Well-Housed on Wellington Street - Again

 

Just like last year, I found myself in our local Dollar Tree in front of a shelf-full of little Christmas-tree houses. And just like 2021, I wondered if I could make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, at least as far as these little plastic structures were concerned. Challenge accepted!

The very first item of business was removing the bell-tower from atop the fire station (left), while I'd initially thought the yellow cafe might end up being a house. I decided on a corner store. I decided not to alter their original format, at least for now.

Cruising around the Swamp Ward on Googlemaps for inspiration, I decided the fire-station would get a limestone treatment, and the cafe would get a reddish-brown with white trim treatment. This year's buildings didn't have big snowbanks at the base, but they did have a nice foundation I decided to keep and paint concrete-coloured.

Unlike last year, these structures each had a three batteries and a bulb. I salvaged the batteries and started some initial coats (above) of paint. I Sharpied the yellow windows, greyed and blacked the roofs, and definitely toned down that window shade! The store windows got white and grey details, and the pilasters got weathered white. I painted the chimney bricks and mortar:

I used a printed brick building front on the store's lower storey (rear view), and limestone paper foundation. It had two good sides to which I could add signage and place on a corner lot. A couple of greys on the 'fire-station' led me to realize it would be an old-timey garage/ dealership.

The final views, with rust over the garage door, toned-down window frames on the 'garage'. I made the store into Cochrane's, a Swamp Ward fixture at Bay and Bagot Streets. I added Pepsi and other signage, lettered the main sign, papered over the window shade, added a fruit stand, and didn't stop the scrapes on the roof paint. Those blue shingles underneath sure were bright!

So that's four dollar-store houses on my one residential layout street. I haven't decided on a final arrangement/rotation for them. (Do I have to?) If I do, I will definitely be adding some rear annexes, fire escapes, and other structural extensions. Just like the real thing!