Does Anyone NOT Light their Houses?

[Rowan555]

I'm new to this, still waiting on my kit to arrive - but it seems most people here do lighting in their dollhouses. I know I could figure it out if I wanted to, but I frankly have NO desire to do it. I'm wondering if this is something I'll regret down the road, or if maybe it's just a matter of personal preference. I understand the aesthetic advantages, and I know lighted dollhouses are lovely - but are some of you satisfied with plain old non-electrified houses?

[Minis On The Edge]

I never used to light my houses because I did not know how too. When I found out how to in Spring of 2005, from that point on, my houses have been lighted and I can't imagine not having them lighted now. I sometimes even tell myself I am not gonna light a certain house and the next thing I know it the box in my closet is calling my name cause it's the perfect light for that room

I also used to hang ceiling lighted and have lamps that looked real but were not lighted. It gave the room more realism even though it was not an electrified house.

I hope this helps

[Missymew]

I really prefer lighting in my dollhouses. But, I also like the natural daylight coming through my dining room window as well. But I only get the lighting effect from this window in the late afternoon and early evening. The rest of the time it doesn't give me the aesthetics that I desire. I'm a huge fan of electrification.

I have seen some lovely dollhouses where lighting wasn't installed and they were still very lovely.

As far as regrets go, one thing I've learned from others on this site is that anything and everything that you do to your dollhouse can be changed. There are no fatal errors or mistakes. There are just major or minor renovations to be made.

Which dollhouse are you going to be building? Do you have any photos?

-Susanne

[Rowan555]

I'm doing the Haunted House, then the Orchid. I'm definitely not lighting the Haunted House, but perhaps I'll give lighting the Orchid a second thought. About how much does it cost to light a small 3 or 4 room house? I saw the kits on miniature.com were $50 and that's more than the Orchid itself costs; is there a cheaper way? I'd probably just do three lights in that one. Thanks for giving me food for thought.

[SuzyQ]

My daughter and I are building the Garfield. We are not planning on putting lights in it either.

[Minis On The Edge]

I guess using power strips are cheaper in the sense that you can get that for $8 and it holds 12 outlet plugs. You buy the lights and plug it in directly to the power strip. The thing with hardwire is you then need to buy molding or something to cover the wire which is why so many people love tape wire because it is not as easy to see through wallpaper

[hydroped]

The orchid I'm doing right now has no lighting in it at all and I'm really happy with it just as is. My laffeyette had no lighting in it but .. I decided to make it (my first lighting project) very very simple. It has 2 lights. It didn't need them but I really like them. One is the fireplace - so the embers light and the other is a medieval wall sconce - too perfect for that little place and with only 2 lights super simple to wire! I think what matters most is what you want. Light can really add a lot to a house.. on the other hand if the house doesn't require light then why do it? I turned the Orchid into a medieveal chappel.. I could have had added lighting to have lit candles but it seemed like a lot of work for a little benefit in this particular case. You see there were no plans for wall sconces or torches of any kind and sinces it's medieval all there would be for light would be candles, which I may or may not place on the table (non working). In the Lafeyette (my wizards houses) it was a little effort for a lot of effect . I think that one wall sconce adds a Lot to it. I'm really happy I added wiring.

The thing is do what makes You most happy but don't be afraid to try something new either. If you're thinking that wiring will be too hard that's understandable because when you've never done it before it sounds very intimidating to think about but Darrell's tutorial really makes it alot easier and it's not that hard to do once someone shows you the way he has in his tutorial But if it won't add enough to make you happy then don't do it. In my Santa house I only wanted lights on the Christmas Tree - I used battery operated ones. I may change the tree later and wire the house but since it's only one tree I can run the wiring through the floor under it at some later date if I want to and no one will ever know I added it as an afterthought.

I guess I'd ask myself if I was debating about it.. am I building my dream dollhouse? and if I'm dreaming would I dream about tiny lights to light up the rooms? Everyone has different preferences - I'd say do what makes you happiest For me it all depends on the house - some I just can't see without having lights others it doesn't mean that much to me to have them.

David

[Shakyshaky]

I have not electrified any of mine and don't plan to. It is just not something that interests me. I make sure that there is enough light where ever I display them and that is enough for me.

[hydroped]

. About how much does it cost to light a small 3 or 4 room house? I saw the kits on miniature.com were $50 and that's more than the Orchid itself costs; is there a cheaper way? I'd probably just do three lights in that one.

