A couple of weeks ago I posted photos of a boutique I created. Thank you so much for your favourable comments! I also received a lot of ‘how'd you do that?,” so I was invited to host today’s Diorama Discussion to explain all of the details.
Although this is a boutique, there are many different ways you might find to use some of my ideas for other settings you might want to create.


So lets start at the beginning *that’s a very good place to start* -- Sorry I promise ‘no singing’ LOL

This is the only picture I could find of the boutique before I “remodelled.”

Once I decided where I was going to set up the boutique (on top of an old chest of drawers), I used sheets of Foam Core to create the walls and floor. I found an old piece of hardboard that was almost the right size to make the floor more sturdy, since I wanted to make the boutique as large as possible!

The left hand wall is wedged against the wall of the Big House and the right wall is against the slope of the attic roof! When I applied the wallpaper, this helped this hold it all in place. The wallpaper, by the way, is actually wrapping paper affixed to the wall with those large gel-like glue dots! I then used a piece of ready-glued border (free sample from DIY store) as an extra trim! The floor is sticky-back plastic! What else!!!! LOL

I wanted to add some lighting to the boutique, so I used those stick-up battery lights, but because the ceiling is not flat, they would not stay. Never fear... I made a template and cut card stock to size and glued this up with no nails!

As the upper floor was a dark, reddish colour and I was looking for a lighter look, I painted it white. I also painted the edges of the ceiling on the lower floor where the card did not quite reach the edges! Those curvy walls are fine, but it was a pain trying to cut in and out of all those funny little nooks and crannies!!! I also painted the silver bits with a chrome acrylic paint to make it look more realistic!

Next to the lift (elevator) was a hair salon, which I didn’t really want, so I removed as much as I could (sink, dryer etc.). I then cut a piece of Foam Core to fit the back wall and put the Re-ment cosmetic counter in front. As it is a little too short, I again cut some foam core to size and covered this with metallic sticky back plastic to raise it up to the proper height! The metallic plastic matches the wall.

In the jewellery dept, I cut small pieces of foam core to fit the shelves and hung the earrings on them. The Boutique came with some necklace stands. A few photos on the walls added some interest and on the back wall…
again Foam Core cut to size. I then used the metal tops of two FR stands (the sort that hold dolls under the arms). the two I used were different sizes. I pushed them through the foam core. Now I can hang up my bracelets and necklaces!

Apart from a touch of paint, I left the shoe dept as it was (yay! One less thing to do!)

Behind the shoe dept is a fitting room. I put a light in here that makes the shoe bubbles light up and added a piece of plastic mirror on the opposite wall to create a bit of reflection.
The handbags are on a display that came with a Barbie shoe shop that I painted black, silver and gold. I also added another big mirror here to show the fitting room!

The pay desk was from another Barbie shop display, again, painted and a side added for security! Behind the desk I pushed a couple of nails through the foam core to hang the bags on!
Above this area is a long display shelf fixed up by pushing nails through the foam core and them pushing a piece of covered foam core onto them. I then added some clip-on lights ( I think they are the kind that clip on to books for better lighting).

The boutique windows are two Silkstone boxes covered and wedged into place on one side and taped on the other!

In the fashion dept, I already had the main display stand, but I painted it. The model in the window with the white dress is a jewellery stand without the top bit! As this is quite heavy it helps keep the window in place.
On the back wall I made a hanging rail with shelving. Again I used foam core cut to size, then I used tacks to hold it together and covered this with … yes, you've guessed it.. STICKY BACK PLASTIC! For the rails, I used FR stand posts (ones I had removed the tops from for the jewellery) These I just poked through the foam core, leaving a bit at each end that can be used for an end display!
I think that’s about it on the ground floor…

If we go up in the lift to the upper floor, we have the famous (infamous) TOBLERONE box! If you are not familiar with TOBLERONE, it is a candy with a rather uniquely shaped box. I covered the box with ...wait for it….STICKY BACK PLASTIC! I then glued on a piece of plastic mirror and used yet another FR stand, but this time, I left it in one piece. It was one of those that have a sort of “saddle” thing that goes between the legs! At first I removed the top bit but the box wobbled about too much, so I put it back on! Problem solved. As the box is triangular, I used a similar shaped stand base! Then with a large needle, I pierced the box to make the holes for the arms of the glasses to slot into for the perfect eyeglass/ sunglasses display.

The other stands on this floor are re-painted stands from a United Colours Of Benetton Gift Set from the ‘90s

A close up of the lights I was talking about. The coloured ones are from IKEA. The others I have found in mail order catalogues and DIY store.

Sticky Back Plastic or Self adhesive film

That’s about it! I hope you learned some customising tricks from my boutique tour and can use some of this info to make your own custom creation.