The Wonderful World of Miniatures

Miniatures is the most fascinating hobby/art to which we have ever been exposed! It is creative, challenging, entertaining, fulfilling, and fun! We at Jeepers Dollhouse Miniatures are committed to assisting those people who wish to become involved with miniatures, whether it is in obtaining a dollhouse for a child for play and creative learning or for an adult who is interested in miniatures as a hobby or collector of fine pieces of miniature art. To that end, we will be offering a few thoughts to keep in mind as you get started.

Fundamental Facts

Basic Styles

There are two basic styles of houses: Front Opening with walls on all four sides and at least one hinged wall; and the Traditional Back Opening, which has three walls with access at the back of the house. The back open style can be placed on a turntable if desired. Both styles have advantages and personal preference will guide your choice. And, of course, there are period design styles in each category! When choosing between a front or back opening model, keep in mind who will play with the dollhouse. Also, does the family have pets? Cats in particular love to crawl up into cosy little spaces like those offered in a dollhouse.

Construction Materials

Dollhouses can be made from a variety of woods. The less expensive houses tend to be made from thin woods or MDF. Better quality houses are generally made from plywood or hardwoods. The type of wood relates directly to durability and ease of construction. Beware that there are many types of dollhouses on the market. Some are designed to challenge one’s creativity. Others are intended for display only. But our favorites are those that can provide years of playful enjoyment for young and old alike. At Jeepers Miniatures you will find homes that we have found to be the most durable and playable. We look for kits that are the easiest to assemble. Because we personally love this hobby and wish to share our pleasure with others, we try to offer houses and kits that will bring you and your family the most enjoyment.When you purchase a house or kit from Jeepers Miniatures that is the beginning of a hopefully long-term relationship. We start by giving you free information sheets about your house and will continue to provide you with helpful information guides as you purchase electrical, shingling, and wallpapering supplies. This kind of service, you will find only at a full-service miniatures shop like Jeepers.

Commonly Asked Questions

Should I purchase a kit or a fully assembled dollhouse? The “right” choice depends on what best fits your needs. Some find great enjoyment from assembling a kit, while others aren’t interested in that phase, but are more interested in decorating the house. Fully assembled houses are only slightly more costly and may well be worth the peace of mind. In either case, you have ample opportunity to customize your house—from color choices to additions to interiors and exterior decorating styles.

Are there any other choices? Absolutely! Structures come in many forms: barns, gazeboes, shops, lighthouses, room boxes, and vignettes, to name a few.

What do I do After I've Selected My Dollhouse?

Choose a Good Work Space

I hope that you have selected a good place to work on your dollhouse (kit or assembled shell). You will better enjoy your project and are more likely to complete your dollhouse if you have a designated organized workspace with good lighting. A large table with room for the shell and your tools is the best arrangement. I have found that a table that is basically twice the size of the base of the dollhouse works best. A couple boxes can be arranged beneath the table to house the kit parts, supplies, and your tools.

Identify Kit Components

The next step depends entirely on whether you chose a kit or an assembled house. If you chose a kit, the VERY first thing you should do is take an inventory of the components included in the kit.

Check each piece against the part list. You might even take it one step further and identify each piece with the description provided by the manufacturer. Look over each piece to identify any damage or potential problems. We've had one or two incidents where pieces weren't cut according to the specifications. That said, it wouldn't be a bad idea to measure the pieces to be certain that they match the dimensions provided.

If you find that pieces are missing, damaged, or not the size as described, you should immediately contact the manufacturer. We would certainly be happy to help you get the replacement part, but you can save time and avoid potential problems if you speak directly to the manufacturer. Ocassionally, they require additional information relative to the part (aside from the description) such as dimensions.

We have had a few instances where folks purchased a DuraCraft dollhouse several years ago and for whatever reason are just getting to building them now. Unfortunately, that particular manufacturer is no longer in business and it is difficult to get the missing or damaged parts. Had they identified and contacted the manufacturer when they originally purchased the dollhouse kit, they would have been able to acquire the replacement parts. As it is now, we are working with individuals to create alternative replacement pieces. Readers are cautioned about purchasing DuraCraft dollhouses from the Internet since if they do have parts issues there is no one to help resolve them.

Collect all Necessary Tools and Equipment

Study the list of required tools and equipment. It is much better to have everything at hand to avoid searching for them while you are building. Generally, you will only require typical household tools, but it is better to have them handy rather than stored in the basement or garage when you're working elsewhere in the house.

Ceiling Fixture Installation

Today's question involved installing a ceiling fixture in a dollhouse living room. Ask any miniaturist how and you'll probably get a different answer from each one. I will even give you a different suggestion depending on the house, room location in the house, degree of finish (or preferred finish), etc. I generally adhere to the K.I.S.S. principle. Keeping it simple is usually the best method. I also prefer to use tapewire. Loved by some (including me) despised by others. Another discussion another day.