I wish I knew more about lighting - I'm still just doing small projects with lighting myself but I've heard you can get some good deals on Ebay for lighting supplies. What I did was buy a starter kit. It didn't come with the transformer but came with everything you need to install the electrical (tape, brads, tool, and tester) and I believe it was $25. Then I got the smallest transformer which I think was around $12 . For just 3 lights I don't think you will need anything bigger. I've also heard that you don't have to buy transformers made specifically by Cirkit and that you can use ones from Radio Shack but you just have to make sure they're the right voltage - I haven't tried this though.

-David

[MiniMadWoman]

I think it's a matter of personal preference. I electrified my Beacon Hill and my Forestgate Cottage (aka the Haunted House) but didn't electrify my Mother Goose's Cottage (aka the Orchid). I may go back and electrify MG's house though, I like the effect of lighting at night. I can sit and look into the house for hours!

I bought the tape wire and brads from Miniatures.com for . . . oh about $15. Costs for lights varies on what sytle you're looking at. My hubby had a transformer lying around the house so I used that. All in all, rather inexpensive for the hours of enjoyment.

In the end, it all depends on you and what your tastes are!! Good luck and I hope you'll share pictures!!

[Annette]

I put lights in my garfield when I first built it back in the late '80s, and now since I moved it here with me from my dad's I am constantly having problems with them. I really like having it lit and it looks beautiful at night, but I really could live without one week they all work and the next one floor is out and so on . That was using the tape wire, in my harrison and my addition to the garf I'm trying round wire, but I think it's just the age of the original tape that giving me problems. You don't really need to light your house if you don't want to, it's really just your preference ;) .

Really now that I think of it, even though it bugs me when my lights do that, it gives my garf a personality that fits right in with everyone in my family .......ATTITUDE :lol: .

[maresiedotes]

If your house is going to be played with by a small child (as my Garfield will be) maybe lighting would be something for later on. I'm planning to electrify my Garfield later, but not now.

Good luck on all you're going to be doing!

[grazhina]

I haven't lit one either...well, I ran some tiny fiberoptic lights into my Pumpkin House, but later I wished I hadn't.

I have a light kit I bought a year ago on super sale, figuring that at some point I'd do something I wanted lit. Of course, I was going to wire the bungalow, but I forgot about it til I was too far along with construction to implement it the way I had meant to.

I'll play with electricity someday....ouch!!!

[Adallae]

I love the way lights look in a dollhouse, but I didn't light my Glencroft because I thought it was too small. Now I'm working on a larger farmhouse, which will be electrified. Not sure why I feel that way about the smaller houses - I love my Glencroft! The larger the house, the more glamorous I'd like it to be :lol:! Plus, the cost seems more justified.

Good luck with your houses!

[Deb]

I've got a little of all the above. :lol: The Pierce isn't wired, but because there are dark corners in some rooms, I'll probably add hard wire lights somewhere along the line. If not for the dark corners in the back of the L shape, I probably wouldn't bother with it. I tape wired the Librarian's Cottage (haunted house) and hard wired the Faerie Cottage (aster). None of the other houses are wired and I like them just fine without the lights.

After trying both types of wiring, I have to say that I prefer the hard wire. Carol showed me how to hide the wiring and now I consider that to be part of the fun of building. The Faerie Cottage has a light in the fireplace (wire goes directly thru the hearth), a lamp in the living room (the lamp sits on a chest of drawers and the wire goes down thru a hole I drilled in the chest and directly thru the floor) and there's a shell upstairs that lights up (it sits on top of a bashed michael's cabinet with a hole drilled in it for the wire--inside the chest, there's an extension wire that goes out thru the bottom and then down the corner of the house behind a piece of moulding)

I think it really depends on the look you're going for with the house and the layout of the house itself. I didn't even consider wiring the samurai house (coventry cottage) because of two things........the time period of the house and the fact that the Coventry is so open on all sides that it's very well lit without adding lights.

Like Teresa said, it's a matter of personal preference and what you're looking for with the end result. I love my non-wired houses just as much as I love the ones that light up.

Deb

[LPCullen]

ME ME ME ME ME!!!! Most of my houses DO NOT have lights, and I like them like that. I think of it this way, most of my houses are based around 1860s, and they didn't have power then, did they?

