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SCALE PROBLEMS


Withwings

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I have been trying to shop for furniture everywhere and I am not sure companies who sell furniture really know scale. I am new to this yet I can clearly see in the hobby store that a table and chairs, were marked 1:12 scale yet the china cabinet was tiny next to the chair and very off but it was also makes 1:12.

therefore I am scared  about buying online. I want to buy this wardrob and wonder if it is too big and if so where can I get smaller? Also what to look for in measurement to know what size I should really have. I built my own house and made my own people. My people are 3" tall and my doorways are 5" tall. Dollhouse has tall walls like victorian homes. the wardrobe I have picture here is 

length:7.67 inches (19.5 cm) 

  Width:1.69 inches (4.3 cm) 

Height:7.48  inches (19 cm)

is this too big if so what makes it too large the most ? The width?  HELP!!!!

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I think something is off on your measurements. 1/12 scale means 1 Foot length (30.5 cm) equals 1 inch (3cm), therefore your dolls would be about 90 cm high in real life? That is really short........ If your door is 5 inches - that is about 1.50 meters - again, very short. 

Someone correct me, but the size of the doll is more 1/24 scale? If that is the case, the wardrobe would be too large as it is the wrong scale

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In my 1/12 houses, the walls are anywhere between 8 to 12 inches (2.40m to 3.60m real life or 24cm to 36cm in dollhouse). The dolls would be 5.5 or 6 inches (16.5cm to 1.80cm or  1.65m to 1.80m in real life.) Doorways are around 7.5 to 8.5 inches which would be 2.20m or 2.5 m in real life - depending on interior or exterior doors. 

This gives you a rough idea of the 1/12 scale measurements

 

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Yes I know my scale is not 1:12 for sure. I can only find this piece in the 1:12. I am saying most companies scale is not always what they say it is so I must go by measurements. 

Since I made my people and my house I don't know the perfect scale. I may be 1:16 or 1:24. If this wardrobe is TOO big by measurements,  what would be the right measurements to look for? If I have to build my own and or buy. Does anyone know where a person can buy these nice pieces in smaller scale . I can't trust what the say it is because I looked at pieces labeled 1:12 and they were not even a match with in the same company. So I am afraid of trusting when the say SCALE. Because there are issues with it being off. I love the stuff they make for 1:12 but I can not find smaller matching pieces.

Edited by Withwings
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I would look for 1/24 from JBM or Bespaq - a lot of them have measurements on their websites. An armoire or wardrobe shouldn't be more than 4 inches for your dolls. We have a few people here that work in 1/24 scale, you might want to wait until one of them comes online - they can give you websites where you can buy that scale. I only work in 1/12, so i really don't know any of the good dealers that can be trusted.

this is one of the better quality items in 1/24 on ebay:

Dauphine library

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There are 1:24 options out there, they are limited compared to 1:12. Most every online store does carry a selection of 1:24 scale/1/2 scale. The manufactures don't always offer the same pieces in the same scale. Take a look at this thread http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=forums&module=forums&controller=topic&id=25922.

Here are a few 1/24 scale Bespaq listings on eBay.https://www.ebay.com/b/Bespaq-1-24-Dollhouse-Miniatures/1202/bn_5595748

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What is the ceiling height? 3" people (adults) sound like 1:24 scale (they'd be 6 feet tall in real life). But a 5" door height is a little large for 1:24 scale - usually that's the ceiling height. In 1:24 scale, which is also called half scale or 1/2" scale, one inch = two feet. So a 5" door would be 10' in real life.

If your house doesn't quite fit with one scale or another, consider what the piece would look like compared to the people and in the room. The cabinet you're looking at is 1.69 inches deep (the distance from the back of the cabinet that goes up against the wall, to the front). One of those other dimensions is the height and the other is probably the width with the doors open. It's hard to tell from the picture which of those dimensions is which, but either way, it's too big for your setting. If your doorway is 5" tall then this would go at least 2.5" above the height of the doorway. If your people are 3" tall then this cabinet is more than twice their height. In real life a cabinet should be about the same height or a little bit taller than an adult.

Here are some websites where you can buy 1:24 scale furniture:

https://www.mountainminiatures.com/
http://www.atriflesmall.co.uk/
http://myfavoritedollhouse.com/

When I suspect a listing might have the wrong scale listed, I think about how something of that height would look in real life. For example, I have seen refrigerators that are supposedly half scale, but are 4" tall, which would be 8' in real life. My own refrigerator is about 6' tall and an 8' fridge would be crazy big. That's how I know it's not truly half scale.

