Doll (18-inch) Cherry Garden Restaurant Booth

Last year I built doll houses for my daughter's 18 inch dolls. During that process I realized, that they enjoy making furniture and nicknacks for their dolls almost as much as playing with them. The three of us have made all kinds of things that we've found the instructions for on the internet. Couches, suite cases, fancy cakes, etc.

This is our first original project that we're making available to others to try.

This is a restaurant booth for 18 inch dolls, designed by my 5 and 9yo daughters for their Cherry Garden restaurant (which they are also designing). The booth seats two dolls. This original was created with cardboard seats and table. I am currently working on a 3D printed version, and I will post the templates once they are ready.

This is an "adult supervision required" kind of project. If you build this with your kids, you'll be doing most of the work. But that's good because I find that this is a great way to bond with them.

For the Cardboard & 3D printable version, you will need:
- a Scissors
- a Roll of Cherry & Checkered duct tape
- a Roll of Silver duct tape
- a Bottle of white acrylic craft paint
- a Bottle of red acrylic craft paint
- a Crafters paint tray
- Multiple sponge paint brushes (3 inch and 1 inch - at least one for each paint color)
- a Hot glue gun
- a Bag of hot glue sticks
- 11x9 inch green felt rectangles (x 2)

For Cardboard version you will need:
(Used USPS flat-rate boxes of various sizes are a good source of cardboard)
- 12 x 9 inch cardboard piece (x 2) - booth bench seat
- 6 1/2 x 9 inch cardboard piece (x 2) - booth bench back
- 6 x 6 inch cardboard piece (x 2) - booth bench end-cap
- 5 1/2 x 3 1/4 inch cardboard piece (x 2) - booth bench inner-support
- 5 x 8 inch cardboard piece (x 2) - booth seat pad form
- 3 x 8 inch cardboard piece (x 2) - booth back pad form
- 9 x 9 inch cardboard piece - table top
- 9 x 7 inch cardboard piece - table wall-support
- 7 x 3 inch cardboard piece (x 2) - table t-support
- Scoring knife (like exacto or carpet knife)
- 12 inch ruler
- pencil

Step 1: Cut Cardboard

Items Needed:
- Scissors
- All Cardboard
- 12 inch ruler
- pencil

Using your 12 inch ruler, pencil, and scissors, measure and cut the cardboard pieces needed. Used USPS flat-rate boxes of varying sizes fit these dimensions, but any cardboard will work as long as it's not bent and can be cut to size.

Items Created:
- 12 x 9 inch cardboard piece (x 2)
- 6 1/2 x 9 inch cardboard piece (x 2)
- 6 x 6 inch cardboard piece (x 2)
- 5 1/2 x 3 1/4 inch cardboard piece (x 2)
- 3 x 8 inch cardboard piece (x 2)
- 5 x 8 inch cardboard piece (x 2)
- 9 x 9 inch cardboard piece
- 9 x 7 inch cardboard piece
- 7 x 3 inch cardboard piece (x 2)

Step 2: Shape Booth Seats - 12 X 9 Cardboard

Items Needed:
- 12 x 9 inch cardboard piece (x 2) - created in Step 1
- 12 inch ruler
- Scoring Knife
- pencil

First you will need to shape the booth seats.

Take each of your 12 x9 cardboard pieces. 12 inches is the length, 9 inches is the width.

Measure 3 1/4 inches in from both ends of each piece, and draw a straight line across the width of the pieces at those two points.

Again using your ruler, and a scoring knife, score the cardboard along these two lines being careful not to cut all the way through.

Bend the each piece along the scored line, so that you have a chair-like piece that has a chair back (3-1/4 inches), a seat (5 1/2 inches), and leg (3 1/4 inches) that looks like a step.

Repeat this process so that you have two chair pieces.

Items Created:
- Step-shaped booth seat (x 2)

Step 3: Glue Booth Seat Backing

Items Needed:
- Step-shaped booth seat (x 2) - created in previous step
- 6-1/2 x 9 inch cardboard piece (x 2) - created in Step 1
- Hot glue gun
- Glue sticks (put glue stick in glue gun)

Using the hot glue gun, spread hot glue across the back of the top 3-1/2 inches of the chair pieces you created in the last step.

Quickly attach a 6-1/2 x 9 inch cardboard piece to the back of the chair piece so that the ends are flush with each other you just created in the last step. When completed, you should have a seat bench that has a profile shaped like lower-case 'h'.

The resulting bench should be 6-1/2 inches tall, 9 inches long, with a sitting depth of 5-1/2 inches.

Repeat so that you have two benches.

Items Created:
- H-shaped booth bench (x 2)

Step 4: Reinforce Booth Bench

Items Needed:
- H-shaped booth bench (x 2) - created in previous step.
- 3-1/4 x 5-1/2 cardboard piece (x 2) - created in Step 1
- Hot glue gun
- Hot glue stick (in hot glue gun)

To add bench support, use the glue gun to spread hot glue around the edges of a 3-1/4 (height) x 5-1/2 (seat width) inch cardboard piece. While glue is still hot, insert this cardboard piece into the underside of the seat beach so that this piece is centered along the length of the bench and is perpendicular to all the bench surfaces... and is flush with the bottom of the bench.

