Dolls' House Details - Five Hundred Simple Accessories for 1:12 Scale

Dolls' House Details is a good basic general reference book for newcomers to the dolls house hobby, or for adults who want to build a variety of inexpensive projects to help a child fill a dollhouse. The projects use basic craft materials and techniques to produce a wide range of appropriate scale accessories, which can be adapted for several scenes. Although not particularly detailed, the projects are reasonable for simple scenes and as scene fillers if carefully done. Based on widely available materials, they are good projects for a beginner.

Dolls' House Details is a book which shows room by room, a series of easy to create simple accessory projects for the dollhouse. The book is arranged in sections, with four related themes for each section. Each section and theme contain a well illustrated scene featuring the projects, and clear photos of groups of projects. Each theme contains between 6 and 29 projects. The projects are made from polymer clay or basic craft materials (wood paper, card, wire, felt). Although none of them are particularly difficult, they do demonstrate a range of methods to create hand made details for miniature scenes.

The book contains lots of basic black and white templates which it suggests photocopying for items like labels, boxes, board games. Unfortunately these are not grouped on particular pages, so you may end up photo copying an entire page of text in order to copy one or two small items. Some templates (the one for cutlery for example) are not particularly satisfactory when finished, there are better ways to create some of the miniatures shown, but as the book contains so many basic projects, a few poorer quality suggestions can be overlooked.

The book contains sections on :

• Toys and games - The Edwardian nursery, Board Games and Jigsaws, Outdoor Games, Bar Games.
• Wining and Dining - A Georgian Banquet, An Edwardian Picnic, Fast Food, A Tudor Meal.
• In the Kitchen - The Manor House Kitchen, In The Larder, Baking Days, Kitchen Utensils and Equipment.
• Leisure Activities- Sports equipment, The Music Enthusiast, The Carpenter's Workshop, The Sewing Room.
• The Decorator - Hope Improvements, Dolls' House DIY, Flooring, Curtains, Blinds and Textiles.
• The Collector - The Victorian Explorer, Grandpa's Clock Collection, Grandma's Ornaments, Collectors Items.
• Flowers and Plants - The Flower Seller, An Autumn Wedding, Topiary, In the Conservatory.
• The Artist's Workshop - The Parisian Artist, The Eighteenth-century Musician, The Illustrator's Studio, the Potter's Studio.
• Celebrations - A 1950's Birhday Party, Christmas Eve, A Garden Party Barbecue, Hallowe'en Trick or Treat.

The book does not include many furniture projects. There are instructions for a plant stand, a wine rack, a grandfather clock, artist's easel, drawing table and stool, basic storage racks, music stand, simple side table a small step ladder and an overhead drying rack. None of these furniture projects are particularly detailed. The most complicated projects are for various types of tiled and wooden flooring which require a lot of careful cutting.

Price and Availability - Dolls' House Details by Kath Dalmeny, Published by David and Charles UK, 2000 (hardback edition) 2002 (large format paperback). ISBN 0 7153-1367-3 Available used or via libraries. Price used (paperback) approximately $15.00.