Cozy House (31139) is the latest Creator 3-in-1 set hitting shelves March 1, 2023. Perhaps the release will line up with the Moving Truck (40586) GWP. Houses are very common in the Creator 3-in-1 theme. We see one just about every year. Yet this set brings a fresh look and feel. Not only are there 3 different models, but each one has two configurations. Let’s take a look at all the different possibilities this set provides.
NOTE: The LEGO® Group provided this set for review. However, the provision of products does not guarantee a favorable review. I will use the usual True North Bricks rating system (click here for more information) and provide my honest opinion.
COZY HOUSE SUMMARY
- NAME: Cozy House
- SET #: 31139
- THEME: Creator 3-in-1
- COST: $79.99 CAD
- BRICK COUNT: 808
- MINIFIGURES: 3
- RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2023
- COST/BRICK: $0.10 CAD
- BRICK-TO-FIG RATIO: 269:1
- OF NOTE: 3 models each with 2 configurations
COZY HOUSE QUICK REVIEW
- VALUE: 96% (excellent value)
- BUILD: 90%
- MINIFIGURES: 78%
- ENTERTAINMENT: 80%
- OVERALL SCORE: 86%
QUICK RECAP
| What I Liked | What I Didn’t Like |
|---|---|
| Fun details | Missing/cramped rooms (reduced playability) |
| Brick built animals and creatures are awesome | Some unrecognizable mini builds |
| Love the colour scheme | Dual-sided minifig heads would have been nice |
COZY HOUSE REVIEW
VALUE: 96%
Cozy House (31139) is part of the Creator 3-in-1 line and this set is rated 8+. This set has 808 pieces and has a price tag of $79.99 CAD. This works out to $0.10/piece and is less than the True North Bricks average of $0.13/piece. This translates to 89% when compared to other Creator and Creator 3-in-1 sets or 93% compared to all sets reviewed by True North Bricks. This averages out to 91%.
Given this set has three different models to build, the build time is quite a bit longer than the average 808 piece set. I spent almost three and a half hours building the three different models (I did not include the time to take each model apart). This works out to an outstanding $0.25 per minute. This translates to 100% whether compared to other Creator sets or any sets reviews by True North Bricks. Averaging the two scores gives a final value score of 96% after rounding.
BUILD: 90%
As a Creator 3-in-1 set, Cozy House (31139) provides three times the build experience. The main model is a two story family home. The alternate models are a lake house and a canal house with an art gallery and café.
Main model
The main model of the Cozy House (31139) is a two story family home. The build experience was fairly average. But that tends to be my experience with Creator 3-in-1 sets. Regardless, this set does have some great brick-built features. The family dog…er cat…er pet is a fun little model. The chairs and recycling bin are also nice additions. However, I wish the mailbox wasn’t as shallow so it was easier to keep the letters from falling out.
My favourite mini build is the bed-side lamps. I think the designers did a great job coming up with a slender design that can be adjusted. And it looks great too! The lamp is even found in both bedrooms. The master suite is sparsely furnished, likely because of the low sloping roof line. I do love that the master bed has studs at the foot of the bed so the minifigures don’t fall out of bed!
Even more detail
The kid’s bedroom has a small bed and dog/cat bed! It also has a cat scratch post. I know, it must be a cat but I definitely see it is more of a dog. What do you think? The busy kitchen is one of my favourite rooms. However, it is a bit cramped. I do love that the bowls are filled with tomato soup! The sink is incredibly tiny and even taking one or two studs of space from the living room would have helped make the kitchen more playable. The living room fireplace adds to the cozy feel of the Cozy House. However, adding a jumper plate/tile with a little micro figure statue would have been nice. The big comfy chair even works with the minifigure with long hair! I always find it annoying when the long hair piece prevents the positioning of a minifigure.
Mini builds
There are a lot of mini-builds in the main model. I already mentioned the cat/dog and the recycling bin. But there are also a number of brick-built toys. At least I think they are toys. Some are more recognizable than others. Perhaps they are references to historical LEGO® themes. The remote control is the most obvious. The robot and vehicle could be a recreation of an earlier set (if you know, tell me below!). The model that has me scratching my head the most is the one with the four snake “legs”. I honestly have no clue what it is. If you have ANY idea please let me know so that it doesn’t keep me up at night! The final model uses most of the pieces which is expected for the main model of a 3-in-1 set.
Alternate model A
One of the alternate models is the lake house. This is a pretty fun model and definitely gives you the cabin on the lake vibes. Pretty impressive for a small set! There is a firepit for roasting marshmallows. One of the marshmallows is already golden and ready to eat! I appreciate that the lake house has a bathroom. And it has lots of fun details! Alternatively, they could have included a small outhouse to create space for another room (a bedroom is noticeably absent) but perhaps they didn’t have enough leftover pieces for that. The main room of the lake house features a really nice brick-built record player and some old-school speakers.
Absent sleep quarters
Unfortunately, that’s where the lake house ends as there isn’t even a bedroom. I would love to see if anyone has tried adding a small space in the loft as sleeping quarters. If you have tried this, share your photos with us so we can see! I do like that the model has two different configurations. Given it is built with hinge plates, you can have it as a open-backed building or as a completely closed building.
Similar to the main model, the lake house features some brick built creatures. There is a cute little squirrel in the tree and a little slug climbing up the roof. Adorable! Interestingly, there are a LOT of pieces leftover after you complete this model. I really think the designer could have tried to create a bedroom in the attic or they could have gone with the outhouse suggestion to free up space for a bedroom.
