help the BH dummy please!

[BrookeinBe]

Ok, I'm finishing up on the first floor staircase. I'll post pictures later. I need someone to tell me exactly which lighting kit to buy. I have NO idea what to even look at! Please give me a shopping list (to include which type of lamps to buy)! Also, for the lighting, does it just plug into the wall outlet? Do you know if it will work with a transformer? We have 220v here in Belgium, so anything 110v has to be plugged into a transformer.

Also, I am going to order the wood flooring. How much do you think I'll need to do 2-3 rooms? What about the carpeting?

And finally, how do you all decorate your houses so beautifully??! I don't have any idea on how to choose matching paper, carpet, furniture!! Yikes!

Brooke

[BrookeinBe]

Here's my progress! LOL

[nuttiwebgal]

I got my lighting kit off of e-bay

for the Beacon Hill I would buy a large kit with transformer.

it is good idea NOT to put in staircase until you have wired wallpapered or painted in the area behind it.

I have not used wood flooring so I cannot help with that, but carpeting is not so hard...go to you local fabric shop and look in Upolstry material...you should be able to find something you can use.

as for matching stuff you just keep looking till you find what you like.

some of us use scrapbooking paper for the wallpaper...this gives you more choices

for reasonable amount of money.

and one of the reasons I like kit furniture is so that I can cover it anyway I like so they will go in any room I want.

WELCOME to the forum!!

there will be others to offer advice as soon as they all wake up.

you have good progress going on!

thanks for the eyecandy.

plzz feel free to ask any questions you like.

again welcome!

nutti

[Anna]

So far the best thing I learnt about minis is that there are no dumb things really, the only thing that might be dumb and that is NOT to ask questions...

As for the lighting I have no idea but as for the decorating of the dollshouse, there it is your fantasy that kicks in, imagine you can do whatever (and I mean whatever!) you want to do, perhaps try out ideas that might sound wild or crazy to start with but as you try it out it can be absolutley perfect for that house or that particular setting, then again if it isn't pleasing to the eye one can always re-decorate, a lot cheaper thatn compared with real life size re-decorating!

So while you build listen to your house, it can tell you what it needs here and there, at times it demands these things one just HAVE to put in certain places etc and often it is those little things/ideas that gives the house that extra umph.

So don't panic, have fun and do what your heart tells you to do.

Hugs

[MiniMadWoman]

Hi Brooke! Be sure to follow Nutti's advice and wire, paint or wallpaper behind the stairs before you put them in. Otherwise, you'll have a heck of a time decorating that area later.

You should be able to get what you need off of the internet either on eBay, www.miniatures.com or www.cir-kitconcepts.com. My transformer holds up to 30 lights (remember that's PER light, not light fixture. If a light fixture has three lights, you would count that as 3). As to what type of light fixtures to buy . . . that's really a personal choice. I used tulip light fixtures in my Beacon Hill. You can see pictures of them in my link below. It's really up to you how many light fixtures you want and where you want to put them. Again, you can refer to my Beacon Hill to see what I did. I have a chandelier in the bathroom and two table lamps in the parlor as well. Also, check out Darrell's tutorial on electrifying a dollhouse. It takes you through the whole process!!

As far as wood flooring . . . I used one 11 x 17" black walnut sheet to do one room. So if you're doing 2-3 rooms you can count on at least two to three sheets of flooring. You can also score "boards" into the wood and stain over that if you like that idea. As for carpeting, again like Nutti said, the fabric store is a great place to find carpeting. I used a heavy weight upholstry fabric for my parlor and bedroom. And guess where I got that idea from? . . . . here of course!! ;)

As far as decorating . . . use your own style as a guide! What colors do you like? Do you like flowers or stripes? I go through decorating magazines and when I see something I like use that for inspiration and reference. Also, it helps to pick a theme, i.e. Victorian, Edwardian, modern, eclectic, post-war . . . you get the idea.

Most of all, just listen to the house! It will tell you what it wants to be when it grows up!! Good Luck!!

[prariegurl]

Brooke,

I'll let the more accomplished miniaturists handle the technical questions. As for decorating, for several years I used to decorate new homes for builders, so I know a little about this. The best way is to start with something you love. Doesn't matter what it is, a paint color, a wallpaper, a piece of upholstered furniture, whatever. Just find one item you really love, and look for things that go with it, and the rest of the scheme will fall into place. I find wallpaper a great place to start, and there are websites where you can print your own.

The major difference between decorating a dollhouse and a real life house is that unlike a real life house, you can look at every room in the dollhouse at once! You will need to consider this when choosing colors and patterns, so that the overall effect is pleasing.

Jeri