So Many Doll Houses–And All Very Pretty!
Many young girls and boys dream of owning a huge wood doll house. Creative skills can be built by allowing a child to organize, decorate, and furnish a small-scale home. Then family-modeled play involving the doll house people and their lives can truly help inspire a child through decision making and story telling.
Now, a doll house is not just a figment of anyone’s imagination, considering its size! It is modeled after real houses, and the ideas come from all corners of the world. Of course, among the many styles of house manufacturing, there are some that are more popular than the others. We shall discuss those popular styles here. They include Georgian, English Tudor, Victorian, Colonial and American Farm House.
Lets start with a Victorian house. As the name suggests, this style should have a regal look since it has been named after a royal personage like Queen Anne! The two-storey home looks quite elaborate. The so-called third floor is actually an attic and is unfinished. The trappings include all the things that the Queen adored—large windows, irregular rooflines, wrap-around porches that are curved and have a fancy look to them, and towers situated at the upper corners of the house. The exterior of the house exhibits skirting that has lattice work on it and exquisite millwork. Lattice work skirting is to be found even on the open areas below the porches. It is but natural that children enjoy the regal feel of such a doll house! They are able to entertain friends in the huge rooms, as well as accommodate stay-over families in the many bedrooms in the upper storey of the house.
The Eastern area favors colonial-style houses. The house is well worth the money that is paid for it, since the area is large. Two-storied in construction and rectangular in shape, the living space is more than enough for the entire family. While the bedrooms are housed on the upper floor, the downstairs is meant for entertaining. The construction is quite standard.
Just like Colonial homes, Georgian houses also have a large living space, making them convenient for entertaining. They are also rectangular in shape. The difference lies in the fact that a Georgian home exterior is like a mirror image–one side is exactly the same as the other. This is because on either side there are borders consisting of huge brick or stone chimneys. Thus, they are grander than colonial houses.
Ask manufacturers which is the simplest doll house to construct, and they will reply, “the American Farm House”! It consists of a main portion in front, which is then extended. The extension is at the back in the shape of a T or an L. This creates a larger living area. The farmhouse is two-storeyed with the kitchen, dining room, living room and bathroom downstairs, and the bedrooms upstairs.
Lastly, we come to English Tudor-style houses. They are really magnificent to look at, and remain a great favorite with children! True, this type of doll house is more expensive than the others, what with all the fancy settings! Again a two-storeyed construction, the living area and guest rooms remain on the main floor, while the bedrooms are upstairs. Why are these houses so special? Well, they have all these trappings to them–timber lines on the stone walls, parapets, cross-hatching near the roof line, huge stone chimneys and narrow windows.
Include your child in decision making. After all, he/she is going to be the owner of the house! And they love to feel important. Plus you go up in their eyes for asking their opinion. The play house therefore seems like a wonderful gift of love for the child!
