Dazzling Dollhouses

By Jessica Gold

While in a toy store the other day, I watched a beautiful exchange between a mother and her young daughter. The little girl had a blonde ponytail and was about five years old. She sat on the floor while her mother crouched down in front of a beautiful wooden dollhouse. The girl lovingly played with the furniture as she and her mother exchanged decorating tips. The little girl liked that the bedroom was purple, just like the one that she had at home. Her mother suggested curtains. I laughed at the exchange and said that they should go into the decorating business. The mom informed me that the girl had a similar dollhouse at home and every week or so they would come in to select another piece of furniture. This week the little girl had lost her second tooth and the tooth fairy had left her some money to buy something for the dollhouse.

Dollhouses are extraordinarily popular today. The first dollhouse was designed for a Bavarian Duke, Albert V, in the 16th Century. It became a norm for wealthy citizens to pay craftsmen to construct dollhouses and miniature replicas of homes. The idea of mass-producing these dollhouses became popular in the 17th century. They were essentially used as a teaching tool to introduce young girls to all aspects of taking care of a home and family. In the early 20th century, woodmakers began designing dollhouses to scale, making them more realistic by replicating original homes. This type of strategy is still utilized today. Dollhouses are the stuff that fantasies are made of, often replicating glamorous, multi-roomed homes.

Shopping for a dollhouse is a personal event. Would you let a friend or a relative pick out a house for you? Of course not. You would want to see the interior and check out the bathrooms, bedrooms and kitchen. It's essential that your child be a part of the selection process. After all, they are shopping for their first home. Let them browse the selection, whether it be at the toy store, hobby shop or online. I love the dollhouses featured at www.minishop.com/dollhouse.html. They have a wonderful assortment of houses and furniture. The company sells pre-assembled dollhouses and kits, which are ready to be shipped straight to your home. You can work together with your child to assemble, paint and finish their dream home. Just think how thrilled your young son or daughter will be to paint the house rainbow colors, or add polka dots to the shutters. You can select the type of house that you want, whether it be Victorian or Tudor. If a log cabin is your child's house of choice, miniature log homes are available and even have rustic furniture to go along with them.

Have you ever dreamed of a big brass bed covered with a tulle canopy, or a state-of-the-art kitchen complete with top-of-the-line appliances? If your dream has not come true, live vicariously through your child. They can essentially purchase furniture for their dollhouse in an antique-style or a modern look. There is such a variety in dollhouse furniture that a child will rarely get bored. They can even change a room around each season for a different look. Visit www.themagicaldollhouse.com for some wonderful, fun furniture. The Clara, Cosmo and Contemporary livingroom sets caught my eye. I had to remind myself that they were in fact "dollhouse furniture" and not adult furniture. The colorful couches, love seats, endtables and lamps would look wonderful in my own home, as the miniature furniture designers made replicas of popular adult styles and scaled them to size.

If you are the creative type, purchase dollhouse furniture kits. For around $15, you can enjoy finishing the pre-cut furniture with your child, creating cushions for the chairs and slipcovers for the couch. Your child's imagination will be set free. Who knows, you may even launch an interior design career.

Dollhouses are a wonderful tool for allowing a child to explore imaginative play, showcase their creative talents and take on the responsibility of taking care of a home. Purchasing and decorating a dollhouse can be a wonderful way to bond with your child and it just doesn't get any better then that.