Advice On Furniture Scale Size

[mystic]

Hi, Since this is all new to me, I would really appreciate some advice. I have The Washington 2.0 and it's in partial dryfit right now. The rooms are very small and so I was wondering if placing 1/2 inch scale furniture would be OK instead of the 1 inch scale. I have a dining table with 4 chairs and takes up alot of space. And the problem with the rooms are the staircases and doorways. I don't like cluttered rooms and I don't want to spend money on a set where there won't be enough space to fit everything. That's why I thought of getting the 1/2 inch scale furnishings.

[jrchob]

I think there are a lot of variables here. Some 1/24 objects might go well in a1/12 house but with a table and chairs the height is also in the 1/24 scale. Possibly a round table would not cramp the room and could be made without costing alot. How big is the dining room in your Washington and how big is the table that you have.

[mystic]

I will measure the table when I get home from work and the room sizes as well. So, I guess it all depends what type of furniture you're placing that one can get them in a smaller scale and will still look OK. All I want to do is set up the kitchen/living room/bedroom. The fourth room probably a sitting area. Maybe if I post the size of the rooms here, someone can orientate me as to which size would be better or something close to it.

[KathieB]

I used a mix of 1/2" and 1" furnishings in my White Orchid. The rooms are similar in size to the Washington 2.0 in that they are not very large. My white Orchid is home to five elves who make toys and bake for Santa. They live above the workshop. The furniture upstairs is all 1/2" scale to suit their size. The furniture downstairs is all 1" scale -- work table, work bench, sideboard with trundle bed below, kitchen sink, stove, etc. it sounds a bit awkward, but it works.

And that's the issue: what will work for you? Half-inch furnishings will make the rooms seem much larger ... 16-foot ceilings for example! But what's more elegant than a very high ceiling? A lot depends on what look you're going for.

You may want to leave out the stairway.

Have fun with your choices, and do let us see how it develops. :thumb:

[havanaholly]

And, that, dear kiddies, is why I started making my own furniture, bath fixtures, etc.

[shannonc60]

You could use 1/16 scale furniture. There is a bit around, and many of vintage dollhouse brands were 1/16th. I am using that scale for my Canterbury, which is also supposed to be 1" scale.

[mystic]

Thanks Kathie, you have helped me quite alot. The rooms measure 11" deep & 7 1/2 inches wide and there' s 2 fireplaces. A couple of weeks ago on impulse I bought a mixture of country style items for the kichen. This was before the house arrived. One of the items is a black cast iron oven, measures 4" high and it looks huge in the room. So I think I'm going to try one piece of furniture 1/2 scale. I like the idea of the high ceilings and the rooms looking larger. I want the house to be a warm, cozy cottage. I've painted the interior walls but not happy with the color, so it's back to Home Depot for another sample jar, lol. But I feel better now about the size of furniture that might look better. As soon as I feel it looks half way decent, I will start posting pictures.

[mystic]

Thanks, I will check into the 1/16. Are the items in a smaller scale more expensive than the 1 inch scale.

[havanaholly]

Martin & Venus Dodge's book, The Dollshouse Do-It-Yourself Book, has furniture patterns in both 1:12 AND 1:16 scale and all the early editions the furniture & other patterns were all 1:16 scale.

[mystic]

Thanks, I will look into it, but isn't 1/16 smaller than 1/2 inch. I did some more measuring based on 1/2 scale and I think that size will go well in the rooms. I wish I had the skills to build my own. I'm going to have to do lots of searches so that it doesn't end up costing me an arm & a leg lol

[Shy Spirit]

1:16 is between 1:12 and 1:24 (half scale).

Many vintage dollhouses are smaller, and the furnishings are 1:16.

[havanaholly]

Ahem, Linda. I had absolutely NO skills nor experience making any furniture, but I wanted specific items that would fit in specific spaces, and there it is. Start with cardboard and paper; check this site: http://1inchminisbykris.blogspot.com/2011/12/sabby-chic-card-stock-bed-with-no-sew.html?showComment=1324079051203#c5879783917613427442 and go from there.

Also, go back to basic arithmetic and fractions; the larger the number on the bottom, the smaller the piece,, so 1:16 is smaller than 1:12 but larger than 1:24.

[dorn27]

Half inch scale is the same as saying 1/24 scale. So its 1/12, 1/16 and 1/24... the bigger the number on the bottom, the smaller the items.

[mystic]

Thanks, I got it figured out now and I've decided I'm going to furnish the house with 1 inch scale furniture. I'm going to keep the rooms simple so that it look spacious. I've already ordered some nice pieces of furniture, so I'm really excited. Everyone's advice really helped and pointed me in the right direction. Thanks