1940's era dollhouse?

[Lani]

I'm close to being finished with my first dollhouse, setting:  circa 1915, so basically Edwardian era.  I'm seriously considering setting my second dollhouse in US circa 1945.  I want to follow the very early midcentury modern decor.  Has anyone done this and/or can give me ideas, advice or resources?  If you have done it, I'd absolutely love to see pictures.

[KathieB]

When I'm researching a particular period, I search out life size rooms and use my miniature eyes to study them for details.  

Edited June 27, 2020 by KathieB

[rbytsdy]

The closest I've ever gotten is a bit of an art deco theme for the San Fran.

I enjoyed that a great deal-- will have to try it again. Would love to see pics of your Edwardian!

[blueirishmoon]

You may find this book helpful: https://www.amazon.com/Thirties-Forties-Miniatures-12-Scale/dp/186108501X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=jane+harrop&qid=1593228052&s=books&sr=1-1

I bought my used copy before amazon jacked that price up. See if you can request through your library, and consider using the interlibrary loan if none of the branches near you have it.

[Lani]

6 hours ago, KathieB said:

When I'm researching a particular period, I search out life size rooms and use my miniature eyes to study them for details.  

Thanks.  I've been checking Pinterest and Google and have a lot of images posted to refer to as I go along.

[Lani]

3 hours ago, blueirishmoon said:

You may find this book helpful: https://www.amazon.com/Thirties-Forties-Miniatures-12-Scale/dp/186108501X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=jane+harrop&qid=1593228052&s=books&sr=1-1

I bought my used copy before amazon jacked that price up. See if you can request through your library, and consider using the interlibrary loan if none of the branches near you have it.

Thanks. I will.  Wow! Old books are really expensive.  I'm really excited to borrow this book, if the Library can get it for me.

[havanaholly]

11 hours ago, Lani said:

I'm close to being finished with my first dollhouse, setting:  circa 1915, so basically Edwardian era.  I'm seriously considering setting my second dollhouse in US circa 1945.  I want to follow the very early midcentury modern decor.  Has anyone done this and/or can give me ideas, advice or resources?  If you have done it, I'd absolutely love to see pictures.

Most of my houses are WW I era or just prior, but the last two and the one I'm starting are pre-WW II.  I was born in 1941 so I have had family pictures as well as memories to guide me, as I was born in 1941 (three weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor).  My Washington 2.0 is decorated a lot like I remember my grandparents' home, except with a table radio; they had a monster Philco floor model I used to lie in front of to listen to Smilin' Ed McConnell.  (Hey, Kathie; remember Froggy the Gremlin?)  I also have Jane Harrop's book; I made the gateleg dining table for my  farmhouse from her book.

[KathieB]

1 hour ago, havanaholly said:

(Hey, Kathie; remember Froggy the Gremlin?)

Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy!  and POOF!! There was Froggy in a cloud of smoke with his signature line: "Hiya, kids, hiya, hiya, hiya!" 

Scarred me for life ... lol

[Lani]

On 6/27/2020 at 5:07 AM, havanaholly said:

Most of my houses are WW I era or just prior, but the last two and the one I'm starting are pre-WW II.  I was born in 1941 so I have had family pictures as well as memories to guide me, as I was born in 1941 (three weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor).  My Washington 2.0 is decorated a lot like I remember my grandparents' home, except with a table radio; they had a monster Philco floor model I used to lie in front of to listen to Smilin' Ed McConnell.  (Hey, Kathie; remember Froggy the Gremlin?)  I also have Jane Harrop's book; I made the gateleg dining table for my  farmhouse from her book.

Havanaholly,  This is so interesting!  I would love to see photos of your pre-WWII house, if you're willing to share.  I have a number of specific ideas of what I want in my house but I'm doing a lot of research to make sure it's (mostly) period authentic and filled in nicely. " I want mine to be very colorful with the light wood pre-mid-century modern type of furniture.  I'm going to use a small house and set it up for a  single woman's home.  Ha!  I have a whole back-story for the "owner-family" of my c 1915 house and for my future c1945 house.  I don't think I could have furnished and decorated it without the back-story. (Am I the only one who does that?)  I love being inspired by what other people are doing.

