Things you need to consider:
- period - Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian or modern.
- Which rooms you want to have in your dolls house.
- Do you want to add a basement or an attic?
- Wallpapers, flooring, rugs, and carpets
- Dolls and animals to add character.
- Furniture and accessories.
- Don't forget also to add a few dolls to populate your house. and turn it into a home.
Georgian Period: 1714- 1830
The georgian period covers the reigns of the first four Hanoverian Kings.
George I, George II, George III and George IV.
The Georgian era is well known for its elaborate architecture, a great example of this is The Crescent in Bath.
Porticos, sash and dormer windows are also characteristic of this period.
Home decor in these years was sparse, many things that we now take for granted were yet to be mass produced, this comes with the industrial revolution and Victorian factories.
Fashion, leisure time and grand houses were the preserve of the elite in society.
If you choose to decorate your dolls house in the Georgian era it is best to go for the grand style.
Victorian Period: 1837 - 1901
The Victorian era of British history covers the period of Queen Victoria's reign which lasted from the 20th June 1837 until her death on the 22nd of January 1901.
In total she was on the throne for 63 years and 7 months.
The victorian era is well known for scientific invention and fashion. The great exhibition of 1851 showcased the greatest innovations and fashions of the century from all around the world.
Home decor in the Victorian era started simple and as the years went by during Victoria's reign the fashions became more elaborate with heavy draped, dark carpets and dark patterned wallpapers.
Homes had many ornaments and assorted ceramic collectables.
Edwardian Period: 1901 - 1910/1914
The Edwardian era is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII 1901-1910 it is commonly also extended to include the years preceding the commencement of the first World War.
In contrast from Victoria who had withdrawn from society in 1861 following the death of her husband Prince Albert, King Edward embrace the society and fashions of Continental Europe.
The fashions in home decor changed dramatically from the preceding Victorian era.
A new movement called Art Nouveau was embraced.
Furniture , carpets and curtains were made of lighter material and colours, natural light was an important part of designing the layout of a room.
Modern Era: 1945 - Present Day.
The modern era is anything post Second World War. There have been many exciting changes in the years after the war.
In regard to home decor we have passed through the austere 1950's to the swinging sixties followed by the 70's and the technology obsessed 1980's.
We then pass to the 1990's a decade of cheap consumer goods and computers to the millennium and beyond.
The era is hard to characterise because of the huge changes in the past 60+ years.
If you choose the Modern era as your dolls house design inspiration, you have a lot of exciting decorative choices to make.
You can let your imagination run wild.
Remember:
You can choose an era for the whole of your dolls house, or you can mix and match periods in different rooms. You can have a modern kitchen, a victorian bathroom and a Georgian front door, with and Edwardian sitting room.
You can accessories, furnish and populate with dolls from different eras.
The choice for decoration is all yours.
Enjoy looking through -The Wonderful World of Miniatures.