American Girl French Bakery

I am VERY excited to share this Guest featured American Girl French Bakery post with you.  Making Grace’s French Bakery isn’t a simple task no matter what materials you use.  HUGE thumbs up to Laura for building the bakery, tweaking it to her own liking, AND now sharing it with all of us! I feel that each time I share one of these DIY french bakeries that a reader has made, we all learn a little more and a little more.  I am so amazed at all the detail that went into Laura’s project.  It is one of a kind and beautiful!!!  Check out her tips and her fabulous pictures below. There is so much to take in!

Laura:

I just wanted to say a big huge THANK YOU for posting the design plans for American Girl Graces bakery!! My bakery was tweeked a little. I made more depth in the bakery to accommodate my refrigerator and stove. It was a little wider than the plans for some unknown reason, but I’m glad serendipity took charge, as we needed the room for the bakers rack purchased online. (It’s was green, but I painted chrome and put plexiglass shelves on top of wire shelves. 

I must say, this project was challenging all around…but I love to be challenged!  Hinges were hard for me. I also had a time figuring out how to cut the plexiglass without fracturing. 

A few hints for your subscribers:

Plexiglass can be cut slowly with power miter saw-I couldn’t cut round plexiglass, just square Windows.  Drill screw holes to secure inside door with tiny screws. Drill through plexi VERY slowly

I created a patio flooring for the bistro set to the left of bakery by using the whole piece of flooring lumber. My daughter plays on carpet and a solid surface is helpful. Simply tack up an extra piece of scrap to make it “enclosed”

A white paint pen is the perfect way to make the mullions for Windows-please note my daughters initials are at the top-EB

Hobby lobby provided the bling for address plate and signage. Use drawer pulls upside down for box Windows. The cupids are also drawer pulls. If you need to cut the metal pulls, drill a hole in scrap wood, place pull threaded ends in and miter saw through metal to desired length. 

The “butcher block” shelving is mobile. It’s made using molded bases from Michaels and Home Depot. The butcher block is in molding and trim section. Simply cut the molded bases in half for shelves.  Legs were also purchased from Michaels wood parts. 

Don’t forget to light your bakery with Christmas lights that plug in.

Christmas ornaments provided cut outs for  window bling. 

The labels are from a party store and picks placed in some extra drawer pull knobs turned upside down. 

Faux marbling tiles were not that difficult once I got the technique.  The grout lines were established by a comment made by another subscriber…sharpie bleeds through. So after kilz, I drew the tiles in sharpie and then painted white. Use grey paint and apply marbling with a  feather and/or tip of your finger to smear around. Be fearless with this technique!  The tea tray and to-go Windows have marble counter tops using those wood bases from Michaels with the faux marbling technique. 

I did not cut all the wood at first. I started with floor, then sides, then doors and front. Then I measured the back after hinges were installed. 

I left the top open for play upstairs or a future apartment. Make sure to run a “support beam” across to prevent sagging!

I have attached pictures. Please forgive my messy garage!

This was a labor of love and I had such a great time with this project!! My daughter will be so surprised for Christmas! 

Thanks a million for putting these plans out there. It gave me the push I needed to get started. I went slowly and methodically, and now we have a family keepsake to show for the 30 hour project. Budget got derailed with my exuberance….but still spent less than the real thing!!. Plus my prices for wood were higher, probably due to location etc. Also helpful was my magpie tendency to keep items like spare knobs etc. 

best of luck and happy holidays!!

Yours truly,

Laura

I told you it was amazing!  Please leave any questions and compliments for Laura in the comments below.  Her finished product is just WOW!  I really like how she changed up the base floor.  There are so many creative things she implemented that I just can’t give enough praise!