Does anyone have a dolls house? As a hobby?

[ChocChipOwl]

I'm considering it and wanted to know if there were any enthusiasts out there

I have a lovely set of apothecary drawers on my now spare room and keep envisaging a genuine Edwardian or Victorian dolls house sat on it and then spending time sourcing period bits and pieces for it

Anyway, that's the current day dream and I wondered if anyone had a similar interest?

I love the interest on this thread, and that people are getting drawn into this wonderful hobby!
The aspect that I love is about my passion for vintage dolls house saving something from the past, which holds a story of many years ago, yet can still give such enjoyment, pleasure and wonder.

On that note I have spotted this gem that really needs saving for anyone in South-East!
It's a Triang DH10, from between the wars, and could easily be such a beautiful house once again (anything would be an improvement on its current colourful state)!

I have a Grodnertal doll like that inside a wooden egg. They were sold by unemployed injured soldiers after the war. Mines been passed down several generations of the family and well played with. It is tiny and fits on my finger nail. I am too scared of damaging it to handle it much.

@ChocChipOwl I won!!! Was £18
It's so basic but I am oh so excited!!
Came with a ton of wooden furniture, that I'm going to revamp, I can't wait to make tiny bedcovers and curtains, my 2023 hobby has began 😃

@countvoncount oh that's so amazing. Bet you're thrilled and what a total bargain. What will you make first

I've already moved on. So fickle! I've decided that my first house is perhaps not for me going forward. I know in my heart that I want something 'grander' looking if that makes sense as I want to fill it with period furniture over time

So this is the new purchase - I'll collect later this week. Bought on Facebook

@Minimoan ha I am in the south east. Stop tempting me!

@ChocChipOwl maybe a tiny duvet! Or a frilly lamp shade?
I'm hitting the fabric remnant shops next week, and ordering a glue gun!

@countvoncount ooh a velvet bedspread? Or maybe a tiny knitted bear

@Dancingtumbleweed they're so cute aren't they? I'm trying to date mine at the moment - I think maybe 1850 ish but not sure

@ChocChipOwl the newest house to your collection is absolutely stunning! Also a blank canvas ready for you to customise 😍

@ChocChipOwl well done on the new acquisition looks like a Victorian villa. I have a book on period houses 1770-1907 will have a look.

@KeziaOAP I think it's a Sid cooke silver jubilee whatever that is!

@sophs29 thank you. I think I need just a little less of a project if that makes sense

I do love the Triang but I don't think I can do it justice

@ChocChipOwl Looking through my book would date house late Victorian/Edwardian. Lots of scope for furniture.

Sid Cooke makes fantastic houses. Now you know it's the Jubilee should be able to date.

Thank you for starting this thread given me inspiration to get my Georgian style house out of mothballs😊

I think I'd feel exactly the same as you! Sometimes too much of a project can be really overwhelming, especially something with so much history etc!

@ChocChipOwl This is interesting jubileedollshouse.blogspot.com/2010/

What are you planning to do with the Triang house now @ChocChipOwl? Are you going to have it as a side project or sell it on? There's a big market for doll's houses as this thread has shown!

I've been browsing the Doll's House Emporium and have decided I'd like a beach hut for a 2023 project, but I'm going to have a look around and see if I can get a second hand one before I spend nearly £70.

The blog @KeziaOAP is really interesting, but I don't understand why she removed the stairs and landing. One of my main problems with my little Triang house is the lack of stairs, so my imaginary inhabitants can't access the bedroom and bathroom. I appreciate the immaculate detail the blogger has gone into with each room, but I still find myself wondering how the mini people get from room to room

My dream dolls house would be a little Scottish croft. Mainly because I live near lots of croft ruins and I would love to see them in their glory. I would have a thatched roof and stone walls. Inside would be made to look like it was fishermans cottage during the herring boom. So box bed, rocking chair, table and chairs, fire place baskets and a spinning wheel.

@PollyAmour yes I agree 're the stairs. When customising my house I didn't like the stairs supplied so painstakingly made stairs with individual components as a carpenter would - love working with wood.

Oh I couldn't have a house without stairs! That would never do...

@ChocChipOwl I love your upgrade! I know what you mean - I wouldn't want my hobby to become a source of stress and overwhelm. I'd be looking for all the good bits.

I have to have stairs, or at least a door that looks like it's opening onto a hallway and the stairs would be out there. Even though I don't people my house, i'd still like the inhabitants to be able to move about if they were there, if that makes sense!

@StarryGazeyEyes I agree. My dolls house has no inhabitants and I've yet to find a miniature family who don't look like extras from a horror film, so it will remain empty for now. But it does concern me that there is no access from the ground floor to the first floor, and even as a child, playing with a dolls house, the lack of stairs would have worried me. My son suggested a rope ladder but I'm thinking more of an external staircase leading to a small balcony off the bedroom.

Oh an external staircase would be lovely!

@KeziaOAP ooh thanks for linking that. I like what she's done to the house and it seems more in line with my capabilities I think

The thought of the family who live in the house is a tricky one isn't it? I feel people have to live there but I can't quite picture them! I do lean towards the old fashioned nuclear family of mum, dad, boy, girl and they'd have a cat, not a dog.

I'd then have to name them though so on it goes. The thought processes 😀