Sylvanian Kids' Bedroom Furniture! (3D Printed Tinkercad Project)

So I set myself a bit of a challenge recently to learn more about 3D design - I've been using Tinkercad, picking a room and trying to create a full set of furniture to scale with Sylvanian Families (Calico Critters), mostly just because they're adorable but also because all the furniture you can buy is a bit samey and I thought a bit of variety might be nice!
I'll pop a link here to the project in case you want to make any adjustments or play around with it! I won't be going into the design process here but let me know if you do want to know how anything was designed!

As always, I've made everything as easy to print as possible with no need for supports so it should be a good project for even a beginner to 3D printing - I painted my models however the pieces were designed so you could achieve the same look with filament changes if you prefer and I'll include instructions for both! :)

If you're painting, I recommend priming your printed parts first - you might be able to get away with it depending on your filament (I was lazy and didn't prime as I only have grey primer and didn't fancy repainting everything white afterwards! You'll probably notice a few places where colours ran or didn't stick as a result!)

Also like my other sets, I tried to make a variety of models so you can do your own thing with layouts etc. - with that in mind, I realise you may not want to make everything here so I'll do a step for each model which will include the stls and instructions with links here and I'll pop a link back to here at the bottom of each step too!

• Bed 1/2 - Frame and Mattress
• Bed 2/2 - Covers
• Bedside Table and Lamp
• Wardrobe 1/2 - Print (and Paint)
• Wardrobe 2/2 - Build
• Drawers
• Chair
• Shelves Storage Baskets and Books

• Drawing

If you're interested in more models, I've also made a modular kitchen, a dining set (this one includes the design process) and a grandfather clock!

• 3D printer
• Filament - I used Filamentive White PLA
• For the colours: Variety of Filaments OR Paints/Markers
• Optional but Recommended: Hand/Hobby Drill
• Optional but Recommended if Painting: Primer Filler and Top Coat

For the bed cover:

• 25cm x 25cm piece of paper or fabric (I used origami paper as it had a nice pattern)
• Glue or Tape
• Iron if using fabric

Let's start with the obvious - the bed!

The bed is probably the most complex part so we'll get that out of the way first! It's made up of 3 pieces, 2 are printed which we'll work on in this step, and the other we'll make out of paper or fabric in the next step.

(I'll be repeating this next bit in every step, just in case anyone isn't going through in order)
To print, just grab the 2 stls below and slice and print as you usually would - I don't like to give out settings etc. as printers vary so much but these pieces should come out just fine with your usual settings and no supports as they both have flat bases and no overhangs.

The Mattress can just be printed as is or you could add a filament change or paint it if you want the pillows to be a different colour!

For the Bed Frame:

If you want to achieve the striped look using filament, you'll need to add some filament changes - there's a screenshot above of PrusaSlicer showing exactly where these changes need to happen but check out this tutorial if you get stuck - I'm happy to help too so give me a shout if you need a hand with this!

If you want to print and paint:

For a super easy option you can just use paint markers or Sharpie to colour in each slat!

I used a wet brush with acrylic paints and applied a few thin layers of each colour - it gives a streaky look which, combined with the print lines, actually gives a pretty good (and easy) wood effect - don't worry if you go outside the lines a little either, you can neaten it up once it's dried and it just makes it look more like natural wood anyway!

Optional extra step: I'd recommend applying a top coat like this so your paint/marker doesn't chip or transfer - hairspray can work short term but use a light coat applied from a distance or it may affect your paint/marker!!

Once you're happy with the paint, we can move on to making the covers!

Click here to jump back to the intro!

We have a bed! But it doesn't look very cosy yet... let's add some covers!

I'll be using a piece of 25cm x 25cm origami paper (it's just what I had available) but you can just use plain paper cut to the same size, or you could even draw or print your own design! Ideally I'd use fabric if you can though - it'll last longer and look more realistic.

I've written the steps out below but I think it reads as a bit more complicated than it is so I've taken a picture of every step and marked the measurements etc. in them as well so hopefully between the photos and steps it should be nice and easy to follow!!

