You may have read about fairy houses — those magical miniatures tucked in backyard gardens or in the Maine woods — but what are the poor indoor fairies to do? Wee fairy doors offer a fun indoor alternative that can easily tuck into any room in the house.
The Basics of Adding a Fairy Door
Installing a fairy door is surprisingly simple. All you need is a dollhouse door kit (readily available at craft stores) and craft glue.
Not sure you want the fairy door to be a permanent fixture? Attach it with mounting putty or removable tape instead.
If you have baseboards, simply install your fairy door above the baseboard, as shown here.
Personalizing Your Fairy Door
Hang a wee sign. If you’re feeling crafty, try your hand at painting your own miniature sign to welcome the fairies, and attach it to the door using craft glue. It doesn’t have to be fancy — this door and sign are made of popsicle sticks, and the doorknob is a button. If you’re not in the mood for a DIY project, ready-made miniature accessories abound at hobby shops and miniature specialty stores.
Find miniatures and fairy doorsAdd a petite flowerpot. A tiny topiary or pot of flowers would make a charming addition to any fairy door. Using the style of the fairy door and accessories to mirror your own (big) home’s style is a nice touch, so why not choose mini planters similar to what you would put on your own front porch?
Paint it a fun color. Just because the door you chose out of the box is plain beige doesn’t mean you can’t give it a little personality. Just as you would with a new full-size door, do any painting before you hang it up and apply hardware to be sure every bit is covered (and no stray paint ends up on your wall).
Add a miniature window. Want to take it a step further? Add a dollhouse window to the wall above the door. Just know that since the window won’t actually be looking out on anything, you’ll need to line the glass to give the illusion of curtains. And because the window will be sitting flush against the wall, there isn’t much room for an actual fabric curtain. Try lining the glass with a bit of leftover wallpaper, scrapbooking paper or even an image of curtains printed on copy paper.
Where to Put Your Fairy Door
In a child’s room. Children have a natural sense of wonder and are delighted by all things that suggest magic may be afoot.
If you’re moving to a new home, adding a secret fairy door can be a special touch that helps your child get excited about his or her new space.
Tucked into a nonworking fireplace. Instead of filling your nonworking fireplace with potted plants or candles, give it a new purpose … as imaginary portal to the fairy world.
And while this fairy door is in a child’s room, you could easily adapt it (minus the butterfly decals, perhaps) to fit into a more grown-up space.
Suspended on the wall. The fairy door in this space is actually a sculpture by artist Guillaume Lachapelle, but the placement and the addition of a tiny staircase are both ideas that would translate well to a DIY fairy door installation.
Miniature staircases and ladders are readily available in hobby stores and make a charming touch whether your fairy door is positioned near the floor or halfway up the wall.
See more of this Montreal home
In the garden. Although these examples are here to show that fairy doors deserve a spot inside the house, there’s nothing stopping you from putting one outdoors too. A door affixed to — or in this case, cut out of — a garden gate or fence makes a delightful addition to the yard that’s sure to spark conversation with the neighbors. According to the builder’s notes on this Washington, D.C.-area project, “Cats are permitted as well.”
Your turn: Show us your magical miniature door in the Comments!
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Usually found right above or on a baseboard, these wee doors have captured imaginations of both young and old. According to fairy researcher Jonathan Wright, these passageways help displaced woodland and forest fairies find a new home.
What is the fairy door tradition? ›
A fairy door is a miniature door, usually set into the base of a tree, behind which may be small spaces where people can leave notes, wishes, or gifts for the "fairies".
What do you do with a fairy door? ›
Traditional fairy doors are fixed onto the base of a tree as a fun folklore gesture that creates the ability for fairies to cross in and out of our world. Children are delighted to find them and sometimes even leave little gifts.
What attracts fairies to your house? ›
Rocks—fairies are attracted to all kinds of shiny stones like agate, quartz, or crystal. Use them to decorate your garden and give the little ones a place to sit.
How to find fairy in your house? ›
Leave offerings: Fairies are said to appreciate gifts and offerings. Leave small trinkets like crystals, shells, or pretty stones around your home or garden as a sign of goodwill. Create a fairy circle: A fairy circle is a ring of mushrooms that is said to be a portal to the fairy world.
How do I make a secret door in my house? ›
Flush doors: Install doors that are flush with your wall, requiring a push or even a secret hidden switch in order to open. When using a door that is flush with your wall as an entrance to your secret room, you can also install invisible hinges to help keep your door even more hidden and out of plain sight.
What state has fairy doors? ›
The Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor are a series of small doors that are a type of installation art found in the city of Ann Arbor in the U.S. state of Michigan. The first one appeared in the baseboards of the home of Jonathan and Kathleen Wright in 1993.
What are pagan fairy beliefs? ›
In modern Pagan/ Witchen folklore, fairies are spiritual helpers, healers, and nature spirits who offer evidence of an enchanted world and warn of environmental destruction.
What happens when you enter a fairy ring? ›
Numerous legends focus on mortals entering a fairy ring—and the consequences. One superstition is that anyone who steps into an empty fairy ring will die at a young age. A 20th-century tradition from Somerset calls the fairy ring a "galley-trap" and says that a murderer or thief who walks in the ring will be hanged.
Where is the best place to put a fairy door? ›
In a tree: One of the most popular places to put a fairy door is in a tree. Look for a tree with a hollow or a knot hole that could serve as the entrance for the fairies. Place the door at eye level, and make sure it is visible from a path or a seating area.
Glue a button onto the lolly stick door as a door handle and paint a little keyhole beneath it. Allow to dry. Cut away the excess cardboard from around your fairy door (very young kids may need help to do this). Stick in your chosen place and wait for the fairies to come knocking.
What do the fairies do in the house? ›
Such fairies can become dangerous if humans build on their homes. Often these fairies will act like poltergeists, pinching people in their sleep, breaking things, etc. In some places the spirits of elder trees might were known to drink the blood out of the breasts of people who build a home using their tree.
What houses do fairies live in? ›
Traditionally, Fairies can live in your house, your garden, in a flower pot or even a tree but being such adaptable beings, they can live practically anywhere that takes their fancy. Fairies typically have rather large families, often ten or more children spread over fifty years or so.
What city has fairy doors? ›
The Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor are a series of small doors that are a type of installation art found in the city of Ann Arbor in the U.S. state of Michigan.
