Miniature Mystery: Inside a CLUE-Inspired Series of Room Boxes

Some miniature projects stop you mid-scroll—not because they’re flashy, but because they tap into something deeper. Memory. Nostalgia. A shared cultural moment. That’s exactly the case with this ongoing series of miniature rooms inspired by the classic board game CLUE (or Cluedo outside North America), created by a Kate Davenport Hilgenberg, a 1:12 scale home builder and interior designer from Victoria, Minnesota maker whose love of miniatures spans generations.

Follow Kate

“I have always loved miniatures for as long as I can remember,” she explains. “My father built me a dollhouse when I was a child in the early 1960s—and I can still see him cutting little vinyl tiles into 1-inch squares to tile the kitchen and bathroom.”

Those early memories didn’t just spark a lifelong affection; they became foundational. Decades later, when she restored that same childhood dollhouse, she built the redesign around those original tiles, preserving the quiet handiwork of her father as part of the story. It’s a sentiment that carries through all of her work—miniatures as memory-keepers, not just objects.

From Family Play to Serious Practice

Like many collectors and makers, her return to miniatures was gradual and deeply personal. The dollhouse resurfaced again when her own daughter was young, then disappeared into attics over the years—until grandchildren entered the picture. “I discovered they needed something with non-breakable furnishings, so I set out to create a dollhouse for them,” she says. “I purchased a bunch of Greenleaf punch-out furniture kits, designed a life-size bedside cabinet with doors—which my husband built—and I turned it into a dollhouse. That was it; I was hooked.”

In the fourteen years since, she has completed 25 miniature projects, each one refining her skills and expanding her ambitions. The addition of modern tools—specifically a 3D printer and a laser cutter—marked a turning point.

“The addition of a 3D printer and a laser cutter to my arsenal was game-changing,” she notes. “My goal has always been to make as much as I could for my projects, and with the help of technology, I am now able to make everything in a project—which is very satisfying.”

An Interior Designer’s Eye, in Miniature

With a degree in Interior Design and a minor in Art, followed by years working in related fields and 15 years as a professional home stager, this maker brings a practiced eye to composition, color, and spatial storytelling. “I enjoy building, crafting, and design, so this hobby checks all the boxes for me,” she says simply.

That background is evident in the CLUE rooms—not as literal replicas, but as atmospheric interpretations that feel lived-in, cinematic, and deliberate.

The Birth of the CLUE Rooms

The idea for the series came unexpectedly, sparked by a vintage birdcage purchased on Marketplace. “I was planning on creating a Conservatory,” she explains. “While working on it, I was reminded of one of my favorite childhood board games, Clue. I loved the mystery aspect of the game—but I was even more enthralled with the rooms and their exotic-sounding names.”

In the game, players navigate a mansion made up of nine rooms, six suspects, and six weapons, attempting to solve a murder by deduction. Before even finishing the Conservatory, she committed to the full vision. “Before completing the Conservatory, I decided to keep going and make all nine Clue rooms.”

Each room box shares a consistent footprint—12 x 18 inches with a 24-inch height, determined by the cutting bed of her laser cutter—and each includes a hidden weapon, placed “in plain sight,” waiting to be discovered by the viewer. “The designs are my interpretations of the rooms featured on the board,” she notes, emphasizing interpretation over replication.

A Snapshot of an Era

Unlike many contemporary miniatures, these rooms don’t rely on working lights or moving parts—and that choice is entirely intentional. “My goal is to create essentially a 3D snapshot of a space and an era,” she explains. “Although I admire miniaturists who make wonderful functioning pieces, that’s not what I do.” Because the rooms are dark and moody in palette, she opted against solid ceilings, instead using open beams—a practical decision that became an aesthetic strength. “I’m very pleased with that workaround,” she adds.

Materials & Making

The construction is as thoughtful as the concept:

• MDF structures, designed and laser-cut

• PLA filament for 3D-printed furnishings

• Mat board for select trim

• Rugs printed on velvet paper using an inkjet printer

• Hand-sewn pillows from fabric

The result is a cohesive body of work that feels tactile, architectural, and quietly immersive.

What Comes Next?

Five rooms remain: the Library (currently in progress), followed by the Study, Lounge, Kitchen, and Ballroom. The Library is expected to be completed mid-February.

As for the future of the collection? “I’m not quite sure what I will do with the Clue Rooms once they are completed,” she says. “Although I’ve been asked about selling them, I won’t decide anything until the collection is complete.”

Whatever comes next—perhaps something more modern—the CLUE rooms already stand as a compelling example of how miniatures can merge personal history, pop culture, and fine design into something entirely new. And if you find yourself peering into one of these rooms, searching for the hidden weapon, don’t be surprised if you also find yourself searching your own memories—of game nights, family tables, and the quiet thrill of mystery.

Follow Kate's Clue room box project journey and all her miniature projects at Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davenport1_12construction/

# # #

Written by Darren Scala with the help of AI technology!