[havanaholly]

32 minutes ago, Lani said:

Havanaholly,  This is so interesting!  I would love to see photos of your pre-WWII house, if you're willing to share.  I have a number of specific ideas of what I want in my house but I'm doing a lot of research to make sure it's (mostly) period authentic and filled in nicely. " I want mine to be very colorful with the light wood pre-mid-century modern type of furniture.  I'm going to use a small house and set it up for a  single woman's home.  Ha!  I have a whole back-story for the "owner-family" of my c 1915 house and for my future c1945 house.  I don't think I could have furnished and decorated it without the back-story. (Am I the only one who does that?)  I love being inspired by what other people are doing.

You can see my albums' contents by clicking on my avatar, which will take you to my profile page where you can click on "Albums" to see the Washington 2.0 farmhouse, which is here:

 

if you just want to look at that one.  Ever since KathieB took pictures of my pub I stopped taking pictures of my  builds with the disposable Fuji cameras; now I just wait until my tech-savvy middle son visits with his bells&whistles digital camera & flexible tripod and let him have at them.

[Lani]

Havanaholly, I love the farmhouse!  It's very evocative of the era.

 

[Elsbeth]

I have a Norman Rockwell dollhouse from Franklin Mint that has 40s decor. I'll see what photos I have - but I can point you to some pics online - it is a ver nostalgic house that I think reflects several generations of furniture. There's a photo of their son on the mantle in a uniform, and there is a radio and a record player from the 30s and 40s. It's cute. I found myself adding things like magazines from the 40s and some shoes and little things.

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/franklin-mint-memories-christmas-136960924

[Elsbeth]

On 6/26/2020 at 8:23 PM, blueirishmoon said:

You may find this book helpful: https://www.amazon.com/Thirties-Forties-Miniatures-12-Scale/dp/186108501X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=jane+harrop&qid=1593228052&s=books&sr=1-1

I bought my used copy before amazon jacked that price up. See if you can request through your library, and consider using the interlibrary loan if none of the branches near you have it.

I love Jane Harrop's minis!

[Lani]

1 hour ago, Elsbeth said:

I have a Norman Rockwell dollhouse from Franklin Mint that has 40s decor. I'll see what photos I have - but I can point you to some pics online - it is a ver nostalgic house that I think reflects several generations of furniture. There's a photo of their son on the mantle in a uniform, and there is a radio and a record player from the 30s and 40s. It's cute. I found myself adding things like magazines from the 40s and some shoes and little things.

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/franklin-mint-memories-christmas-136960924

Elsbeth,  Thank you.  This home is wonderful.  It's so homey and the details are amazing.  I love the afghan!

 

[Lani]

1 hour ago, Elsbeth said:

I love Jane Harrop's minis!

Elsbeth,  Thank you so much.  Someone else recommended this book so it must be good.  I'm going to see if my library can get it for me.

[Elsbeth]

25 minutes ago, Lani said:

Elsbeth,  Thank you.  This home is wonderful.  It's so homey and the details are amazing.  I love the afghan!

 

They included tons of details in the original house (I have that little afghan!). The bedspread on the boy's bed is also perfect - a brown wool plaid design - really captures the old times.

[havanaholly]

One of my favorite exhibits at the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola is the homefront, a wartime living room and kitchen, that brings back all sorts of incredible memories of my grandmother's kitchen; she had a son in the Army and another in the Navy.

[Lani]

Havanaholly, thank you for posting this.  The room is amazing!  It looks so real and lived in.  All of these houses, rooms and vignettes tell stories, don't they?  I love that.

[havanaholly]

All the rooms' contents were donated by local families.   There's a cathedral-style table radio similar to the one I made for the farmhouse, and a treadle sewing machine, and of course the star in the front window to show that a family member was serving.  In addition to the stove and Hoosier cabinet in the kitchen there's a mangle like the one Grandma had on her back porch where she & my DM used to spend Saturday's pressing all the bed linens after washing them and taking them off the clothesline.  Across the street from the house display is the grocery store, barber shop, dry goods store and hotel restaurant (with menu).