Tiny house, big memories: how a dolls’ house sparked a story

Lilac Mills
4 days ago
3 min read

The dolls’ house I never had...

I never owned a dolls’ house as a child, although I longed for one (preferably with tiny armchairs, minuscule teacups and proper wallpaper. So when my daughter was about five years old (quite a number of years ago now!), I happened to be in a second-hand shop and I spotted a rather dilapidated little house.

Red and white dollhouse styled like a Victorian building with multiple cream-framed windows, set on a wooden surface indoors.

Structurally it was sound, but it was what an estate agent would call a 'dooer upper'. It was battered, the brick paper on the outside was torn, the tiled paper on the roof was in tatters, the decor was from the 1970s (brown and orange mainly), the lights didn't work, and someone had glued nasty bits of actual carpet in the rooms.

Naturally, I fell instantly in love with it and brought it home.

That dolls’ house became my secret Christmas project. Each evening, after my daughter had gone to bed, I’d climb the ladder into the attic and set up my miniature renovation station.

There I was, hunched over and cramped, repainting little doors, pasting wallpaper, laying replica lino and trying not to glue my fingers together or make too much noise in case I woke her up. It was enormous fun and I was rather proud of it. My daughter adored her Christmas present and I only wish I’d taken photos, but those were the days when cameras required a roll of film, and you had to send it off to be developed (yes, I am absolutely showing my age), so we took far fewer pictures back then.

Collage of a pink dollhouse with intricate rooms and a child playing. Features detailed decor, colorful patterns, and miniature furniture.

Fast-forward to not long ago, when I spotted another lovely, slightly-worse-for-wear dolls’ house in yet another second-hand shop. This one had great potential - ripe for renovation as they say. I had to talk myself out of buying it solely because I lack the space to house such a project and I most definitely don't have the time.

Although... if my home had been just a smidge bigger, I rather think I might be elbow-deep in miniature wallpaper again. Isn’t it gorgeous?

A vintage dollhouse with ornate brown and white details and open windows sits on a shelf. A small heart-shaped sign reads "Like this."

From Miniature Houses to a Story Idea

Seeing that little house and remembering the one I’d lovingly restored for my daughter, nudged something in my imagination. Wouldn’t it be wonderful, I thought, to write a character who built dolls’ houses for a living?

And so Tara McTaigh was born.

Three images show a dollhouse in progress. Top left: wooden parts on a table. Top right: hands working on the roof. Bottom: assembled house with paint cans.

Meet Tara from Surprises on the Scottish Isle

Newly divorced and yearning for a fresh start, Tara spots an advert for a studio to rent in Castle Coorie’s craft centre and swaps her Edinburgh life for the Isle of Skye. With her dollhouse-making business ready to grow, she hopes that the peace and quiet, and a breath of sea air will set her back on track.

What she doesn’t expect is to run straight into Calan Fraser - the man who once broke her heart at university - who is now the castle’s estate manager and a devoted single dad.

Tara has sworn off romance, determined to focus on her craft. But Duncoorie is a small place, and avoiding Cal proves… tricky. And perhaps not entirely what her heart wants.

Just as she is starting to open her heart once more to Cal, a change in his life puts everything on the line. When a surprise storm threatens Tara's safety, will Cal realise in time that love is worth the risk?

Surprises on the Scottish Isle - a second chance at first love, wrapped up with miniature furniture, tiny front doors, and a heroine who builds whole worlds in miniature.

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