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.

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