Once a house has been
chosen the dolls house hobbyist can embark on making their dolls
house into a home. Choosing wallpapers and decorations will be just as much
fun, if not more, than choosing them in real life. Take out the stress
and cost of getting the real life choice right and you will see what
we mean.
Before your house is decorated you must decide whether you are going
to have working lights. Lighting a dolls
house is simple and safe and we can advise you at our shops how this
can be achieved using one of the two methods most commonly available
wire and copper
tape. You do not have to be an electrician or a handy person to
do this. At Dolls House Parade we always encourage
people to have a try. The damage potential for a failed job on your
dolls house does not have the repercussions that can follow a similar
event on your real house. Lighting your dolls house is certainly worth
it, when you see the atmosphere that can be created with carefully chosen
and designed lighting. It should be noted that, ideally, the preparation
for lighting should always be done prior to decorating your dolls house.
This will enable you to hide the wiring just as you do in a real house.
Decoration and lighting need not be a problem and helpful shops like
Dolls House Parade have enthusiastic staff that will help and advise
where necessary. Decoration can be as quick and easy as you like. Simply
paint and wallpaper the walls and a homely affect can be created for
your dolls house for little cost or effort. Something on a more grand
scale can be achieved if you desire. There are many products available
to help you achieve a variety of looks for your dolls house rooms. A
wide range of mouldings,
both in plaster and wood, together with tiling
and wood
panelling alternatives will allow you to make the rooms of your
dolls house as individual as you want
There are many tips, tricks and methods, which you will learn if you
become engrossed in the miniatures hobby. Throughout the years you will
become more experienced and adept at the art of being a miniaturist.
Dolls House Parade even runs a competition, which allows you to show
off your dolls house to the world and let people see the results you
have achieved. If your fellow miniaturists like it enough you may even
win a prize. Likewise you can look at the other entries and you may
be able to pick up a few tips and ideas, which will help you with your
own dolls house.
Once the rooms are decorated you can now consider furnishing. With
the vast range of styles, periods and items to suit all budgets the
variations are endless. Just as in your real house you can collect ornaments
together with other accessories to fill your dolls house. This more
than anything adds the homely touch, and probably says more about you
than any of the other things you have done in creating your dolls house
so far. Are you a cluttered person or one who likes order? Do you relate
more to "upstairs" or "downstairs" etc?
You have now created a "home"
and all that remains is for the family to move in. Some prefer not to
have "residents" in their dolls house. Others fill it with
carefully chosen miniature "people" - owners and their
family as well as staff (in the more grander residences) such as cooks
maids and butlers. In fact, hopefully, you will have now created the
home of your dreams.
"I hope that this has given you an insight into the wonderful
world of dolls houses and miniatures. I am lucky that since my husband
John bought me a dolls house all those years ago I have been living
out my dreams in miniature. Now with Dolls House Parade, my thriving
business, with three dolls house shops, I have ended up with a little
more than my husband bargained for. But, in addition, I now have the
bonus of not only enjoying my own hobby but in sharing my enthusiasm
with the many others who have become my customers (and in many cases
my friends)".

Lyn Thompson