Real Good Toys Victoria's Farmhouse Dollhouse

OK, so you’ve decided to build your own dollhouse. Congratulations, the dollhouse miniatures hobby is both fun and rewarding! A common question among newcomers to the dollhouse hobby is “Where do I start?”

The first step in building a dollhouse is to decide whether you want to build your dollhouse from scratch or build your dollhouse using a dollhouse kit. Take into consideration that building a dollhouse from scratch is not for the faint of heart. If you are new to the hobby, consider building your first dollhouse or room box using a kit. There are many kits available which include all of the pre-cut pieces ready for assembly. Real Good Toys and Greenleaf Dollhouse are examples of two popular manufacturers of dollhouse kits.

If you’ve decided to build your dollhouse from scratch, the first item you will need is a set of dollhouse plans. These can be obtained through hobby shops or through specialty websites. Before selecting dollhouse plans, you must decide on the scale of your dollhouse. 1:12 scale is one of the most popular scales among American dollhouses.

The next step in building your dollhouse is deciding which type of wood you will use to construct your miniature home. Before making this decision, ask yourself why you are building your dollhouse? Is it meant to be a toy for a child, a gift, a fun craft project or a treasured heirloom you plan to keep in your family for generations. The answer to this question should help guide you towards the type of construction material you will use in your dollhouse. Oak, MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) and plywood are some of the more popular woods used in constructing dollhouses.

Oak is more difficult to work with, but if you want to build a top quality dollhouse as a treasured heirloom or beautiful display showcase, oak will give you the high-end results you are seeking. Be prepared that oak will require more tools to work with than the other two wood materials mentioned.

MDF is the least expensive of the three materials mentioned above, but is considered the easiest to work-with. Cutting this wood will generate a lot of dust, but it does not splinter and is very easy to paint making it a great choice for a children’s play dollhouse.

Plywood, another common building material is available in thin sheets and is another common wood used in collector dollhouses. Plywood is very easy to transport and is also easy to work with in constructing a dollhouse. Plywood can splinter which means it’s not the best choice for a children’s play dollhouse.

Windows and doors are also an important decision when building a dollhouse. You can opt to make your own windows and doors, or you can purchase these ready-made. Building doors and windows can be a challenge, so if you are building your first dollhouse, you may be wise to purchase these already manufactured.

This article is meant as a basic overview for constructing the basic shell of a dollhouse. There are many more interior options and decisions to be made including electricity, flooring, wallpaper, niches and mouldings and hardware – just to name a few! We recommend that you stay tuned to our blog for more helpful tips in building and designing a dollhouse.

In our previous posting, we provided an overview of the variety of dollhouse miniature furniture pieces available and what to look for in terms of color, style and quality. We would like to dive deeper into the topic of choosing the right miniature furniture and upholstery pieces for your dollhouse or room box project.

The principles of interior design apply to your dollhouse just as much as a real home. Color, style and function of your dollhouse or room box should be determined before your project begins.

Most dollhouse furniture pieces are available in a variety of stained and painted wood colors. The most common finishes are mahogany, oak and walnut. When selecting colors of woods, be cautious as colors can vary widely between manufacturers. For example, you may have 2 manufacturers producing mahogany wood furniture with two completely different shades. It’s OK if all of your pieces don’t match exactly, but you do want the pieces to be similar in style or quality – or make sure the colors only vary slightly. Many real high-end homes will have furniture pieces that don’t match exactly giving the room a “collected over time” appeal. For example, having miniatures in slightly different shades of mahogany is OK – you just don’t want the difference to be too drastic or you’ll achieve a mismatched look.

Unfinished dollhouse furniture is another popular choice among do-it-yourself hobbyists. This allows you customize the stain or paint color of your dollhouse furniture to fit your personal tastes. Furniture kits are also available which include the necessary pieces to construct your own furniture using pre-cut pieces.

Upholstered miniature furniture also comes in an array of styles, colors and patterns. Consider the general style of your house (traditional or informal) as well as your color scheme when choosing upholstered fabric styles. Also, take into account the colors and styles of the furniture, rugs and drapes that will be placed next to your upholstered pieces.

There are several manufacturers who craft dollhouse furniture and upholstery. Hansson Miniatures manufactures top-notch heirloom-quality miniature furniture. Hand-crafted of solid woods including mahogany, walnut and some with hand-painted detailing, these pieces include miniature drawers that actually open, removable seat cushions, soft felt backs, real glass shelves and mirrors.

Handley Classics and Town Square Miniatures craft lines of furniture that range from value-priced to higher-end pieces. These charming miniatures also feature opening drawers, swivel bases on chairs and come in a variety of finishes including the ever-popular mahogany, walnut and oak.

When shopping for dollhouse furniture, upholstery and accessories, look for on-line dollhouse miniature stores that feature up-close and detailed pictures of their products. Crystal clear product shots are essential to making sure you are purchasing the perfect pieces for your dream dollhouse!

There are so many pieces of 1:12 scale dollhouse furniture available – it’s enough to boggle your mind! If you are new to the dollhouse hobby, allow us to give you a brief summary of the selection of miniature furniture on the market and what to look for in terms of style, quality and price. Since 1:12 scale is the most popular scale among dollhouse miniatures, we will focus this article with that scale in mind.

There are many options when it comes to selecting miniature dollhouse furniture. Miniature furniture is available in a variety of wood finishes. The most popular finishes include oak, walnut and mahogany. These wood-grain finishes are usually the easiest pieces to find in addition to classic white painted wood furniture. Of course, you can often find beautiful dollhouse miniatures in unfinished wood allowing you to finish your miniature with whatever paint or stain you choose. Of course, there are a variety of dollhouse furniture kits available if you are up to challenge of building your own miniature furniture!

Although traditional styles of furniture dominate in the miniature business, there are plenty of other styles available including rustic, arts and crafts, contemporary/modern and transitional giving each dollhouse builder the freedom to customize the dollhouse to his or her particular liking. Of course, the more traditional Queen Anne and Victorian styles are easy to find if you prefer to keep the design of your dollhouse consistent with its traditional roots.

The quality of each piece of miniature furniture will vary widely. The price of the miniature is usually a good indication of the quality of the piece. Miniature furniture pieces that use solid woods and feature hand-carved detailing such as Hansson Miniatures will typically carry a higher price tag. However, the handmade quality will show in each exquisite piece.

Depending upon your dollhouse building and designing goals, you will want to select miniatures that will fit with the architecture, time period theme and of course, your own personal tastes. If building a dollhouse for a small child, you might be wise to furnish your dollhouse with value-priced furniture. Other dollhouse builders work hard to recreate their dream home on a miniature scale and may only want to furnish their miniature houses with the best pieces.