Articles - Types of Dolls Houses

Types of dolls houses - an introduction

Dolls House Kits

Building a dolls house from a plan

Fully Built / Hand Crafted Dolls Houses

Types of Dolls Houses - an introduction

There are several ways to acquire a dollhouse. Some (since this can be expensive) buy a ready-made and decorated house first and proceed to more adventurous projects later on. Quite a few buy one of the many kits available to build. Some design and make their own house, these range from simple boxes stacked together to works of art. The other options are to buy a house made to your own design (which is expensive) Some start with simple room settings.

The majority of dolls houses come in kits this is probably the most popular way to get started collecting. There are so many kits to choose from you can choose the design you like and set about adding your own style and touch to the house to make it your own. Kits as a rule are easy to assemble containing everything needed to start your new home such as stairs, windows etc. There are many different ways you can decorate your dolls house to make it unique to you and create exactly what you want, not only on the outside but inside the house too. You can easily turn a simple kit into a masterpiece.

Another popular but expensive way to start your hobby is to have a dolls house custom made for you. Custom made / fully built or hand crafted houses are fantastic, they are very unique and you could either come up with your own design or choose a design and have it made for you. With a custom made design your dolls house is sure to be unique as usually only a handful of any design are made.

Of course in the world of miniatures you are not restricted to dolls houses. You could create a shop, post office, pub, café, hotel. The choices are endless.

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Dolls house kits

Building a dolls house from a doll house kit has become one of the most popular ways to get started in the hobby. They are fun to put together, all the pieces are there for you with clear instructions and you can decorate them however you like. Whatever type of dolls house you fancy you are bound to find a kit for, there are so many to choose from. Building from a kit allows you to create a wonderful dolls house easily and also add a personal touch with the decoration. It is also a very cost effective way of creating your dream home.

There are literally hundreds of kits available to you in different periods and styles and you are bound to find a house that suits you.Doll House kits come in all shapes and sizes from a one-roomed shop to a huge mansion the choice is limitless. Why not take a look at our range of dolls house kits available right here on our website.

Choosing the right dolls house kit for you

You want to be sure that the house you choose will meet all your needs. You want to know that you can fit electric lights easily into the house and that it is suitable for you, or for the child the dolls house is for. If the house comes in a kit you want to ensure that it is easy to put together and if you are on a time limit to get it ready as a gift that you have enough time to finish it.

Whats the house made from?

There are two main types of wood that miniature houses are made from, plywood and MDF. The preferred wood is most definitely MDF for many reasons. For a start MDF is much sturdier wood and makes the house much stronger. If you are looking for a doll house for a child MDF is definitely the best wood.

MDF also provides a much smoother finish for the inside and outside of the house and will give the best painted finish. It will also not splinter as plywood does.

If you want to fit electric lights into your doll house MDF will allow you to make grooves in the wood to run the wires along so your house is not scattered with lots of unsightly wires. This is something you can't do with plywood houses as the wood in much thinner and will splinter if you try to cut grooves in it.

Front or Back Opening?

Dolls houses can be front opening or back opening; meaning that the front or the back of the house will open to display the rooms inside.

If you are going to be displaying your house then the best type of house is a front opening one as it can be placed against a wall with the front fully visible and can be opened to view the contents.

Dolls houses for children

Child doll houses are very different from adult dolls houses. Many dolls houses are not suitable for children at all and it is important to know which dolls houses are suitable for children.

Dolls houses made with children in mind are usually a lot simpler than collectors houses. They are made from thick MDF wood and are very sturdy with big chunky parts. Most collectors houses have small parts which are very decorative and make a collectors house stand out but these parts would easily break if played with by a child.

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Here are some examples of dolls house kits available from our shop.

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Building a dolls house from a plan

Building miniature doll houses from a plan is not for a novice. If you have never done wood work before I would not recommend it. Miniature doll houses may look like simple box shapes with some holes for windows but there is a lot more to it than that. However this is a really fun way to build a doll house, especially if you design the plan yourself. You could design your own doll house and build it to your specifications with as many rooms and decorative features as you like.

One thing to look out for when building your dolls house from scratch is the windows and doors. If you don't intend to make these make sure you find out what's available first so you can reflect the sizes in you plan and building.

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Fully built / hand crafted dolls houses

Hand made doll houses designed and created by a craftsman is a very exclusive thing. Proper hand made dolls houses are fantastic and if you have never seen one in the flesh you don't know what you are missing. The attention to detail and authentic feel about them is magnificent and they are a piece of art in themselves.

Hand made houses are like gold dust. The really good crafts men and women are always booked solidly with orders and you can wait a very long time for your dolls house to be built.

There are a few master craftsmen who make handmade doll houses. Pictures really don't do their houses justice so if you fall in love with any try and visit them at a miniature show.

If hand crafted dolls houses are of interest to you why not check out our hand crafted section in our shop. We pride ourselves in showcasing some of the worlds most talented craftsmen.

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