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Origami houses are a fun, easy way to hone your skills without having to worry about a lot of complicated creases and folds. All you need is a piece of paper! Use your favorite color of origami paper to create a cute decoration that you can display around your own home!

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Forming the Walls

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  1. Grab a square colored sheet of origami paper that’s around 6 by 6 in (15 by 15 cm), which will work well for your project. Double-check that the colored portion of the paper is facing down, so your folds can be as accurate as possible. [1]
    • Any kind of square paper will work well for this. If you want to make a large origami house, consider using a larger piece of origami paper.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make an Origami House
    Check that the top and bottom edges of the paper are meeting one another so there’s an even crease going horizontally along the center of the paper. [2]
    • The colored side of the paper will be visible once you start folding it.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make an Origami House
    Fold the paper in half again, transforming the rectangle into a square. Crease along the sides of the square, then unfold the paper so it’s rectangular again. At this point, there will be 2 total creases on your origami paper. [3]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make an Origami House
    Take the right section of folded paper and fold it along the center, vertical crease. Crease along the edge to make a defined fold, then repeat the process with the left section of your origami paper. [4]
    • For this part of the process, just fold your paper into quarters.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Creating the Roof

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make an Origami House
    Pry open the upper left flap of your origami house, where the paper is folded into 2 layers. Separate these layers from one another, then press on this fold to create a distinctive triangle. You’ve now created half of the roof. [5]
    • Currently, you’re creating the back of your origami house.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make an Origami House
    Take the upper right flap on your origami house and separate the 2 layers of paper from one another. As you did before, press the upper crease into a triangle shape along the right side of your origami house, creating the other half of the roof. [6]
    • This part can be a little tricky. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a few tries before you get it right!
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make an Origami House
    Turn your origami paper so the newly formed triangles are face-down. At this point, look for a long, distinctive roof that’s separated from the lower section of the house. [7]
    • If you’d like, you can draw windows, doors, shingles, and other decorations on your house using a marker. [8]
  4. Set the house on a flat surface, like a table or countertop. With the bottom folds, your house can stand upright on most surfaces. Check that the 2 pressed triangles are facing backwards, and that the rest of the home is facing forward. [9]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Do I have to use square paper, or could I use some other piece of paper?
    Madeline Eberle
    Community Answer
    You have to have square paper or it won't work.
  • Question
    Can you make a life-sized one?
    Alex
    Top Answerer
    That won’t be possible to create by yourself. You would need extremely large sheets of paper and the help of many people, including experts. More or less, it’s impractical.
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      Warnings

      • Always use a square sheet of paper for this, or else your finished origami house might turn out lopsided or unbalanced.
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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about origami, check out our in-depth interview with Robert Homayoon .

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To make an origami house, first fold a square piece of paper in half twice. Unfold the second fold, then fold the short sides into the center crease. Next, unfold the upper left flap and press it down to form a triangle. Repeat with the upper right flap, and you're finished! Place your origami house upright on a flat surface to display it. For detailed step-by-step instructions with videos, keep reading!

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