• First, with your material pattern side down, make a fold 45mm from the top
• With the material still folded, turn it over and make a second fold, 15mm from the top - this will make it look like the blanket is folded over and give a nice strong edge!
• Turn your material back over and make 2 further folds 40mm from each side - once you've made a crease in the material, unfold it again
• Make a fold 30mm from the bottom and, same as in the last step, make the crease and unfold.
• Cut along the two vertical creases running from the bottom of your material until you reach the horizontal crease you just made
• Folding along the creases you already made, pull the 2 tabs you just cut inwards and glue/tape them in place - you should have something box-like starting to form.
• Measure 20mm from the bottom of your box along both corners and make a mark
• Cut along both corners until you meet your marks from the last step then fold each face of your material from that point
• Slide your boxy shape over the mattress you printed and tape/glue each flap you folded in the last step to the base of the mattress

That's it, now you can just slide your figures under the covers and pop your mattress onto the bed base!

Click here to jump back to the intro!

If you're working your way through this in order, you'll be glad to hear both the bedside table and lamp are much less of a process than the bed was! :)

First things first, just grab the 3 stls below, slice and print!

In case you're not working through these in order, I'm going to repeat this bit in every step! I don't like to give out settings etc. as printers vary so much but you should be fine to print any of these pieces using your usual settings with no supports as they all have flat bases and no overhangs.

The Bedside Table should be pretty straightforward - it prints in one piece and you don't need to paint anything!

For the Lamp, you will need to print it in 2 parts and I chose to paint mine too so I'll give you a quick rundown of how I did that!

Firstly, I gave the Lamp Base a very quick coat of silver acrylic so it would stand out against the white table but you could just print it in a different colour if you prefer!

To achieve the effect on the Lamp Shade:

• I took a clean paintbrush and wet the outside of the shade just with water
• I then took small amounts of various colours of acrylic and just dabbed them on - the water makes the colours spread and blend into each other
• I then just used a clean, dry brush to remove the paint in places and add some streaks.
• Finally, I gave the indent in the top of the lamp shade a quick coat with some thinned down yellow so it looks like it's lit from within

Once painted and dry, just pop a small dab of glue on the top of the base and slot the shade on top!!

Click here to jump back to the intro!

Now we'll make the Wardrobe!

As with every other step, first thing to do is print the stls I've provided below - you'll need one of each 3!

As before, just in case you're not working through these in order, I'm going to repeat this bit in every step! I don't like to give out settings etc. as printers vary so much but you should be fine to print any of these pieces using your usual settings with no supports as they all have flat bases and no overhangs.

Same as with the bed, you can achieve the multi coloured look with filament changes - I've included a screenshot of PrusaSlicer showing exactly where you'd need to do each filament change above and I've included CHEP's brilliant guide in case anyone needs it too!

I don't have enough different colours of filament so painted mine :)

To achieve the same look as I did, you'll need 4 shades of acrylic.

• Paint each ring in the door in a different colour - it should be quite easy as the rings are indented into the door
• If you do get any paint outside the lines (like I did) just grab a cotton bud and clean it up while still wet
  • If that doesn't work use a little isopropanol (I'm guessing most people with a printer have some for cleaning the print bed - if you don't, I strongly recommend it!)

Once you're happy with the paint job and everything's dry we just need to attach the doors to the body of the Wardrobe so carry on to the next step :)

Click here to jump back to the intro!

So, let's add some doors!

As I like my projects to be accessible to hobby printers (like me) I like to avoid using extra hardware like hinges etc - we'll be using filament for the hinge!

• If you have a hobby drill, I recommend using a 1.8-2mm bit just to clean up the holes in the Wardrobe and Doors before doing anything else.
• Take one Door and place it in position (with the handle near the centre of the wardrobe) - there's a lip inside the wardrobe that should hold it roughly in place.
• Cut a length of filament and pass it through the hole in the bottom of the wardrobe, through the hole in the door and out the hole in the top of the wardrobe.
• Trim away any excess
• Repeat for the other door.

Once you've got your doors in place, that's your wardrobe built!

As an optional extra, if you do have any wire, it's very easy to make a little coat hanger or 2 to go inside your wardrobe:

• Take a straight piece of wire
• Make 2 bends in it so you have a triangle
• Twist the 2 open ends together
• Bend one end to form the hook
• Trim away any excess on the other end

Click here to jump back to the intro!

Time to make some Drawers - this one's nice and simple!

As with every other step, first thing to do is print the stls I've provided below - you'll need the Back, 3 Large Drawers and 2 Small Drawers!

As before, just in case you're not working through these in order, I'm going to repeat this bit in every step! I don't like to give out settings etc. as printers vary so much but you should be fine to print all of these pieces using your usual settings with no supports as they all have flat bases and no overhangs.

