Review: 41094 Heartlake Lighthouse

Heartlake City finally gets a brick-built Lighthouse everyone can build & enjoy! No matter the weather - sun or fog, an Ice Cream from Kate's shop at the base of the Lighthouse is a fun outing. Stephanie visits for some photography, nature, exploring, and a sweet treat for boat rowing energy!
Let's see just how strong this Heartlake Lighthouse will be against coastal winds.

The FriendsBricks community wishes to thank TLG’s CEE Team for generous support of this set to review and share with fans.


Box Art: Front

Box Art: Back


Box Contents: 4 Bags, 2 Instructions Booklets, Baseplate, and Sticker sheet


Bag 1 Contents:

Rowing Boat 5X14X2 1/3 (Light Purple) is also in Ariel's Magical Kiss (41052) showing up in sets since 2004 in colors of: Reddish Brown, Orange Brown, Blue, and Black.
First sets were 2004 Treasure Island (7071) and then in 2005 Viking Boat Against the Wyvern Dragon (7016) and Castle: Knights Kingdom II's Dark Fortress Landing (8802).
Super cute Seal (as with all Friends animals, images online do not convey how adorable they are until they are sitting in front of you) is the same Seal as animal foil pack Seal on a Rock (41047) yet with a different rock formation. Perhaps the Aqua blue colors in that small set conflicted too much with the Medium Azure baseplate (water) and the Medium Blue bricks used in the Ice Cream Shop construction. I have found blues to be a bit fickle when attempting to combine several hues. However, using Medium Blue for a seaside building here makes sense, since it's the same color used to build the Creator Seaside House (7346).
Note: a fan could totally get the 'blues' when trying to
research and distinguish TLG's array of blue bricks ... thank you very Maersk ;-)


We get to build the minidolls with their gear first, the boat and equipment (the oar grips are a part called Shaft with Cored Knob, also used as nunchucks by Ninjas) and Seal's rocky perch -- which gives us a chance to play as we build. Stephanie's green horizontal striped top is the same as
Olivia wore in the Summer Caravan (41034). Kate's top is the same worn by Andrea in Heartlake City Pool (41008).


The rest of bag 1 builds the base.


Parts of inner bag. New trans-violet sunglasses! New to 2015 pink hair flower design - I love it!


Everything bag 1 builds.  Before you get itchy brain looking at that base -- look below ...


The base top finishes of with Tan plates we get next in Bag 2 (and now you know the bathroom gets built first; yellow & white tiled floor and the toilet is a Dome 2x2, Inverted with One Stud in white with nice green & pink decor).


So, to catch up, here are the parts in bag 2 that we start with right away.  New color for a brick for 2015 are the pink (light purple) 2X2 with Inside And Outside Bow bricks - shown on the left side of image above (also called macaroni bricks).


The shell of the shop with cute striped awnings, the bathroom, and first-floor of the Lighthouse get built next.


Design being in the details - which Friends sets are loved for - is why I share images of inner bags. This may be a medium size set, yet it has a very good amount of building - all the structure is built in detail.


Bag 3 contents: Dark Blue slope/roof bricks are very welcome here! (More pink macaroni!)


Bag 3's inner bag contents.


The front dormer window, the second floor of Lighthouse, and shop cooler-case is built.
The striped Lighthouse is built brick-by-brick, there are no "wall elements" (1x6x5).


Bag 4 contents: Magenta (bright red violet) is a new color for the larger top cap (disc 4248833: Disc Ø 80) and new in Lavender are flower petals (Bracelet Upper Part). Yay!


Bag 4's first inner bag contents: a printed tile Map!


Bag 4's second inner bag parts - a better look at Lavender flowers. I also welcome the light yellowish-green 1x1 plates; I wish every brick shape came in this color.


The whole set is complete and ready to play! Look at all those details!
Lighthouse railing is built with 4 of the Fence 4X4X2 pieces in magenta (bright red violet).


Top floor of the Lighthouse has a map and window to use your binoculars. The stairs to the top room in the Lighthouse can be moved to the comfy Loft area when the shop is closed (and for enjoying a great window view).


A close-up of the Light and railing. Four trans-yellow 2x2 round bricks give the effect of "light" and could be fitted with a light-up brick.
There is no center hole under it for any wires (such as train lights) because the Lighthouse itself is a very sturdy structure.


Spare parts from all bags.

New 2015 bricks & pieces:

• Lighthouse canopy cap piece Round Plate Ø64X9.6 is new in Magenta (bright red violet)
  
• 2X2 with Inside And Outside Bow is new in Pink (Light Purple) called macaroni
  
• 1x3 Brick in Pink (light purple)
  
• Brown (ice cream scoop) element #4216652, called Final Brick 2X2 [reddish brown]
  
• Pink (ice cream scoop) element #4216652, called Final Brick 2X2
  
• 2x2 tan tile with printed map (#242) of harbor with Lighthouse
  
• 1X1 Decoration Top No. 1 (ice cream swirl) in White
• Light Sword - Blade in White
• Plate 1X2 W. 1 Knob (jumper) Bright Yellow Green
  
• Flower petals (bracelet upper part: 33291) in Lavender
  
• Hair accessory Flower in Light Purple (pink)
  
• Trans-Violet Sunglasses
  

Notable:
- Round 2x2 tile (white) has the newer receiving tube underside, instead of cross
- Lime jumper piece has newer bottom opening

Brickset.com was used in verifying parts information.

~~~

My summary: 

  This is exactly the set I would have loved as a 10-year-old!
 Details, details, details!!!  The huge Ice Cream Cone as a 3D sign was so much fun to build (and the brown is a new color for that 2x2 dome piece) using Technic pieces (3-Branch Cross Axle W/Cross) and the gold 2x2 nose cone is just perfect!
The striped awnings, inset dormer, up-lights under the arched columns by the shop door, with the light sconces using the new Lavender flower pieces are just a few of my favorite things!
This build is playable and yet lovely enough to decorate a shelf in any home.
My advice to fans buying this set is to take your time to enjoy building it -- savor the sweet parts in life and build to grow your imagination.



Speaking of imagination ... the back cover of #2 instructions booklet gives us a glimpse into the next creative theme from LEGO: Elves!


LEGO designers should be proud of their accomplishments.
Enjoy the teaser page on LEGO.com!
_______________
FriendsBricks.com