[Charlene]

ME ME ME ME ME!!!! Most of my houses DO NOT have lights, and I like them like that. I think of it this way, most of my houses are based around 1860s, and they didn't have power then, did they?

:lol: Very good logic Linda -- but they did have candles and oil lamps which I would count as lights and fireplaces...oops, guess I shouldn't have pointed that out, huh? Forget I said that. The night was dark before Thomas Edison!

I did not light the Haunt when I built it -- it was for a contest and I was strapped for time -- but it will be lit after the refurb and I do have the tiny little Halloween lights & lighted skulls around it, bit they're on battery packs. I LOVE lights -- I'm even gonna put some lit candles in the brewing gourd. I say, Lights EVERYWHERE!!!! You might check out the Dollar Store for your haunt -- they sell orange & black strings of little lights that run off battery packs.

Lights can actually be done relatively cheaply if you buy the wired bulbs & sockets and wire up the lamps and stuff yourself. You can use beads and wire and all kinds of neat stuff to make them -- I've seen some that are extraordinary. And maybe I'll check out the Radio Shack transformers -- good tip, David -- and see if they'll work.

[nuttiwebgal]

none of the houses I have given away have lights in them

to much expense for sure.

but I do like lights and they really do add to the atmosphere of a house

especially at night.

I love to light my haunted house up and sit in the dark and enjoy the view

kind of like sitting in the dark enjoying the lights on your Christmas tree

one of the things I have started buying is Transformers when Hobby Lobby has their miniatures 50% off

I have 3 now. on is for Catriona's house and the other 2 are for any other house I want to light up.

usually I play musical transformer when lighting my houses.

there really is no right or wrong choice.

I say first kit dont care if it has lights...dont light it

find out ya gotta build another...maybe that one you will.

Im sure you will love your house no matter what you choose to do.

nutti :lol:

[Deb]

Im sure you will love your house no matter what you choose to do.

nutti :lol:

<cackling> Houses are kinda like pets and kids. You love them even if they aren't always real bright.

<hanging head and scuffing toe in the dirt> Sorry. I couldn't resist that one. I'll go put myself in time out for that one.

Deb <shuffling off to the corner>

[uppitycats]

Can't really offer a lot here. My Garfield does not have electricity. This is my first (and probably only) house. I had enough of a learning curve, figuring out how to build it (I've never done anything like this, before!) without also having to figure out how to install lighting. Anyway...I think there's enough of a mix of lighted/unlighted houses in this thread to keep you second-guessing yourself, whichever way you go! :lol:

[wenlaine]

Susan, I didn't wire my Beacon Hill or Harrison and even though I still spent alot on chandeliers, I just cut the wires off. All of the other houses I did wire but found I never turn them on once they've been done other than to maybe show someone how it looks lighted. Yet now, I can't imagine doing a house without wiring it.

The reason I didn't do the first houses was simply because I was afraid. Once I got over the fear, it wasn't difficult at all.

It's a personal choice and your house will look beautiful with or without lighting.

[Irene]

I didn't light my Orchid, because I don't know how to....I don't plan on lighting my next project either...but it is something, that perhaps somewhere down the line I would like to try....

[Missymew]

I agree with David about building your "dream" house. My dream dollhouse has to be wired. Like Teresa, I can sit for hours and gaze into a lit dollhouse. I'm even very picky on lighting in our "real" home. I think lighting is not only practical but creates a wonderful ambience.

In my 1890 farmhouse that I'm working on, I'm going to wire it. I'm using light fixtures that look like candles and kerosene lamps.

What is great are all of the choices that we have when building these dollhouses.

-Susanne

[Rivalingparis]

I have one that is and one that isn't. For me it was lighting in a display house - time to show off and see how close to a real house I can get it - or a play house one that's going to be used.

[JaimieMarvon]

About how much does it cost to light a small 3 or 4 room house? I saw the kits on miniature.com were $50 and that's more than the Orchid itself costs; is there a cheaper way? I'd probably just do three lights in that one. Thanks for giving me food for thought.

There are different kits for the number of lights you would use in the house. If you have an AC Moore anywhere near you, they always have 40% off coupons. That's how I got my kit. Or you can do like David suggested and try eBay. Once you try it, its really very easy. As I said recently in another post...I was scared to death, but I really wanted lights. I bought the kit with the coupon, read all the directions, did some research online and made myself a test strip from a piece of scrap wood. WHA LA... I got light!

Good luck!