Items Created:
- Reinforced H-shaped booth bench (x 2)

Step 5: Booth Bench End-Caps

Items Needed:
- Reinforced booth bench (x 2) - created in previous step
- 6 x 6 inch cardboard piece (x 2) - created in Step 1
- Scissors
- 12 inch ruler
- pencil
- Hot glue gun
- Hot glue sticks (in glue gun)

Each booth bench is designed to be placed up against a wall. Because of this, only the end of the bench that is not against the wall needs to be finished. Each bench only needs a single end-cap.

Using your pencil and the ruler, draw the outline of your end-cap on a 6 x 6 inch piece of cardboard. Be sure that the seat depth is deeper than 5-1/2 inches, and the leading and trailing edges are at least 3-1/2 inches tall. The end-cap doesn't need to be as tall as the bench back. As seen in the photo above, we opted to put in an angled top, and went about 3-1/2 inches tall on the leading edge, and 6 inches tall on the trailing edge.

With your scissors, trim the end-cap as your drawing indicates.

Since your benches face each other, you will need to mirror the shape of the end-cap for your other bench. After you have drawn and trimmed your first end-cap piece, place it on-top of the 2nd 6x6 inch cardboard piece.

Using your pencil, trace the outline of the first onto the second piece. Trim the second cardboard piece with the scissors, and then flipped the second end-cap over so that its shape mirrors the first.

Put the two Reinforced booth benches on the table in front of you so that they face each other. Cover the non-wall edge of the reinforced bench with hot glue. While the glue is still hot, glue the appropriate end-cap to it, ensuring that the trailing edge of the end-cap is flush with the back of the bench, and that the bottoms of the bench and end-cap are flush with each other.

Do the same for the second bench, ENSURING that the benches are MIRROR images of each other.

Glue should dry quickly. Once dry, use the scissors to round off the top corners of both the leading edge of the end-cap, and the non-wall end of the bench back.

The booth benches are now ready for painting.

Items Created:
- Fully structured booth bench (x 2)

Step 6: Painting Booth Bench

Items Needed:
- Sponge paint brushes (1 inch and 3 inch)
- Crafter's paint tray
- a Bottle of red acrylic crafter's paint
- Fully structured booth bench (x 2) - created in the previous step

To get the look of the "Cherry Garden" restaurant, we chose our main colors to be red and green, with metallic highlights. There isn't much to this step other than painting the bench red. (If your kids are doing the painting, garbage bags make good paint smocks).

Start by squeezing red paint onto your crafter's paint tray. Dip the sponge brush into the paint on the tray. While holding the fully structured booth bench by the underside support piece, paint the entire exterior of the bench red.

Items Created:
- Painted booth bench (x 2)

Step 7: Safety Edging

Items Needed:
- a Roll of silver metallic duct tape
- Painted booth benches (x 2) - created in the previous step

Because the cardboard we have been using still has a bunch of rough edges, we add duct type to the sharp cardboard so that the kids won't get paper cuts when they play with the restaurant booth.

Start a horizontal tear at the end of the a strip of tape. The the tape down the length of the tape. The strip you create should be about 1/2 inch wide... maybe slightly less. Make the strip of tape as long or as short as you feel necessary to manage easily.

Apply the tape strips to booth edges so that half of the tape is one each side of the edge. We use silver metallic tape so that it looks decorative.

See images and video as to how it is suppose to look.

Items Created:
- Edged booth benches (x 2)

Step 8: Booth Bench Padding

Items Needed:
- Scissors
- 12 inch ruler
- 11 x 9 inch green felt (x 2)
- 5 x 8 inch cardboard (x 2) - created in Step 1
- 3 x 8 inch cardboard (x 2) - created in Step 1
- Edged booth bench (x 2) - created in the previous step
- Hot glue gun
- Hot glue sticks (inside glue gun)

Using your scissors and ruler, cut two rectangles of different sizes from the 11 x 9 sheet of green felt. The first rectangle should be 6 x 9 inches, the second should be 4 x 9 inches.

To create the seat pad for the bench, begin by laying the  5 x 8 inch cardboard piece on top of the 6 x 9 inch felt rectangle. Use the hot glue gun to apply hot glue to the flat surfaces near the edge of the cardboard. While glue is still hot (being careful not to burn your fingers), fold the felt so that the over lapping portion is pressed against the drying hot glue. Glue will dry fast!!! Once all four edges and corners are folded over and stick. Set the newly created bench seat padding off to the side.

To create the bench back pad, lay the 3 x 8 inch cardboard piece on top of the 4 x 9 inch felt rectangle. Following the procedure outlined above for the seat pad, glue the felt to the cardboard piece.

Next apply hot glue to the "seamed" side of the seat pad. While the glue is still hot (being careful not to burn your fingers), press the seat pad (glue/seamed side down) onto the bench seat.

Finally apply hot glue to the "seamed" side of the back pad. While the glue is still hot (being careful not to burn your fingers), press the seat pad (glue/seamed side toward back) against the "table-side" of the bench back.

