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Victorian elegance displayed in work of Elgin doll house builder
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“I loved that house and I didn’t want to leave it,” said Eloise. Her Victorian home had a stately exterior, all white with dark green trim and two white columns that stood like sentinels at the front entrance. The interior was spacious with a finished basement and fireplace. The first floor had four rooms, including a large parlor with a fireplace and a sunroom, both accessed through the hallway by glass french doors. A staircase led to the second floor where there were three large bedrooms. Above that, there was an attic floor.She left her Victorian home behind when employment opportunities knocked and led the Stover family elsewhere. Still, she never forgot it. Then during her retirement in 1998, at the age of 78, she began building Victorian houses, miniatures, and just as ornate and detailed as the one she once lived in. “After my husband, Dan, died in Waldport, I moved up here. I used to play golf, but when I came here I needed a new hobby,” said Eloise. “I saw a house kit and decided to start building doll houses. I didn’t have enough room in my house to do this, so I called Bob Wiles of WC Construction, and he built this 16- by 25-foot studio in my backyard.” Over the past 11 years, Eloise has built 10 Victorian houses, most of them in hues of blue and a couple in yellow. She spends about three to four hours a day working in her studio, especially during the winter months. On her work table are probably all the tools a real builder uses, only miniature sized. “The best part of this is watching the house come together,” said Eloise. “The most tedious part is finishing the inside. There are all different floor plans and on average there are six rooms to each house. The kit directions are good, but if I have any problems, I just ask John.” Her son, John, does the electrical wiring for the houses so the tiny ceiling and wall lamps light up. The rest of the interior designing is up to Eloise’s imagination. With the help of a supply catalog, she can purchase just about anything she wants, including “hardwood flooring,” thin pieces of wood adhered to a paper backing. She cuts it to match the shape of the floor that she wants to cover, applies the glue evenly and presses it in place. For wall covering inside the rooms, Eloise likes to use left-over pieces of wallpaper that she finds or she purchases paint. A little wax paper serves as a pallet for mixing paints to create the hue she wants. As for the period furniture, she purchases some of those pieces through her hobby catalog or buys furniture kits and assembles them herself. As a finishing touch, she applies a brass house number above the front entrance. There’s also a plaque on each house that marks the year it was built along with her name and that of her son, John. “They are pretty expensive to build,” said Eloise. “So for that reason, I wouldn’t consider selling them. I’ve given them away to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren — it’s something to leave them.” Doll houses aren’t just for kids, though. Lots of adults like them too, but they can be a little pricey to build. The Victorian doll house kits can run more than $500 each. Furniture kits are additional, not to mention hidden costs such as flooring, lights, electrical tape, paint, wallpaper, some trim “and glue, lots of carpenter glue,” said Eloise. Soon she will have her 11th Victorian house completed. She plans to donate this one to the Elgin Opera House fundraising campaign, an effort led by her son, John. The Eloise Stover Victorian doll house will be put on display at the opera house prior to a public raffle drawing. It is a generous donation from one of Union County’s most experienced Victorian home builders. |
