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Hi, all! I have built my own kid-friendly dollhouses in the past out of old wood. I finally decided to graduate to my first kit. I recently bought a Hofco Federal Victorian House Kit for $150. It included bedroom furniture, bathroom furniture, Christmas decorations, a complete lighting kit, etc. The kit itself is complete and in great shape - which is impressive for its age. When I opened the kit, I was so impressed by its details. The doors, the windows, everything. There was a marble fireplace buried deep in the box. Clearly, this is way too nice for me. I needed something I wouldn’t feel bad messing up! So here we are. I was wondering what advice you would give a first timer who is way in over their head. I plan on building this with my mother and she already insists we throw out the instructions. And lastly, Victorian era decor or modern decor?

Happy Thursday! As I am brand new to this hobby, I thought it would fun to show you all the only dollhouse I have ever owned (before January 1 of this year). Does anyone remember this? Fisher Price, 1979. Although I didn't make this and there were few to any ways to individualze it, this is what I consider my first doll house. My fascination with this led to my Mom taking me to the Smithsonian to see their display of the American History Dollhouse. Many (mannnny) years later here I am: building my first from the ground up.

My original plan was to modify a Dura Craft Newberg. Then I found the Birdswoodshack laser cut model kit of the UP House on Etsy. The model is laser cut from 1/8" Baltic birch plywood. Its dimensions are 19" wide by 16" deep by 21.5" high. The kit was not intended to be a dollhouse, but rather a fully enclosed model. It does, however, include the lower and upper floors, as well as a stairway. I have enlarged the window openings to accept commercial windows, but I will need to make my own doors. I have attached clapboard siding, and will also attach the straight and fishscale shakes. The house is slightly smaller than 1" scale, perhaps 1/14 scale or so. This hurts my sense of scale, but it is based on a cartoon house, so I am going to make it work. I am going to need to devise a way to open the back of the house for access, probably hinged to open like a book. I haven't drawn plans for the interior yet, but I think it will have five rooms, or areas. Two upstairs will be a bedroom and bathroom. Downstairs will be a living room, kitchen, and an entry hallway with the stairway. Ok, now I will try to upload some pictures. So, apparently my pictures are too large. I will need to downsize them, but cannot accomplish that on this android device. I will try to do that on my computer tomorrow. Until then, Happy Miniaturizing!

Hi everyone! I found this site while seeking information about restoring a doll house. My childhood doll house is about 40 years old as it was a cousin's before it came to me. My step-dad had taken it on as a project 7 years ago and apparently instead of fixing it up he slowly let it fall completely apart. I now have two little girls of my own and big dreams of passing this treasure from my childhood on to them. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing but I believe I've figured out where the pieces all go from memory, now I just have to figure out what to do with them/how to replace the broken/missing parts. When I let my step-dad take it the house was a bit beat up but still entirely assembled, now it's in a million pieces and I'm feeling overwhelmed! Any advice would be seriously appreciated. I tried uploading some pictures but they won't attach, the house is a white three story Victorian with mint green trim.

Hi! I live in Tennessee & am starting my 1st dollhouse build at the ripe age of 24. I got the Allison by Artply kit since it was only $40 and thought it might be an easier first house. If anyone built that, any tips are helpful I am kind of nervous starting it...not sure where to start. The instructions are kind of lame & my work space for building sucks (think floor, upstairs computer desk, & downstairs kitchen table). Can't even find wallpaper paste where I live! Frustrating & nervous that I might mess up...but exciting Just ordered Caco type dolls as my dollhouse dolls.

This was my first adventure into the miniature world. I have been learning so much, and employing techniques that I've found from a hoard of sources, including my own resources with a 3-d printer at my art college. I would love to get opinions/suggestions/general feedback. My next project will be rephotographing and deconstructing these room boxes to make them better with what I've learned, new kits I've found, and re-building things from old kit plans with a 3-d Printer I found difficulty with the toilet and tub, so I want to work on those. I was able to print the faucet for the tub from a 3-d printer, but was wondering if anyone knows of any existing realistic tub faucets. My other problem area was definitely the kitchen cabinets. I was dissatisfied with the Kitchen Collection kits - if anyone has any kitchen cabinet suggestions that would be appreciated. I made the dishwasher myself and 3-d printed the knobs for the stove and dishwasher, and repurposed stickers from the realife miniatures kitchen set. I want to redo the stove and fridge by printing them in plastic from the plans from this kit, and painting it to look more metal/fridge like. I built the bathroom vanity from scratch, using a countertop I found from a mini-maker on ebay. I would also like help on bathroom countertops - I wasnt able to figure out what material this mini-maker used. My favorite venture was the wallpaper, which I manipulated in photoshop and then printed onto 90 lb printmaking paper from a standard computer printer. Also, what mini-tools are best for working with metal? Such as creating realistic door hardware. such as Frances Glessner Lee made with her Nutshell Studies? And does anyone have suggestions for mini table saws or circle cutters for wood/stone? If the pictures are too small, let me know I can link to my website. I'm not sure how they will showup int he forum post Thanks guys!!

Hey everybody! I'm really excited to join the ranks as a fellow miniature and doll house collector! I've wanted to get into this for a really long time. I just couldn't find a kit that i liked. Yesterday I went to my local flea market, I walked down a few isles and BAM there it was right in front of me, a big beat up old dollhouse. I had to get it and restore it! The only problem is, seeing as I don't have the actual kit, I have no idea what it is or who made it. I'd like to see what it once looked like in pefect condition. Does anyone have any information of the model that i can use to do some research? Any help would be greatly appreciated! I'd also kind of like to know it's value just for fun since i paided next to nothing for it Sorry for the bad photo, if I need to show a better one i'll post one later