Are you new
to the hobby? Have you still to decide whether the dolls house
hobby is for you? Well, we will try to explain in the next few
paragraphs a little about the hobby and what is available to
allow you to enjoy the wonderful world of dolls houses and miniatures.
We often see
people in our shops who say that they are worried and concerned
about what the hobby entails.
- They are worried
that they do not know enough about architecture and design, period
and style, dress etc.
- They are concerned
that they will not be able to create their dolls house, whilst
staying faithful to the particular period or style which matches
their house.
- They are put
off by what they hear from the "experts", who like
all experts baffle them with science.
- They are also
worried that they are not clever or "handy" enough
to cope with the DIY demands of building
and decorating a dolls house. What they hear confuses them. They
think that "I do not even know the difference between
Georgian and Edwardian and Victorian".
Worry ye not
there is only one rule that you must follow when embarking
on the dolls house hobby and that is - ENJOY YOURSELF do
what makes you happy. Do what you want.
The dolls house
hobby like any other hobby is one to be enjoyed and it should
form a part of your life, which brings only joy and happiness.
If that fun is generated by re-creating a historically accurate
reproduction then that is fine, and enjoyed by some. However,
buying a dolls
house
for any other reason can be just as much fun for someone else.
If you want to buy a Victorian dolls house and decorate and furnish
it with items from the Edwardian period then do so. In real life
many people live in Georgian and Edwardian houses with furniture
and trappings from a variety of periods. So first and foremost
enter the hobby of the miniaturist to enjoy it and be assured
that it is very much the hobby, which has "something for
everyone".
Once you have
decided that this is the hobby for you the first stage is to
decide upon the dolls house that suits your plans. This decision
may take in many factors such as cost, space available and simply
what you like the look of, or maybe the "project" you
want to follow.
You must then
decide if your dolls house will come in kit form or ready assembled.
You may even want to build the dolls house from scratch simply
buying the raw materials yourself. However, whilst this route
is sometimes taken for economical reasons, it can, quite often
turn out to be a false economy. The major kit manufacturers,
due to economies of scale, can produce an easy to assemble kit
at a very reasonable price. As with most things quality is very
much linked to what you pay and the various dolls houses on offer
will be no exception. We feel strongly that for most people the
actual dolls house itself is the one major investment that they
will make in the hobby. Accordingly a lot of thought should go
into this decision. Better to walk away from the shop to think
about it in the quiet of your own home, than buy on impulse something
you may regret later.
If a house
proves too expensive for your situation you can start with a
room
box.
This is a simple one-room construction about the size of a shoebox,
which can be easily sited on a shelf or even in a cupboard. This
room box may satisfy you totally or may prove to be a springboard
to your ultimate ownership of a dolls house.
Always remember
- you can always go back to purchase another day. Mistakes further
down the line are far easier and cheaper to rectify than if you
were to do the same with the dolls house itself. There are many
options available when choosing a dolls house. We would always
advise people to ask lots of questions, get the information,
but ultimately make your own decision.
