to help, as well as myself. I also must add that I am a licensed general contractor in two states. This house cannot be built without altering every single piece to fit. Either the slots weren’t cut large enough or the tabs weren’t cut correctly. It gets to a point where in order to continue building, every, and I mean every, piece has to be altered. I cannot believe we paid even $80 for this item. Knowing what I know now, it wouldn’t be worth $20.

My house came out great , but I had to order balsa wood alot if gaps , nothing is cut really well, it was a challenge but it is finished

I was very disappointed with the quality of this kit. It seems Greenleaf kits are all very rough. So buckle in for sanding and trimming pieces to get a proper fit. BIG TIP - READ ALL THE DIRECTIONS FIRST. If your kit has a 'warm up' sheet read that as well BEFORE punching out parts. Dry fit everything using painters tape or masking tap to fit parts before gluing. DO NOT use hot glue, use a good wood or craft glue. Tacky glues, like Aleen's, work very well. Use a pencil to mark each part as you identify them (sheet number and what it is, such 2nd floor divider wall). It will make your build easier.Think ahead. If you build it all first, you cannot do anything with the foyer. It will be blocked off. There is a lot wallpapering and room painting you can do before the build. There is Greenleaf forum and YouTube is a marvelous place to get help with how to's and questions.The overall directions are not bad, but as mentioned before - read ALL the directions BEFORE you punch out parts or glue anything together.I am still working my Farifield (yes, all this time in). This is not my first miniature kit or dollhouse, so I am doing a lot of customizing (doors that open, balcony rather than porch roof, etc.) I do not recommend doing much more than getting better doors and windows if you have no miniature experience. The directions and other sheets that come in this kit will tell you what will fit and how many to order. Once it is complete, you can have a pretty nice dollhouse.Good luck!