PHOTOGRAPHY BY

JOHN SOBCZAK

0 nee upon a time, in a
pocket-sized manor on
the shores of a shimmer-
ing lake, two little
princesses sat down to tea with
their dollies.
The tea party hostesses were
Helene and Jocelyn Deutch, ages 4
and 18 months. They treated their
guests to bite-size Oreo cookies
served on porcelain dessert plates,
and they sipped imaginary tea from
tiny china cups.
The occasion marked the one-
year anniversary of the completion
of their fairytale playhouse, a spe-
cial gift designed for them by their
dad, Martin Deutch.
"We saw the playhouses built at
the Somerset Collection last year
for their garden show, and Helene
fell in love with them," recalls the
girls' mom, Jacqueline. They visit-
ed the houses frequently, and when
Helene begged, "You have to come
see, Daddy," he decided to grant
. her wish to have her own backyard
NOM retreat.
Deutch sent builder Bob
Maynard out to Somerset to see the
Dominick Tringali-designed play-
houses, then sat down with him to
design a similar structure. The
result is a custom miniature home,
built to scale with a two-story
facade, a cedar shake roof and win-
dow boxes filled with colorful impa-
tiens.
Inside, Berber carpet covers the
floor and a canvas depicting a castle
scene stretches across one wall.
Durable play furniture mixes with
antique doll furniture, including a
hutch, a highchair, a crib and an
upholstered armchair.
"On summer days, all the neigh-
borhood children come to our yard
to play in the house," says Deutch.
"It's a wonderful gathering spot."
As for Helene, who loves her lit-
tle castle almost as much as she
adores her best friend Samantha,
entertaining her dolls and her sister
is definitely her cup of tea. "We're
all princesses," she says, placing a
plastic petit four on a pretty china
plate.
—L inda Bachrack

•

Above: Helene and

Jocelyn Deutch

take tea.

Left: Jacqueline and

Martin Deutch play

house with their

children.

\"I

'I1E JN • AUGUST 2001 •

7