Information
If you are new to dolls houses and need to know more about this huge & fascinating hobby, take a tour of our beginners Dolls house information.
Choosing a dolls house kit, could'nt be easier, browse our site, see what dolls house appeals to you!
When starting out for the first time, i would recommend a simple victorian style dolls house, ie, the Ashburton, Exmouth is an ideal dolls house kit, Victorian, Georgian, Edwardian, Town house style, or maybe;s you require a dolls house for Children, or even an adult / collector, or you may require a shop, what ever the requirement we may have just what you are looking for.
Okay you may have found the style of dolls house you were looking for, but ask yourself what size do I require?
For beginners i suggest you start with a 12th scale, a standard dolls house size, furniture of this size is readily available.
If you are pushed for space in your real full size home, then you can always go a 24th scale, although furniture is going to be harder to find for this scale.
Is the dolls house for a child or collector ?
Dolls houses are still thought of as being primarily for children, but have become so popular that adults are collecting them too, and why not !
Let's start with Childrens dolls houses, as these are very robust, and usually made from smooth splinter free mdf, most slot together and usually designed with no fiddley parts.
The childrens houses i have in stock are suitable for 3 years plus, comes flat packed with simple adult assembly and include full instructions. Approx 1 hour build time.
Features include painted exterior and decorated interior, opening windows, shutters and doors and lift up roofs. Therefore no painting or decorating to do.
Just build & play.
Childrens dolls house Furniture is designed for children over 3 years of age is usually wooden & very chunky.
We stock a large variety of room packs, just for this purpose. All of the furniture is well constructed out of wood, and most of it is even coloured. There are packs for the kitchen, dining room, bedroom, children's bedroom, utility room, bathroom, and even a playground. I think the playground equipment is the best, with the see-saw and slide, not to mention the sandpit with it sandpaper sand.
Dolls : No house would be complete without a doll family to live in it.The people are made of wood and have movable arms and legs
Remember dolls houses are not just for children but for adults & collectors too. Adults / collectors dolls houses
For some people, a dolls house can be there dream home, just let your imagination run wild, and make it possible to create your very own miniature style toy shop, mansion, or what ever your fancy takes you. You can have full control over decoration & furnishing , no if's or but's, you can paint your house whatever colour you require & place furniture to your own style.
See the huge range of adult / collectors dolls houses and prices to suit all.
Take a look at the furniture that is available for the adult/collectors range
How to build a Dolls house From a Kit
Full assembly instructions are included in all of our dolls' house kits. We recommend that you assemble your dolls' house kit initially without glue so that you are confident with the assembly procedure. You can then complete the final construction by gluing everything in place.
BELOW IS OUR RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE FOR BUILDING AND COMPLETING THE DOLLS HOUSE OF YOUR DREAMS.
1. Read ALL of the instructions before beginning assembly.
2. Assemble shell according to instructions.
3. Install basic wiring if you plan to do so. If you are going to have electric lighting in your doll house you should plan this before you start dolls house building. If you have an MDF doll house you can very easily disguise the lighting wires by cutting small v shaped grooves in the floor of each room of your house to run the wires along. These can then be covered with carpet so you can't see they are there. You need to plan your lighting and cut the grooves before dolls house building. You don't need to plan where every light will go but you need to have an idea of where you will place your lights.
4. Paint or paper ceilings. Dolls house decorating is an absolute pleasure. Just like in your own home there are several ways in which you can decorate. You could paint or wallpaper the walls and carpet or put wood or tiles on the floors. There are a lot of options available to you and you can decorate your rooms in any way that you like. You should always use a matt, non-acrylic based paint. Most matt paints you use on your own home and can get from your local DIY store are fine to use for dolls houses.
Wallpaper your dolls house . How many sheets do you need? The average size dolls house room usually requires three sheets of wallpaper to cover it, one for each wall. If you are using two types of wallpaper on each wall you may require more paper depending on if the paper is patterned. What do you use to stick the paper? You can purchase special wallpaper adhesive to stick your wallpaper to the dolls house wall or you can use normal wallpaper paste. Hanging your wallpaper First measure and cut your wallpaper to the right size to fit your wall. Using your wallpaper paste cover the back of the paper sheet and then place it onto the wall. Slide it into the exact place and smooth flat with the palm of your hand pushing out any bubbles. Leave to dry. One the paper is dry trim any overhanging edges with a craft knife. Don’t trim when the paper is wet, as it will rip.
5. Paint or paper the walls.
6. Install carpeting, hardwood or tile flooring.
7. Install electrical outlets.
8. Paint or stain any interior trim such as window and door casings. Paint or stain staircases.
9. Install staircases
10. Install windows and doors and all interior trim and mouldings.
Once the house is completely built, it's time to start looking at getting some furniture to go in it. We stock a large variety of room packs, just for this purpose. All of the furniture is well constructed out of wood
Remember a dolls house really comes to life once it is furnished - a dressing table, a nursery bedroom and flower pots outside the front door, all help create a special miniature household.
11. Furnish the house and have fun.
12. No house would be complete without a doll family to live in it.The people are made of wood and have movable arms and legs
Enjoy the process. Sometimes people are in a hurry to finish a project. In my case, I enjoy the creative process as much as I enjoy the completed project. Take your time. Have fun with it.
13. Learn more about dolls houses, take a visit to your local libary and see there huge range of books or visit online THE BRITISH LIBRARY
14. Try your local newsagents, you will find magazines, such as Dolls house world or Dolls House & Miniature Scene and many more
Please note: The dolls house hobby can be very addictive!
SAFETY
All houses & accessories are designed for adult collectors in mind.
The Childrens dolls house categorie are suitable for children over 36 months of age, when assembled by an adult, and with adult supervision
No items are suitable for children under 36 months
WARNING! Items may contains magnets or magnetic components. Magnets sticking together or becoming attached to a metallic object inside the human body can cause serious or fatal injury. Seek immediate medical help if magnets are swallowed or inhaled