Making your Miniature House Better: Floor Trim
If you are a true crafter you are constantly tweaking your creations. The last dollhouse that I was making I discovered a great addition that really made my interior stand out. This big discovery was floor trim. You can buy many types of dollhouse trim through stores but what I found to be the cheapest and easiest is purchasing a long thin flat piece of balsa wood. I painted them white, which went with all the walls in my dollhouse, and attached them to the floors throughout the house. I was most impressed to not see any more tiny cracks between the wall and the flooring due to the trim covering it up. It also prevented the wall paper to come unglued because I was covering the bottom edges with the trim. This discovery truly was a small one, but I believe that it really added to my dollhouse.
Basics of Dollhouse Wallpaper
Once you have painted the interior of an entire kit you will realize the value of covering the walls with wallpaper. Not only will the walls have a cute and distinct pattern, but the job will be done in a fraction of the time. There are many websites online that will give you some great ideas and options with dollhouse wallpaper. There are many pre-cut easily stick wallpaper sheets with many varieties of styles. You can also print off your own wallpaper. There are websites that will give you free wall paper prints, just start searching for them Scrap booker's will have all the necessary materials for you as well, so if you know anyone or if you are a scrap booker yourself look at your collection of paper and I am sure that something will work. Remember, you learn by doing, so start with something simple and create something amazing.
Lights and Miniatures: The Awe Factor
If you have completed a kit, furnished it, and are looking for another adventure then try lighting. When you add lights to it you are dedicating a bit of time and energy, you are also stating that it will not be used for toddlers, but receives more of a collectible status. I am not going to lie; lighting is fun, but also a bit challenging. At the same time, isn't the challenge why we are in this hobby? Lighting is as simple as a wire connection and a on/off switch. In fact with the instructions at hand you will be surprised at how easy it is. As will all aspects of this game, things will get easier with time. When you start with your first kit, get a small one just so you don't overwhelm yourself, something small and easy. Remember it is only hard or challenging if you make it out to be.
Sizing to Your Advantage
There are three major sizing elements that you will need to deal with in interior layout with a dolls room. Here are the sizing elements, there are three: Miniature scales, size of room dimensions, and comparative size. The first is the miniature scale, and you could really lose some money buying the wrong size. Meaning, you should check your dollhouse scale, if it is quarter inch you need quarter inch furniture. Size element is the second point, and this is as simple as making sure that your furniture will actually fit in the room. The actual furniture dimensions should be located at the store or website that you bought it at, simply measure and compare. Lastly, the final point is the size of the furniture as it compares to other pieces around it. This means that each set has its own symmetry of size, larger, medium, and smaller pieces should coordinate together in a pattern that makes sense.
If you are a true crafter you are constantly tweaking your creations. The last dollhouse that I was making I discovered a great addition that really made my interior stand out. This big discovery was floor trim. You can buy many types of dollhouse trim through stores but what I found to be the cheapest and easiest is purchasing a long thin flat piece of balsa wood. I painted them white, which went with all the walls in my dollhouse, and attached them to the floors throughout the house. I was most impressed to not see any more tiny cracks between the wall and the flooring due to the trim covering it up. It also prevented the wall paper to come unglued because I was covering the bottom edges with the trim. This discovery truly was a small one, but I believe that it really added to my dollhouse.
Basics of Dollhouse Wallpaper
Once you have painted the interior of an entire kit you will realize the value of covering the walls with wallpaper. Not only will the walls have a cute and distinct pattern, but the job will be done in a fraction of the time. There are many websites online that will give you some great ideas and options with dollhouse wallpaper. There are many pre-cut easily stick wallpaper sheets with many varieties of styles. You can also print off your own wallpaper. There are websites that will give you free wall paper prints, just start searching for them Scrap booker's will have all the necessary materials for you as well, so if you know anyone or if you are a scrap booker yourself look at your collection of paper and I am sure that something will work. Remember, you learn by doing, so start with something simple and create something amazing.
Lights and Miniatures: The Awe Factor
If you have completed a kit, furnished it, and are looking for another adventure then try lighting. When you add lights to it you are dedicating a bit of time and energy, you are also stating that it will not be used for toddlers, but receives more of a collectible status. I am not going to lie; lighting is fun, but also a bit challenging. At the same time, isn't the challenge why we are in this hobby? Lighting is as simple as a wire connection and a on/off switch. In fact with the instructions at hand you will be surprised at how easy it is. As will all aspects of this game, things will get easier with time. When you start with your first kit, get a small one just so you don't overwhelm yourself, something small and easy. Remember it is only hard or challenging if you make it out to be.
Sizing to Your Advantage
There are three major sizing elements that you will need to deal with in interior layout with a dolls room. Here are the sizing elements, there are three: Miniature scales, size of room dimensions, and comparative size. The first is the miniature scale, and you could really lose some money buying the wrong size. Meaning, you should check your dollhouse scale, if it is quarter inch you need quarter inch furniture. Size element is the second point, and this is as simple as making sure that your furniture will actually fit in the room. The actual furniture dimensions should be located at the store or website that you bought it at, simply measure and compare. Lastly, the final point is the size of the furniture as it compares to other pieces around it. This means that each set has its own symmetry of size, larger, medium, and smaller pieces should coordinate together in a pattern that makes sense.
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