Alternative Model B
The other alternate model is the canal house with an art gallery and café. While I like the brick-built espresso machine, the café is sparsely decorated. Unfortunately, the stools are very slippery and it is hard to keep the minifigures seated. The second floor is the art gallery. There are three paintings and a sculpture (I think). While this room is also sparsely decorated, it makes sense for an art gallery. The final room is the office. I thought this was the “house” part of the canal house but it is missing a bed. The office chair has a couple of studs so it is easier to place your minifigure on it. I am not entirely sure what the thing in the pot is. I suspect it is a plant but the 1 by 1 round brick is an awfully large representation of a flower.
More brick-built fun
My favourite room of the canal house is actually the attic. The cluttered look is executed perfectly. There is a box of bowls, a stack of old letters, a brick built train and spaceship, and a box of something I can’t quite identify. As always, if you know, please comment below! The train build is pretty standard but the spaceship seems new to me and is nicely done. Speaking of brick-built mini-builds, there is also a brick-built dog on the dock (no mistaking this one for a cat!). It looks like he is ready to jump in to chase after the “paper” sailboats.
Exterior accents
The exterior of the canal house is quite charming. It definitely has vibes of the south of France or Italy. It features vines growing up the side of the building and grape vines on the window ledge. The roof uses 1 by 1 square tiles to add to the Mediterranean feel. Additionally, the black snakes are used to add architectural detail and it works quite well.
I really like this model and it might actually be my favourite. Perhaps it is because it is different being tall and narrow. Unfortunately, like the lake house, the canal house is also missing some key rooms to actually be labelled a house. There is no bedroom or bathroom in this model. However, the rooms that are included offer a different play experience compared to the other two models in this set. Similar to the lake house, there are quite a few pieces left over once you complete this model as well. I feel like some additional detail could have easily been added to the café and office. Perhaps it is up to you to add the rest of the decorations!
Final thoughts
Overall, the build experience of Cozy House (31139) and the alternate models is a positive one. Three different models means hours of building (and unbuilding) fun. Although there are no exceptional techniques, I do like all the brick-built accessories, furniture, and animals. These aspects are definitely trademarks of the Creator 3-in-1 line. However, this set does lose one point for poor space management. A few rooms could have been reconfigured to add more space or some of the missing furniture or even rooms. The build score for Cozy House is 90%.
MINIFIGURES: 78%
Cozy House (31139) comes with three minifigures. This is fairly average for an 808 piece set and works out to 269 brick per minifigure. This translates to a score of 79% compared to other Creator sets and only 60% compared to all sets reviewed by True North Bricks. This averages out to 70% after rounding. From a design perspective, the minifigures in this set are fairly ordinary. One highlight is the now fairly common minifigure head with the cochlear implant print. All three minifigures have a toothy grin with slightly different expressions. Unfortunately, none of them have dual-sided heads. They each have different hair including long brown hair, short dark orange hair, and black curly hair.
Another highlight is the bendy short legs. Hopefully this will become more common in smaller sets like this! None of the three minifigures have printing on their legs. But they do have front and back printing on their torsos. One torso is a white long sleeve shirt with mountain logo and a splash of colour. The second is a green sweater with zig zag yellow lines. Likely a favourite for many fans is the space jacket on the third torso.
Each minifigure comes with a mug, bowl, and spoon. Additionally, there is a pot, printed letter tile, printed art tiles (also used as records), and wands (though not used as wands). Plus, there are also a number of brick-built accessories. This works out to a minifigure design score of 87%. Averaging both minifigure the brick to minifigure ratio and the design score comes out to a final minifigure score of 78%.
ENTERTAINMENT: 80%
My initial impression of Cozy House (31139) was very positive. The different blues/greens on white looks great. In general, I find Creator 3-in-1 houses aren’t as polished looking as some other sets. However, this set gets top marks for curb appeal. That said, if you compare this set to more advanced buildings such as the modulars then it falls a bit short. The good news is, if modulars are not in your budget then the Cozy House might fit the bill. It certainly has display potential regardless which model you choose. In particular, the addition of tiles to break up the studded roof really helps elevate the look of each model.
Multiple configurations
Additionally, like how each model can be displayed in two different ways. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice this about the canal house with gallery and café until after I had taken the model apart. There is no indication in the instructions or on the box.
There are lots of brick-built details in each model. Creator 3-in-1 sets are a great way to learn building techniques such as different chairs, bathrooms, etc. While not all the brick-built accessories are recognizable, some of them are fantastic. As an AFOL, I give this set a 4/5.
Kid perspective
From a KFOL (Kid Fan of LEGO) perspective, this set has endless fun. Not only are there the 3 different models, but the different configurations adds to the play experience. All the brick-built animals are sure to be a hit with KFOLs. However, as a kid, I would have been frustrated that the houses do not have a complete selection of rooms. The main model comes closest except it doesn’t have a bathroom. Some of the rooms in the different models are also quite tight in terms of furniture and roof lines, which makes it hard, and in some cases impossible, to incorporate minifigures. For these reasons I rate the Cozy House as 4/5. The overall entertainment score for the Cozy House is is 80%.
OVERALL SCORE: 86%
Overall, Cozy House (31139) is a fun and colourful 3-in-1 set. I like that the alternate builds are recognizable (some 3-in-1 alternate models leave me scratching my head). Without deviating too much from the house theme, the three models offer unique scenes to bring different stories to life. As always, the playability is high with Creator 3-in-1 sets and kids will have a lot of fun with these models. Unlike some, 3-in-1 houses, these models also have the curb appeal that make them a nice display model for AFOLs. That’s a win-win. Which is your favourite of the 3 models? And if you know what some of the brick-built mini builds are supposed to be (see my questions throughout the article) then please let us know below or on social media!
Play well folks,
-Krista (she/her)
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