To get the colourful effect, you can just print each drawer using a different colour of filament

OR

You can paint the front of each drawer like I did:

I used the same technique as on the bed slats - using a wet brush with acrylic paints I applied a few thin layers of acrylic to each drawer - it gives a streaky look which, combined with the print lines, actually gives a pretty good (and easy) wood effect!

Click here to jump back to the intro!

Next up I wanted to make some fun chairs! I couldn't decide between beanbags and egg chairs so went for something in between and I think they came out quite sweet!

This is another nice, simple one!

Go ahead and grab the stl below, slice and print!

As before, just in case you're not working through these in order, I'm going to repeat this bit in every step! I don't like to give out settings etc. as printers vary so much but you should be fine to print this model using your usual settings with no supports as it has a flat base and no overhangs.

Not sure you'll need a detailed step-by-step for the painting on this one - simply colour the inside of the seat with acrylic paint/markers once printed!

Click here to jump back to the intro!

We've got pretty much all of the kid's room basics already but I wanted to add a few extra bits so in this step we'll make a simple set of shelves and some storage baskets and books to put on them!

Same again, first thing to do is print the stls I've provided below - you'll find a file for the Shelves and then there's a Basket and 2 stls for the books, one for a single book and one for a stack of 3!

As before, just in case you're not working through these in order, I'm going to repeat this bit in every step! I don't like to give out settings etc. as printers vary so much but you should be fine to print all of these pieces using your usual settings with no supports as they all have flat bases and no overhangs.

We don't really need a step for the shelves as they're good to go once printed!

So, let's start with the Basket - they fit perfectly on the shelves or bedside tables!

• You can use paint or marker for these (I used paint on the purple/green one and the pink/blue is done with Sharpie)
• Work your way around your basket and colour each vertical part of the weave pattern in one colour
• Once dry, repeat for the horizontal weave using a different colour

For the Books:

There are 2 files here but the painting process is pretty much the same for both of them

You have 2 options

You can either print in colour and paint the pages white

OR

You can print in white and paint the cover (as I did)

Remember, if you get paint somewhere you don't want it, just grab a cotton bud and wipe it up while still wet or use a little isopropanol if that doesn't work!

Click here to jump back to the intro!

The final model is probably my favourite! I think it's really sweet and I'm actually going to show you how to make your own in Tinkercad as well because it was so easy and good fun - I think it'd be a great thing to do with kids so they can have their own tiny piece of art!

If you just want to print my design then just grab the stl and skip the Tinkercad Steps :)

Tinkercad Steps:

• Firstly you'll want to make yourself a base by placing a square shape and resizing it to the size you want your art to be
• If you want there to be a frame, just pop a square hole in the centre of your base and raise it at least 2mm from the work plane before grouping both objects
• Next we'll make the drawing - add a scribble on top of your frame and have fun making your artwork!
• Click done when you're happy and shuffle/resize/duplicate your scribble until you're happy with the layout
• I made my scribble 1mm shorter than the frame so it would sit back a little - this also means you could use a filament change to print the picture in a different colour to the background and frame!

Once you're happy with your design let's print!

As with every other step, just in case you're not working through these in order, I'm going to repeat this bit! I don't like to give out settings etc. as printers vary so much but you should be fine to print this piece using your usual settings with no supports as it has a flat base and no overhangs.

If you're doing the colours with filament changes, it may be a little different if you're using your own design but there's a screenshot above showing where the filament changes need to happen for my design and here's CHEP's tutorial again in case anyone needs it!

If you want to have more than one colour in your drawing, you can colour/paint it like I did -I just used sharpie to run over the top of the drawing - nice and simple but pretty effective!

Click here to jump back to the intro!

I hope you all enjoyed reading about/ making this as much as I enjoyed designing it :)

Thanks for checking this out!

Please let me know if you have a go, I'd love to see what people do with this!!

If there's anything you think I've missed or that you'd like to see made, give me a shout in the comments too - I'm always looking for ways to improve and new things to make!!

If you're looking for more Sylvanian Furniture, I have a few other Instructables Here:

Dining Room (With Tinkercad Tutorial)

Kitchen

Grandfather Clock

I also have a whole bunch of 3D printing tutorials and always aim to be beginner friendly so check those out too if you like! :)