Dolls Houses

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Choosing a Dolls House
The Dolls House hobby is very diverse and choosing a dolls house is probably the first and the most important decision you'll need to make. Dolls Houses come in all shapes and sizes and whilst personal preference is a major influence in choosing a dolls house, there are numerous other important factors to consider.

Dolls House Scales
Most dolls houses are 1:12th scale or one inch scale where one inch equals one foot, and it is generally safe to assume that dolls houses and accessories are 1:12th scale unless otherwise stated. 1:24th scale or half inch scale dolls houses where half an inch equals one foot are becoming increasingly popular although there still isn't as much choice as for 1:12th scale dolls houses. Vintage dolls houses were usually 1:16 scale, but this scale is generally only available from dealers who specialise in vintage dolls houses.

Dolls House Materials
Most dolls houses are made from 9mm thick MDFboard or Birch Plywood, and are either made using computerised CNC machines or by hand. MDFboard is probably the most popular material for dolls house construction as it is considerably cheaper than Birch Ply and therefore the dolls houses are much cheaper to buy, particularly when mass produced. Birch Ply dolls houses are generally regarded as being of superior quality and they are mostly hand made (not to be confused with cheap imported dolls houses made from very thin ply which we do not recommend). There are many good quality dolls houses available made from either material so it's a choice between value for money and outright quality.

Dolls House Period and Style
Most dolls houses are designed to resemble houses from a particular period in history. Common periods are Tudor, Georgian and Victorian and the pictures below show typical examples of period features such as the Georgian and Victorian window frames and the Tudor timber frame.

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To Build or Not To Build the Dolls House Yourself
Dolls houses can be built from scratch using a plan or your own design, or they can be purchased in kit form, ready built or completely finished and decorated. Some people enjoy doing as much as possible themselves whilst others prefer to leave the hard work to the experts. We have provided further information on the different options on the following pages.