By Saanvi Mahadasu
Life-sized stuffed animals, printed blankets, and toy vacuums—these were the staples of my early 2000s childhood. Hi, I’m Saanvi Mahadasu, a Junior at SMU and an intern at The Glam Pad! I work to curate and manage content for our Pinterest account, bringing interior design inspiration to you, one Pin at a time!
Over Christmas break, when the weather was unexpectedly warm in Dallas, I took to Katy Trail and took a detour on to the very lively Knox Street! My friend and I walked into Pottery Barn Baby to admire the little clothes and furniture. We were not expecting to find beautiful dollhouses, with rooms waiting to be decorated by excited little ones.
Back in October, we published a post about Kensington Dolls House Company and their incredibly detailed miniature interiors. Since then, dollhouses have been taking over my feed and conversations with my parents. For them, dollhouses were a thing of the past and life-size and realistic figurines were what they were supposed to buy and build for their children. Even as I grew up, dollhouses and miniature trinkets were old-fashioned.
Along with the return of certain fashion and interior design trends from the 90’s, it has been intriguing to see young and old take on charming petite rooms, ready to adjust bits of colorful wallpaper and scour Etsy for tiny furniture.
In fact, The Guardian discusses some of the larger implications of the modern return to dollhouses. In a recent article, they explore how dollhouses are providing an escape from societal issues, such as political instability and an unaffordable housing market. Dollhouses allow people to find both solace and form a sense of control, as the designer is enabled to create the environment and the rooms of their dreams. The sense of authority and personal agency can be freeing, especially when people feel as though they do not have control over other aspects of their lives or society at large.
It is an interesting perspective to weigh, considering the original function of dollhouses, dating back to the 17th century, was to symbolize wealth and teach young women domestic tasks through the creation of a miniature version of the original family house. As a young woman myself, it is rather empowering to see this transformation of the purpose of the dollhouse into a way to express creativity and autonomy.
A lovely example of an early Dutch cabinet house can be seen in the 2017 movie, The Miniaturist, and its later three part series adaptation by BBC. Based off the 2014 bestselling novel by Jessie Burton, The Miniaturist uses Petronella’s historic cabinet house in Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum as the springboard for a fictional tale of love and mystery.
The video above illuminates the fascinating history of women, dollhouses and Dutch Golden Age society as seen in The Miniaturist.
According to Verified Market Reports, the dollhouse industry is currently valued at $1.2 Billion (2024) and is estimated to grow to $2.5 Billion by 2033. The growth is cited as a result of the transition of dollhouses from a toy to a collectible for adults, and increasing educational opportunities for children in developing spatial awareness, social skills, and imaginative thinking. For example, dollhouses are being used in therapeutic settings, such as for assisting children with autism express emotions and enhance communication skills.
Dollhouses are also beloved amongst the interior design community. The potential of dollhouses as a design instrument or platform led us to the Dollhouse Beautiful Series, launched by House Beautiful. In the series, House Beautiful gives designers a victorian-style dollhouse and $500 to design it! We have seen designers instill their unique processes and pour their talent into rooms, building mini bookshelves, candles, and unique wall fixtures!
Tour Caitlin Wilson’s Dollhouse here… And purchase one of your very own to customize here!
In 2022, Houston-based interior designer Alexandra Killion began the La Petite Maison Gala, an annual event that recruits a handful of designers to transform dollhouses into micro design showcases and auction them off for charity. The event has become so popular it is expanding with the first “La Petite Maison” Luncheon to be held in Atlanta this fall.
For Kwandaa Roberts @tinyhousecalls, an OB/GYN and single mom of two, a passion for miniature houses and tiny decor turned into an interior design career! Five years ago, she remodeled a dollhouse for her daughter that went viral on Instagram. After years of struggling to make and find contemporary miniatures, she decided to launch her own line of modern dollhouses available at Tiny House Calls.
There is also a treasure trove of beautiful miniatures available via Etsy… We have compiled some of our favorite examples below:
While creating a dollhouse is a labor of love and an intricate task to take on, I cannot help but admire the viewer’s perspective and the potential it holds. Purely from a consumer perspective, it would be delightfully remarkable to be able to cut a house in half and see how cohesive and complementary the rooms are. Dollhouses give us the freedom to arrange furniture, play with wallpaper, and seamlessly add various design elements for a fraction of the cost and commitment of a real house.
Even though dollhouses seem like a trend that has returned from the past, they are evolving as important visualization tools of the future. Their ability to spark imagination and innovation in minds from young to old shows that their impact extends far beyond play. Below are some Instagram accounts you can follow along for additional dollhouse inspiration!
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We’d love to hear your thoughts on the dollhouse! Did you have one growing up? Or perhaps you are interested in starting a new hobby! Let us know in the comments below. 🙂
My grandfather built me one from scratch, using a pattern he brought from England. It is a double sided Georgian centre hall plan with four rooms on each side. The front and back lift off to expose the rooms. My husband and I refurbished it for our youngest daughter when she was about 7, wiring it for lights, repainting and wallpapering it. It is now greatly enjoyed by our granddaughters.
Loved this post. I have two dollhouses that belonged to my oldest daughter. I think it’s time to check out Etsy for some newer upgrades.
Lots of work went into this delightful post. Brava, Saanvi!
Check out IGMA, the International Guild of Miniature Artisans, website for information about annual workshops held in June in Castine, Maine, the Guild Show in September in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey and in January, Colonial Williamsburg. IGMA’s main focus is to promote making miniatures as a fine art form…..for adults. It’s the best thing I ever did for myself after the pandemic…..you will find like minded people and learn from the best teachers coming from all over the world……..
Oh how fun, thank you so much for this information, Elizabeth! 🙂
Xx,
The Glam Pad