1: 144 Scale French Townhouse

This is a new French townhouse kit that I just finished by Keith Bougourd. He has once again done an absolutely beautiful job interpreting a 1: 1 design into 1: 144 scale. He tells me he will start offering the kit for sale in March, 2012. www.small-time.com/

Several months ago I wrote to Keith and asked him when we could expect a new 1: 144 scale house kit. He wrote back and told me he was looking in books for a new Georgian design. I was excited because I loved working on his last 1:44 scale kit.

I spent the next three nights scouring the Internet looking for something that might tempt him... but I was looking at French townhouses. I thought if I could find one that could be constructed basically the same way as his last kit was, he might like the idea of a French house. I was looking for one that would open from the front and was full of architectural charm. Finally, I found something I thought he might like and lend it self to his 'style use' of building materials and construction (he uses wood and photo etched brass). It was the end wing of a hotel, Chateaubriand in Saint-Malo France. I knew if he liked it....Keith had the skill, talent and the vision to make it into a townhouse.


He was so nice during the process! He sent me his drawings and several pictures while he was developing the kit. I was thrilled to bits he shared this with me.

Thank you so much Keith!!!!!!! I am sure you are aware of how much I LOVE the house!!!

Keith also knows I enjoy making changes to kits to make them my own. That is part of the fun putting together kits. For this house I cut up tiny elements of brass findings using a jewelers saw. I wanted to add three dimensional architectural additions to the windows and capitals. Added to those elements were a few 1/2 mm no hole beads. I found an art nouveau brass fence in my local model train shop and used it on the house, just for something different. The townhouse has a closed attic room. Because I was adding LED lights to the other three floors, I cut sections out of the roof so that light would shine through the windows on the fourth floor.

Here is the French Townhouse assembled and finished by Keith. Lovely, just as it is!