If you are a novice in the world of miniature dollhouses and small scale accessories, you may be confused about dollhouse scale and the questions related to antique furniture.
Scale is, in fact, one of the most relative terms in the realistic miniature scene as it refers to the ratio of a dollhouse to an object. Specifically, for miniature furniture knowing the scale of your dollhouse is crucial. Let us take a look at different dollhouse scales and understand their basics.
What is a Dollhouse Scale?
If you are confused about the dollhouse scale, you’re not alone. Several dollhouse enthusiasts are often perturbed by the scaling scene and presume that it requires a lot of brainpower. You might be surprised to learn that scale is important in every sphere of our lives, and our brains are always calculating it.
Let’s say that you have a dollhouse and have purchased furniture without considering scale. Once you assemble the miniature antiques inside the dollhouse, you notice that the furniture looks huge in relation to the actual size of the house. Your brain is automatically trying to figure out what looks out of place and why it doesn’t compliment each other.
That’s what scale does. It helps you decide on objects in relation to everything around it. Listed below are different types of dollhouse scales.
Scales For Victorian Dollhouse Furniture
1:12 Scale
This is a widely used dollhouse scale, and it is often referred to as the one-inch scale. A one-foot (12 inches) item in real life is represented as one inch for a dollhouse miniature.
The 1:12 dollhouse scale became popular with the 1924 Queen Mary’s dollhouse and is traced back to the metric system. These dollhouses are readily available and are highly acclaimed by avid dollhouse miniature collectors. These tend to be on the higher end of the spectrum and not suitable for people on a strict budget. Most Victorian dollhouses and furniture are available in this scale range, although very expensive. There are a lot of brands that specialise in vintage dollhouse furniture on the 1:12 scale. Some include MelodyJane, Miniature Rose Garden and the Dolls House Boutique.
1:24 Scale
1:24 Dollhouse is the most commonly used scale in the UK and Europe. This is also known as the half-scale and was first used in the 1950s and has again gained newfound glory in the 21st century.
Due to its revival, these dollhouses are easily available. Often less expensive than 1:12 scale dollhouses, a doorway in the 1:24 scale measures around 3 to 4 inches high. It is quite difficult to find Victorian dollhouse furniture in this scale range. Some manufacturers, namely The Daisy House, produce furniture kits on the 1:24 scale.
1:48 Scale
Another common scale for Victorian dollhouses, the 1:48 scale, is used for most Victorian antique dollhouses and furniture is readily available. In this scale, a person reaching up to 6 feet would be a 1 ½ inch tall in the miniature scale.
Some online websites, such as the Miniature Rose Garden, provide furniture in the 1:48 scale and even furniture boxes at affordable prices. It is harder to work with miniature furniture on this scale as it is extremely tiny. However, it adds a unique scale to your miniature collection.
How to Choose Victorian Dollhouse Furniture
Depending on the scale of your dollhouse, Victorian dollhouse furniture looks best when accommodated on the same scale. The refined vintage pieces are a timeless addition to your collection, so you should choose the one relative to your dollhouse scale.
Most retailers have miniature furniture listed according to dollhouse scales in their catalogues, so it is relatively easy to find Victorian pieces online and in antique stores. To be sure, you could jot down the height and width of the furniture on a piece of paper and place the cut-out 2D version inside the dollhouse to see if it is the right size. Refer to this website for checking what 1:12 dollhouses should measure in inches.
If you are confused about the scale of your dollhouse, here’s how you can get the scale.
- If your dollhouse measures between 8 to 10 inches ( 20-25 cm), you have a 1:12 scale dollhouse.
- If your dollhouse measures between 4 and 5 inches (10 cm-12.5cm), you have a 1:24 scale dollhouse.
- If your dollhouse measures between 2 and 2.5 inches ( 5.8cm-6.4cm), you have a 1:48 scale dollhouse.
How to Scale Up or Down
If you are working with dollhouse miniatures or planning to create DIY-style furniture, you should learn to switch between scales. Many websites and blogs primarily focus on creating furniture with the 1:12 scale, so if you have a dollhouse in the 1:24 or 1:48 scale, it might be difficult to navigate these parameters.
Taking the 1:12 scale as the benchmark, you can scale up or down by doubling the numbers or reducing them by half. Here’s a quick overview of the three scales for miniature furniture and how much to scale up or down.
| Scale | Real size | Miniature size |
| 1:12 | 12ft | 12in |
| 1:24 | 12ft | 6in |
| 1:48 | 12ft | 3in. |
So, if you’re working with a dollhouse on the 1:48 scale and the pattern of the specific furniture is following the 1:12 scale dollhouse, you can easily take 1/4 of the actual measurement.
Conclusion
Finding the perfect Victorian dollhouse furniture is an exciting endeavour, especially when the final creation materialises into the dollhouse of your dreams. Victorian houses are known for their antique furniture, so make sure you choose pieces that reflect the elegance of the period rather than exuberant antiques.
We hope you found this article helpful and are confident about creating or purchasing miniature Victorian furniture. Happy scaling!