Let’s get started - For pure beginners and more experienced folk alike!
Some people prefer to begin by purchasing a ready-made and decorated house first and proceed to self build later on when they have more confidence and ideas about what they like…or when they become totally hooked like most collectors! Those more dedicated collectors frequently have several houses, shops, room boxes and so on. The possibilities are endless! These days it is easy to find basic kits at your local hobby shop, but for more discerning collectors there are specialist shops, suppliers and bespoke dollshouse builders who can even build you a replica of your own home or to your specific design! Some collectors design and make their own house, these range from simple boxes (used as rooms) stacked together, to works of art. If you are a little unsure or even anxious about getting it right, why not start with a simple room box?
The same principle applies to miniature objects to go inside dollshouses, such as books and ornaments, clocks and lights, to items of furniture and interior decoration to dolls. Miniature dolls warrant an entire article of their own, something I am in the process of writing! Although handcrafted items are generally of a higher quality, they tend to be more expensive. There are many mass produced items available in shops these days. Although these are often cheaper they are not always of the quality that discerning collectors look for.
If there are no dollshouse shops in your area, an easy alternative is to use the internet. As you will see from my web site I tend to specialise in handcrafted items and I also have links to other artisans' web sites. However, there are many, many more now available on the internet. 1/12th scale dollshouses start at around £40 for a simple kit but can run much higher for a large, elaborate, or one-of-a-kind house. I have seen a magnificent house for sale a couple of years ago at Miniatura for over £20,000! There are also dozens of miniature trade shows held throughout the year by various miniature organizations, where artisans and dealers display and sell miniatures. Often, how-to seminars are part of the show features. On this site you will find details of as many miniatures clubs around the country as I could find. A page dedicated to telling you where and when the various dolls house fairs and exhibitions are around the country (hopefully, also abroad) such as Miniatura at the NEC in Birmingham twice each year and The Kensington Dolls House festival in London. I will also feature some how to articles, free miniature printables and downloads and perhaps some on-line tutorials.