Generally speaking, I prefer to install ceiling fixtures through the ceiling to the floor above. I know, that doesn't always work on the top floor, but that isn't the issue today. We'll save that discussion for another time. Assuming the room in question is on a level (first, second, or third floor) with an unfinished floor above, I suggest the following:

• Plan your wiring layout before you do any interior finishing. This is critical, unless you don't mind tearing up carpeting or re-installing your wood floors. Install the tapewire throughout the house.
  
• Make certain that the tapewire across the floor is within reach of the point at which you will install the ceiling fixture. You do not necessarily want the tapewire to run right over the point where the ceiling fixture will be installed. I normally run the tapewire across the floor several inches from the center of the room. Wires from ceiling fixtures are generally about 8" long, but leave enough room for error. Better to have excess wire than a shortage. The excess wire can be taped down. If you cut the fixture wire too short then have problems removing the insulation, you run the risk of not having enough wire to reach the tapewire. The delicate wire can break and you might need to recut the wire several times until you are successful. Additionally, it is easier to work with longer lengths of wire.
  
• Turn off any power to the dollhouse.
  
• I prefer to apply ceiling/wallpaper to my ceilings. Although many people are perfectly content with painting their ceilings, I like the look of ceiling papers, particularly the slightly textured type that resembles plaster or "popcorn" finishes. Once the paper has been installed and is completely dry, you are ready for the next step.
  
• Determine exactly where you would like to position the ceiling fixture.
  
• Once you have determined the point for placement of the fixture, mark the spot and locate it on the floor above. Just measure the point from a side wall and a front (or back) wall and transfer those measurements from the ceiling onto the floor above.
  
• Drill a small hole at the marked spot on the floor through to the ceiling below. If you have papered the ceiling, you might also drill up from the ceiling to the floor above for a clean opening. I often drill from the floor down then the ceiling up to make certain I have a clear hole through which to run the ceiling fixture wire. It is not always necessary.
  
• Many light fixtures are equipped with a plug. If that is the case with your fixture, remove the plug now. You can remove the prongs and then just slip the plug off the wire. Or clip the wire to remove the plug. Clipping the wire results in a clear end that makes running the wire through the hole a little easier. Always save the plug. You may find a need for it on another fixture.
  
• With the wire through the hole to the floor above, locate the point at which you will connect the fixture wire to the tapewire. Nail one brad into the copper colored taperun and one brad into the silver colored taperun, generally about 1/4" apart. Do not drive the brad all the way down yet. Allow about 1/16" to 1/8" to stick up. You need this space to wrap the wires from the fixture.
  
• Now its time to ready the fixture wire for installation. If the fixture wire consists of two separate wires you can skip this step. If the two wires on the fixture is joined by insulation you must use a pair of fine (embroidery) scissors and clip the end of the wire between the two wires to split them apart. Gingerly pull the wires apart making certain that the insulation remains around both wires. If you find the wire is exposed, stop, clip off the wire at the point of exposure and repeat the process until you have two insulated separate wires about 1" long.
  
• About 1/2" from the end of each wire, rub the wire between your thumbnail and the pad of your index finger to break the insulation. Carefully pull the end of the insulation from the rest of the wire until you have exposed about 1/4" of copper wire. DO NOT remove the insulation from the tip. Grasp the insulated wire on either side of the exposed wire and twist slightly. This will keep the fine copper wires together and stronger. Repeat the process for the other wire. You are now ready to attach the wires to the brads.
  
• If you removed the fixture wire from the hole, re-tread the wire to its place near the brads. Wrap the exposed copper wire of one side of the fixture wire around one brad. You should be able to wrap it 2 or 3 times for good contact. Repeat with the other brad. Make certain that the copper wires do not touch one another. Once you are satisfied with the connection, turn on your power supply to make certain the ceiling fixure is properly connected and operational.
  
• If the lamp lights solidly (no flickering), you have a good connection. Turn off the power and nail the brads flush to the floor. Test again to make certain you did not loosen the wires. Once installation is complete, cover the brad connections with a piece of Scotch tape. You may also tape down any excess fixture wire at this point.
  

That's it! you've installed a ceiling fixure using what I consider the easiest method.

Welcome to Our Miniature World

My name is Cheryl Ufnowski. My husband Vern and I own and operate Jeepers Dollhouse Miniatures in Nashville (Brown County), Indiana.

Rarely does a day go by that I am not asked questions regarding choosing, building, and decorating a dollhouse. Not only do I have a dollhouse shop, but I also thoroughly enjoy the dollhouse hobby. I find it a wonderfully creative outlet that allows me to exercise my imagination and challenge my creativity. In the world of dollhouses I can be a contractor, interior designer, artist, painter, sculpter, handywoman, or anyone else. The craft is not limited to typical dollhouses, but extends to imaginative containers, display boxes, or simple vignettes. It can take you to faraway places without leaving your home...like a "mini" vacation.

I have always thought that hobbies were a great way to relieve stress; building and decorating dollhouses is no exception. I hope we can share some of the wonders of miniatures!

NOTE:  Since the original post, Jeepers Dollhouse Miniatures has now transitioned to an online only venue.  I hope to continue the same great customer service and remain a constant source of help and inspiration to miniature enthusiasts, young and old!  Be sure to check out our website!