Episode 13: Kate Davenport Hilgenberg
In this episode of Tiny Worlds, Big Stories, I sit down with miniature artist Kate Davenport Hilgenberg— a retired interior designer whose dollhouses feel so real, you’ll question your eyesight.
Kate shares how her journey began with a small black suitcase filled with “little fiddly things,” a father who was a meticulous builder, and a dollhouse rescued from the attic for her granddaughters. One magical moment — LED lights glowing inside a handmade cabinet dollhouse — changed everything.
We talk about:
• How her background in interior design shapes every build
• Why she redraws floor plans like a real contractor
• The perfectionism behind her Clue room series
• Learning laser cutters and 3D printing in her 70s
• Shipping disasters (including a Santorini house lost in transit)
• Why photographing your work reveals the gaps
• The emotional healing power of miniatures
Kate’s Adobe house, Hawaiian beach house, Storm Cove, and Clue rooms show an extraordinary attention to detail — from scratch-built cabinetry to 200 individually wrapped miniature books.
If you love miniatures, craftsmanship, or the magic of small things, this conversation is for you.
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