Items Created:
3 x 8 inch booth bench back pad (x 2) - used in completed booth bench
5 x 8 inch booth bench seat pad (x 2) - used in completed booth bench
Completed booth bench (x 2)

Step 9: Create Table Top

Items Needed:
- 9 x 9 inch cardboard piece - created in Step 1
- 9 x 7 inch cardboard piece - created in Step 1
- Hot glue gun
- Hot glue sticks (inside glue gun)
- Scissors

Using the scissors, round-off two adjacent corners of the 9 x 9 cardboard piece. Set piece aside to be used later for the table top.

Using hot glue gun, apply hot glue along the length of a single 9 inch edge of the 9 x 7 inch cardboard piece (wall support).

While glue is still hot, press the flat surface of the edge of the table top piece (ie... the edge that lies between the non-rounded corners) against the glued edge of the 9 x 7 wall support, creating a 90 degree angle between the wall support and the table top. Hold until dry. Should dry quickly.

Items Created:
- Booth table with wall support

Step 10: Creating T-Support for Table

Items Needed:
- Scoring Knife
- 12 inch ruler
- pencil
- a Roll of silver metallic duct tape
- 7 x 3 inch cardboard piece (x 2) - created in Step 1
- Hot glue gun
- Hot glue sticks (inside glue gun)
- Booth table with wall support - created in the previous step

Using the ruler and pencil, mark the center line of each 2x7 inch cardboard piece.

Using the ruler and scoring knife, score each piece along the center line, careful to not cut through entirely.

Fold each of these cardboard pieces in half along the score line. Once folded in half, wrap the legs in silver metallic duct tape.

Using the glue gun, apply hot glue to one of the end edges of one table leg. Glue will dry quickly. While the glue is still hot, align the end edge so that it is parallel to the longest length of the other table leg, yet perpendicular to the flat surface of the other leg. While glue is still hot, press the glue-end edge of leg one to the flat surface of leg two centered between the end edges of leg two.

The result of gluing leg one to leg two should be a support structure shaped like a "T".

Align the T-support structure to the center underside center of the "table-top/wall-support" structure so that the top of leg two is butted up against the underside surface of the table-top seven inches out from the wall support. If this is done, the unglued end edge of leg one should be butted up against the table-side surface of the wall support, centered half-way between the bottom and the top of the wall support.

Apply glue to the top edge of table leg two and the unattached edge of table leg one, and glue them into their appropriate places according the the alignment outlined above.

Paint the table side surface of the wall support white. Paint the underside of the the table top white. Do not paint the T-Support.

Items Created:
- T-Support for Table Top - part of the painted reinforced booth table
- Painted reinforced booth table

Step 11: Adding Cherry & Checkered Duct Tape Table Cloth

Items Needed:
- Painted reinforced booth table - created in the previous step
- a Roll of Cherry & Checkered duct tape
- Scissors

Everything is now done except for the table cloth for our Cherry Garden restaurant booth set.

Place the booth table in front of you with the rounded corners side closest to you.

Carefully pull multiple full-width, 10 inch strips of cherry/checkered duct tape from the role as you need them. The length of the strips does not have to be exactly the same, but they should be relatively close, and their must be some overhang on the side and front edges. The over hang should not exceed the width of the tape. You may have to pull more than 10 inches from the role, and cut off excess with a scissors as you go.

Starting on the left-hand side of the table, put down your first strip of duct tape. The first strip should have about 1/2 inch of tape hanging over the back, left, and front edges of the table. Press down this overage on the back of the table, but do not fold the excess tape under the left and front edges. Instead just crease the tape so that the excess hangs down at a 90 degree angle.

Continue to pull additional 10 inch strips of duct tape as you need them. Butt the left edge of each new strip up against the right edge of the last strip applied to the top of the table. Do not overlap them. If you wish to match the pattern, move the strip toward or away from you in order to get the best image alignment.

Keep adding strips of duct tape until you reach the right edge of the table. The final strip should have about 1/2 inch of tape hanging over the back, right, and front of the table. The right edge of the last strip might need to be trimmed slightly on it's right edge if the amount of overhang is close to the fully width of the strip, but most likely it won't.

Be sure the press down the overlap at the back, but not the sides. The sides should just be creased (in the same manner as the first strip applied) so that the excess tape hangs over the three edges at 90 degrees.

The last thing you'll need to do is pull a strip to run as a border around the entire circumference of the table top. the strip should begin just around the back of the wall support on the left side. The upper edge of the tape should be flush with the top of the table. The tape should stick to the overhang. You may need to use multiple strips to manage the tape as you move around the circumference of the table.

Following this technique should give your child's CG booth table the appearance of a nicely laid out table cloth. The bottom edge should be uniform, and the rounded table corners should appear smooth.

Items Created:
- Cherry & Checkered duct tape table cloth (part of the Cherry Garden restaurant booth set)
- Cherry Garden restaurant booth!!! - It's all done!!!

Step 12: Play Restaurant!!!

Last step, grab the 18 inch dolls of your choice, and have fun playing restaurant!!!