For the beginner in dollhouse miniatures - so you want to get a doll house?

I was talking to someone yesterday and realized that what I really need to do next here is talk about starting in this hobby. She was talking about how there are so few specialty hobby stores any more, and there was no way to ask questions. Maybe I can fill in a few pointers.

Please, if you have questions, ask me. I have been doing this for so long that I know that I will assume you know things that you don't. That is my problem and I will be happy to help you if you have questions. I will start with a few of the questions that she wanted help with and go from there.

First, what do you really want?

• Do you want something completed to use as a decoration in your house?
• Do you want to build everything yourself?
• Do you want something that is a bit of both? That is what most people want, to varying degrees.
• Do you want a house with 4 to 15 rooms or would you be happier with a one room scene that will fit in a bookcase? You can even do little scenes that make a good table or mantle decoration without an enclosure.
• Many people that I know do miniatures because they have stressful jobs and they enjoy retreating into another world. Is that you?
• Do you want something to share with your child? How old are they? What do they want?
• Did you always want a dollhouse but the time was never right, but now the kids are grown and gone and you have the time and money? This is actually the biggest group statistically!

• What is your budget? You can spend less than $10, make things from things found around the house, and have a really nice little setup. You can spend $1000s and have a mansion that people would want to come and see from all over the country. Most people are in the middle, but you need to know where you are.

 

This is a room that is made by Jeremy, a friend of mine. Very few people go to these lengths but I couldn't resist showing you this. Everything is original and hand cut from solid pieces of wood. He bought the chandelier and I am not sure about the mantelpiece, but the rest is all original. He designed, cut and built it from scratch. I could never do this though. I don't have the patience! It is beautiful.

 

He is one of the few people in the country who build like this!

• Do you want something a child can play with? how old are they? or will it only be used by adults?
• How much room do you have to put it in your home? The lady that I was talking to was given a beautiful custom house that had been in her friends family for years because they were moving and had no room to fit a 4'x2' house plus the room that it would take to get access to it from all 4 sides. It needed some work, but nothing major. They really wanted to keep it, but did not have a place to put it and knew she would give it a good home.

Next time I will talk about the different scales and sizes that are available, and why you need to know that, but for right now, think about what you want to do with your dollhouse or miniatures. There is an option out there for everyone's interests.

Remember though, nothing is final. Properly taken care of, a dollhouse can last for 30 or 40 years if you want it to and you can redecorate it as often as you would like, nothing is cut in stone here. Change your mind all you want but there are so many options out there, you need to narrow them down or you will get too frustrated.