When you tackle the undertaking of building dollhouse miniatures, you’re becoming an architect; maybe you already are an architect!  Whether you’re a long time professional or a first time amateur, it’s vital that you recognize and understand the authentic style of the house you are trying to build.  If you’re going to build or decorate a Victorian era doll house, research the construction, architect and design of these homes to ensure that your dollhouse miniatures are as accurate as possible.  If you are going to participate in miniature dollhouse building or decorating competitions, judges will dock many points for simple errors in authenticity.

If you are going to purchase doll house kits rather than building your own, it can still be very helpful to understand the design of the home to aid you in your decorating process.  If you purchase dollhouse kits, you can be certain that the design will be accurate, assuming you purchase from a credible manufacturer.  It’s easy to find miniature dollhouse accessories that accent any style or era of home so there’s no excuse  to be inaccurate.

In this article, lets review the construction and interior design of a Victorian style home, starting with the architecture.  Victorian homes are from 1840 to the 1900s and tend to be one-of-a kind and creative.  This is because architects often designed the buildings as they went and mixed and matched according to their tastes.  There are many variations of this home, primarily because during that period, architecturally speaking, it was “anything goes.”

Victorian style homes are known to have irregular sides, steep roofs, unique chimneys, extensive porches and uneven floor plans.  These unique and varied features is what helps this style of home (and dollhouse) be some charming and individual. 

In addition to being famously high, Victorian homes have roofs with intricately patterned shingles.  Porches often embrace the entire home and it’s not uncommon to have an external or outdoor room and a gazebo on the property.  Fireplaces are almost always present in this style of house (and miniature doll house) because they were built before gas or oil heating features.  Wealthier Victorian Home owners generally had more than one fireplace, typically in the kitchen, living room and/or master bedroom.  The irregular sides come from a combination of the porches, bay windows and fireplaces.

Interior design in a Victorian home is another important feature to consider when furnishing your dollhouse.  Families, particularly wealthy women, used home decor as a method of expressing their wealth and style.  Wallpapers and furniture was generally elaborate and very decorative.  They included a lot of feminine colors and details.  Decoration is inspired by the British Empire and Egyptian and Oriental styles.  Popular wood included mahogany and teak and furniture was made from thick, heavy, wooden designs and accented with velvet or leather.

These techniques and designs are just as important in your dollhouse miniatures as they are in the construction of a real Victorian home.  Because the Victorian era boasts such elaborate homes, it may be a good idea to start with Victorian doll house kits rather than building your own.  Either way, there are dollhouse miniatures available in retail stores and at many online sites.

The kits are made from high quality plywood that is precut into the necessary shapes and they come with very easy to follow instructions for assembly.  There are no nails or screws necessary for assembly making this the kind of project you can do with anyone from age 2 to 92.  The furniture pieces are created on a 1” to 1’ scale so they are proportionate to nearly every style of doll house. 

There are so many options with this brand of dollhouse kits because you can finish the wood in any way you like.  It’s important to select coordinating or complementary kits to ensure that your miniature dollhouse will feature a “put together” look.  The kits are all inclusive so your entire room is finished with just one easy purchase.

The “Sweet Dreams Bedroom All Wood Furniture Kit,” for example, comes with a bed with a chest, two bedside tables, a dresser with a mirror, a vanity with a mirror, a vanity stool, a picture frame and a shelf.  That’s everything you will need to build an entire room!  Other kits include The Lounge Around Living Room, The Home Cookin’ Kitchen, The Live It Up Library and The Down Home Dining Room.

This company creates a fine product that I would recommend these dollhouse miniatures to any of my friends who are interested in miniature collectibles.  In addition, I like that they are based right here in the United States and that they have toll free product support with just an easy phone call.  They also offer a street address and an email address so they will never be hard to reach with any comments and concerns.