KidKraft Annabelle Wooden Dollhouse with Elevator, Balcony and 17 Accessories, Gift for Ages 3+

My 5 year old wanted a Barbie house for Christmas but I wanted something sturdier than the standard plastic dream house. I settled on this and am so glad I did. I assembled it on my own in a couple hours on Christmas Eve. The directions weren’t the best but it was fairly simple to figure out. Don’t over tighten the smaller screw because I did on one spot and caused a minor split in a banister. Nothing structural though. The size is perfect for our needs. It’s taller than my average sized 5 year old and her 4 year old sister as well as wide enough for them to play side by side. It feels very sturdy although I would keep liquids away from it so pressed wood doesn’t swell.The only negatives I’ve found is 1) the elevator is initially crazy hard to move. I put some WD 40 in the slides and moved it up and down a few times and it loosened up enough for my daughter to be able to move it although with some struggle. I’m planning to try some wax and see if that helps too. She isn’t bothered by it however so I’m fine with it. 2) The house can be a bit dim and shadowy in the rooms. I am installing a few sets of fairy lights across the back of each of the ceiling levels though to brighten it up a bit. That wouldn’t be necessary but i thought it would be a nice addition.Overall a great purchase. I got it on sale so significantly cheaper than the traditional dream house and way better quality!

I was looking for a dollhouse that would fit my daughter's exploding Barbie collection but didn't want a plastic toy. I researched and read the other reviews - thank you so much to all the other reviewers. This was actually a last-minute purchase - I decided on this one when it was $99 and free shippping w/ Amazon Prime, I was able to order it on December 23rd and get it on the 24th w/ my $3.99 overnight shipping. My husband assembled it very easily in about an hour and a half. I took another reviewer's advice and greased the elevator shaft with vaseline before assembly and it works like a dream. We were not missing any pieces and the piece overall is fairly solid. Do use the wall brace to secure it, as it it very tall and somewhat heavy. We are going to use it to store the Barbie's in it when she is not playing with it, since it is so big. The colors are pretty and the trim (although the trim is plastic on the porch, the elevator door and the three trianular inserts on the first and second floors - see photo) is cut in very pretty designs. For what it is, a Barbie house that is not plastic with thin-ish MDF walls, I am pleased that the structural supports are thick-ish wood as is the staircase bannister. I wish the stairs were wood (they are the only large piece that is plastic)but the material only affects the asthetics, not the functionality. This was a fantastic last-minute purchase and I am very pleased with the pretty look, how solid it is, and the size (big enough for Barbie). My daughter was astonished when she pulled off the wrapping paper and kept saying: "It's beautiful, Mommy!" She is thrilled and I am delighted. Note: the instructions have you assemble it sideways, so be sure you keep an eye on the graphics and make sure you assemble it with the panels facing the correct way. Use the vaseline on the elevator before putting it together and definitely choose (you are given two options to affix the chandelier: through the pre-drilled hole in the roof or just with a velcro strip) to assemble the chandelier through the roof. Don't use the velcro type of assembly: the velcro doesn't hold and the chandelier will keep falling off. Since the chandelier is one of the prettiest pieces of this house, make sure it is secured so it stays on and keeps the house looking pretty!

This is a great "fashion doll" dollhouse for the price.[...]The dollhouse is over 3 feet tall with vibrant printed backgrounds. The wooden dollhouse furniture, which is included, is VERY well made! The dollhouse is only functional on three sides. The back is a plain white panel which makes it easy to put up against a wall. (No more dollhouses sticking out in the middle of the room in order for the child to access the whole house.) The push/pull elevator takes the cake. What child wouldn't love an elevator? The elevator takes some strength to move though. On the right side of the house, on the third floor is a darling balcony that really makes the house. COMPARED to ALL those "FAMOUS" Fashion Doll Dollhouses out there, you know the ones made in China, this is the best I've EVER come across. It doesn't have all the lights and sounds that they do, It's not featured in all those cute DVD movies, but it is what it is, a good quality product. It will last longer, and in my opinion, your child will like it better then those plastic ones anyways. Please give this house a chance.I HAD NO ISSUES WITH THIS HOUSE, but the following are things you may want to know.The only cons to this Annabelle Dollhouse are as follows:1.) The assembly took 2 people about 3 hours to finish, mostly due to errors in the directions and poorly labeled parts and hardware. (look more at the pictures on the box then the diagrams in the directions themselves) This is a more difficult project to endeavor, but as long as you have patience and time you'll do fine. *Don't wait till Christmas Eve "Eve" to assemble it like me and my husband did):)*The "wood" is really MDF with printed images on front and back. This type of material is very vulnerable to water damage. Make sure children do not use liquid near house. If a spill should occur be sure to wipe promptly, otherwise the material will bubble up and dry that way.2.) It is not portable, weighing about 40 pounds,or easy to store(if that's what you're looking for)3.) None of the background images are functional only for ascetics.THIS REALLY IS A NICE HOUSE! I've looked far and wide for a house for my daughter and have done a lot of research. Those plastic houses/castles/towers... have nothing on this house.

Whoever wrote the instructions should be fired, before we even got to the 3rd step we had to redo 3 times. It was very annoying. But the dollhouse itself is very sturdy.