A Bit of History on Doll Houses - Antique, Vintage and Just Old.

Antique dolls houses were originally made for children but one needs to think carefully before letting children play with them, Dolls houses in good condition sometimes have extremely high values. Remember that children really have no understanding that they must not change things in a doll house. It is 'just a toy' to them and they will r be specially careful. 

The interiors of dolls houses are a great passion for some people into which they devote a great deal of time and money. To restore the interior of a dolls house one must remember. that tile materials will react in the same way as their larger counterparts. The patina, for example, equally needs to be cared 1c and protected. Every repair should "be carefully considered. For the sake of authenticity it is important to leave them just as they are so cleaning is often a better choice than renewal. Dolls houses have often been stored in attics where they were prey to grime and dust.

Missing bits should of course be replaced in the same style and sphere as the rest of the doll's house. Damaged bits must be restored and old repairs made invisible. Old glued joints  that hale become loose should be re-glued with PV A or acrylic adhesive. Old paintwork often has wonderful shades of color that will be difficult to recreate. It is best to leave this intact so far as possible and to clean with great are. For touching up or additional painting use acrylic or poster paints. Because differences easily catch the eye the colors need to be mixed with great care. The opaque paint will cover tears and scratches but should not be applied too thickly, making sure the paint is worked off with a flat brush.

Acrylic and poster paints can be made glossy by coating them with a layer of varnish but if a high gloss is wanted then it is better to use enamel paints. When refurnishing a dolls house it is important to keep an eye on scale. There should not be a great difference either in the extent to which the different parts of the interior are restored. Interior. fitting out and decorating is a matter of imagination and skill. There are museurns where people can get ideas for different styles and antique books and books about different styles of interior decoration can also be of help.