Phoebus Folly

Phoebus Folly truly was a dream come true. The April 1998 issue of Dollshouse World arrived  right on time...and my adventure with Frances England of England's Magic began! This gamekeeper's cottage was featured in the magazine. I immediately fell in love with the idea, the beauty and the artistry.  Phoebus arrived at my home on  April 8, 1998. Since that time, I have invested time, effort, love and imagination in this creation...

Phoebus 2 Side Exterior.jpg (36055 bytes)Francis created a wonderful structure, complete with leaded glass windows, a set-in stairwell with closet below, and many special spaces throughout the house.Please click the photo for a full view of the detail of the side of Phoebus. However, the house was not without challenges. All of the rooms are purposely quite small since this is a gamekeeper's cottage; this led to  many planning and design dilemmas. All of the windows have beautifully finished window frames, but they had permanently installed  interior pieces. Lastly, any changes in the wiring led to several wiring challenges and problems. I spent several weeks just looking at Phoebus, planning approaches, interior design, and formulating the final "look and feel" of this cottage.

As part of this process, I contacted Frances and asked  her the intentions of Phoebus Folly. She explained the design of a gamekeeper's lodge in detail. 

There are actually two main rooms on each floor. The "side" entrance double doors lead to the living room/lounge area, while the side door opens to the entrance hall, kitchen and eating area.(Click on the red arrow or picture for a larger view of the lower area!) The architecture is actually Victorian Gothic.  With this information and a few ideas of my own, I began planning.... Although I chose not to create a Victorian interior, the design and furnishings of the interior are quite simple and perhaps turn of the century. Here are some of the details that helped create the effect in Phoebus.

  • Many of the walls and ceilings were hand painted for a used and rough effect.Phoebus 3 upper floor bedroom-sitting area.jpg (59828 bytes)Please click on the thumbnail picture for an enlarged view.

  • The wallpaper in the eating area is actually regular wallpaper with very tiny horses on it.Phoebus 10 Single view kitchen.jpg (75822 bytes) This entire area is really a tribute to Noral Olson.

  • All of the window treatments were created by Marcia McClain who deserves special credit for her patience and ability to create what I have envisioned. She found just the right material and design for each window! Please click on the picture below or the arrow to view these two areas in detail. These two areas are actually areas in the wall that opens. This special space was completed with Noral Olson furniture.

  • The side view of Phoebus reveals a fireplace, dry sink and small back entrance.




  • The lighting in Phoebus came from two sources. The wall sconces were creations of Mary at Hammer-N-Smith; the chandeliers were creations of Isobel at The Lighting Bug. Please click on their names to be send them e-mail. I decided that I wanted all of the lighting to be pewter rather than gold. All of it was handpainted and designed with simplicity in mind!  

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Special Note: A complete article on Phoebus Folly was published in Dolls House World in March, 2000. For more information, please contact their website.