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?

There's a few on eBay.

@HighlandCowRose I would love to see a pic of your CRM house to see if it's the same as mine!

@ChocChipOwl, excited for you to get your house, hope you will share a picture when you get it! Have very much enjoyed reading this thread. Echo what others have said about scale, sourcing etc.

I was very lucky to acquire an amazing Charles Rennie Mackintosh house last year via FB marketplace and begin the very long process of making furniture for it (it's 1:24 scale so very little is available to buy in the correct style and tiny size).

The woman I bought it from had 34 houses at the peak of her collecting and I am a bit obsessed now too. Already on the look-out for a fixer-upper as mine is too precious to change the wallpaper or anything like that. Not that I have space for two - barely had room for one!

It used to be a big thing around 30 or so years ago. Maybe it still is?

Used to be dolls house fairs selling all sorts of bits, all to scale. It was wonderful. Haven't seen it around in recent years though.

Fabulous idea OP! Before my beloved grandmother died she had started this hobby and I always said I would carry it on but never seem to get the time! One of my favourite memories of her is when she took me to a Doll house Convention at the N.E.C when I was little. I was completely awe struck and have adored miniatures/dollhouses ever since.

Queen Mary's dolls' house at Windsor Castle is worth a visit if you are ever in the area.

So glad you've got yourself a house, ChocChipOwl!
Looking forward to the pics.

How about seeing some of the others'?

ChocChipOwl pleased you've sourced a house, going to be so enjoyable refurbishing and finding Edwardian bits and bobs.

With my Georgian house I imagined a family inheriting furniture bringing in Victorian bordering Edwardian with lights.

The "maid" has had the duster out today in mine😀

Some advice from the experts? Please!

I've picked it up and I love the size of it. It's a good 'starter' project as I ended up paying £30 for it in the end

Don't like the colour. Lady told me it was originally white / cream so to restore it back to this, can I just repaint it? Chalk paint maybe? I'd struggle to chip off the paint or sand it off

And it's apparently a 1940s Triang - whatever that is! Does that look about right?

Thanks for any help

Have got a shoe box filled with 70s furniture and people but that's not my thing so anyone wanting that vibe, do let me know

The cat didn't come with it, she's all mine, the nosy devil

Nosy cat claims house as own - don't leave the door open or the cat'll be in there.

I love the porch. I don't think you'll have any issues painting it.

@Coxspurplepippin yes I think I'll just paint it with some cream or white chalk paint. It's not got any thick paint layers on it but what is there I don't think I can remove

And yep- she'd be in there like a shot!

That's nice looks in quite good condition. Chalk paint would work well, maybe white/off white, try a patch test on a piece of card.

Yep cat will be in there!

@ChocChipOwl That's very similar to my Triang house except yours is bigger and in better condition.

Mine doesn't have stairs so I'm trying to figure out a way for my imaginary inhabitants to go to bed. I'm thinking of maybe an outside staircase leading to a balcony off the bedroom. There are two rooms downstairs and one big room upstairs, but the roof is hollow, so I could open that up and put a dormer window in.

I'm beginning to wish the pp upthread hadn't put a link to the Dolls House Emporium!!

Oh blimey OP I've just found myself on EBay looking for a Dolls house!

I really want one now!

@QueueEtwo I have no idea where the idea came to me! But I felt quite strongly that I wanted a house filled with miniature period features and I'm drawn to Victorian / Edwardian and this is where it'll probably get expensive 😀 Oh and I'm an irritating perfectionist so it'll have to be perfect and exactly to my liking so that's why I've deliberately gone for something cheap as chips to practice with!

@PollyAmour yes I got a bit lost in the dolls house emporium! I really want something magnificent! Holding myself back for now

@KeziaOAP I'll give it a go tomorrow if I can get hold of some chalk paint

No but I want one. I had furniture for it that I’d been saving for years but the kids got hold of it and it’s trashed now so yes - once they are old enough to have no interest in it

@PollyAmour I'm going to try and measure the house. Did you say it was an inch to a foot? I'm thinking this house will require 1:12 bits and pieces just by looking at it

I don’t, but I hope to get my daughter a Maileg dolls house when she’s older

Well I've made a small start!

I've cleaned and disinfected the house as best I can. I'll use some detail wipes later to lift off any more surface dirt - it's not visibly dirty at all but I'll bring it up as best I can.

It has handmade beaded curtains that the seller's mother made in the 40s so I've removed them all and hand washed them in a silk detergent. They're now drying

I would love one but I don’t want human looking figures! I would like Beatrix Potter animals in human clothes, or similar!

@Tamarindtree hmm. I've not got round to thinking who actually are going to live in my house! Could it be mice maybe? 😀

Mine is 1:16 not 1:12 so standard dolls house furniture is slightly too big. Make sure you measure accurately!! My house is tiddly compared to yours though, a starter home if you will