Moving into our new house has been thrilling, but saying goodbye to the old place—and all the projects we left behind—was bittersweet. We couldn’t take everything with us: the penny tile backsplash, the deck, and, well, one item surprised us by making the trip after all.
Take a closer look at that tiny object on the mantel. What do we have here?
It’s a miniature replica of our fireplace—completely portable and yes, it did come with us to the new house. The piece was made by Lisa Harrold, a UK-based fine arts graduate who specializes in miniatures. As a creative exercise to keep her skills sharp, Lisa recreated our fireplace at a much smaller scale.
After finishing it, Lisa didn’t have a use for the tiny fireplace, so she offered to send it to us as a housewarming gift. We insisted on paying her for the piece and the shipping, and the miniature immediately became one of our favorite accessories in the new home. It doesn’t have a permanent spot yet—it’s a touch too big and delicate for Clara’s dollhouse—but it may find a place on the living room built-ins.
Photographing the craftsmanship was a challenge—the photos don’t fully capture Lisa’s attention to detail, but they give an idea of how meticulous the piece is. The tiny mantel, the scaled tiles, and the overall finish reflect the same care we put into our real fireplace, now preserved in miniature.
If the mini fireplace weren’t so charming, I might be tempted to film a monster movie where Burger smashes it Godzilla-style. That would require Burger to perfect his destructive monster face; at the moment his expressions are limited to “confused” and “where’s the treat you hid behind that tiny fireplace?”
For now, Burger is still focused on the treat, so the miniature is safe from annihilation.
We’re grateful to Lisa for creating such a thoughtful and meaningful keepsake. Having this tiny replica is a lovely, tangible reminder of the love and effort we poured into our old home. It might even inspire others to preserve memories of places they care about—Sherry is already thinking about ordering miniatures as gifts for friends and family.
We’re considering commissioning Lisa to recreate another detail from our first house. Sherry suggests the laundry nook would be adorable as a miniature, while I’m tempted to stick with the theme and have her miniaturize the living room fireplace. Either way, we love the idea of building a small collection of cherished spaces rendered in tiny, perfect detail.