 

 

 

 

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 I am not sure I am 1:24 I am somewhere in-between 1:12 and 1:24 so fare I am making my own furniture I can't post photos because its for a competition. My cielings  are extra high. In real life the average ceiling is 8' doors 7'  people are 5-6' tall.My people are 3" doors are 5" and my ceilings are extra high. Throughout the 19thand early part of the 20th centuries, ceilings in middle-class homes, offices, and institutional buildings were 10-12 feet or more.That would make ceilings 4 to 6 feet taller the the humans that livid in them.  Therefor my ceilings are extra high to reflect this. I like that idea of builtins. Because furniture was very big and dramatic. At auctions large pieces from those homes will not fit in the average home today. So I was wondering if I could get away with the 1:12 size wardrobe. But when I look at these 1:12 pieces the depth is what seems to be off to try to get by with it. The hight isn't bad its the depth. Thank you all for your remarks and links I will go check them all out.I really appercieght your input !!!! THANK YOU!!!!!

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You don't only need to worry about the dimensions, but also the proportions. A 1:12 scale piece of furniture is going to look giant next to a 3" doll regardless of whether it will fit in the room. It's scaled for a ~6" doll, so things like where the door handles are, the spacing of the shelves, etc. are not going to work in the smaller scaled setting.

I found the wardrobe you're asking about on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Unpainted-dollhouse-miniature-furniture-Collectible/dp/B01LL5ZWLE

Amazon lists the height as 7.25". Here's how a 3" tall doll would look next to a 1:12 scale, 7.25" high wardrobe.

height-check.jpgheight-check2.jpg

You can use fancy moldings and tall 1:24 scale furniture (or 1:18 -- whatever you determine the scale to be) to take advantage of the ceiling height, but if your people are 3" tall, the furniture needs to roughly accommodate the 3" tall people. You can fudge it, the scale doesn't need to be exact, but 1:12 scale furniture is never going to look "right" next to 3" tall people unless you're using the furniture in a way it wasn't intended (like using a 1:12 jewelry cabinet as a 1:24 dresser, for example).

Hope that helps!

 

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If your people are 3" it seams like 1:24 scale to me. As fov pointed above 1:12 scale objects will look way out of proportion in your house. If you have a house with a non standard scale you'll have to figure out what furniture will work best. Here's a picture comparison between 3 cabinets, the one on the left is 1:24 scale and the one on the right 1:12 scale, mid one is something in between. The doll is 3" high. Hope that helps!

 

scale_comparisson_3inchdoll.jpg

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this is the feel that I am trying to accomplish DRAMA. So these rooms are 10,12,15' tall and some furniture pieces almost touch the ceiling. This is the problem. I was hoping to find big furniture that I could make look right. The biggest issue is the depth. The fancy isn't necessary but the drama in size was my goal.

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I see what you mean.  You probably are going to have difficulty finding such pieces in half scale.  There is the Portia Collector's Cabinet by Bespaq, but it translates to only about 7 1/2 feet in real life.  There is also a Notions Cabinet, very similar to the one you liked in 1:12 scale, but it would be about 6 feet tall.  I really hope you are able to create the pieces you need, and look forward to seeing photos!

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Ya it’s a difficult journey lol and like I said some of this stuff made in China Is it really accurate as far as 112 scale goes it seems like they mark everything that scale and sometimes it really isn’t. With in one company Pieces side by side don’t even jive

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It won't be easy to try to find something in that style with the dimensions you are going for, most 1:24 furniture is made with the average dollhouse height in mind and things like cabinets might look a bit small. For tables and chairs the size will be fine, I think John Baker Miniatures (JBM) had some chairs for this scale in that style, but they don't always have stock in their store so you might have to search around for them. Something like this.

I wish you luck and hope you manage to find or create what you need before the competition. If you have the time and patience you can get the kind of look you are going for using barewood, lasercut wood and jewellery or etched metal bits. Most carved furniture in this scale doesn't have that high amount of detail, your best bet would be making them out of wood and cast components.

 

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Paula, if you can find either of Patricia King's books on making dollhouse furniture you will see how you can make your "dramatic" furniture by cobbling together jewelry findings, old buckles, hair clasps, bits of card and scrap wood.

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The really tall furniture has for the most part, decorative elements that make them look tall. Shelves, for instance, are for the most part reachable without having to stand on stools or chairs to get things down. Look at that oak corner cabinet for example - all show on top. Headboards can go to ceiling height, mirrors can be very tall with no problem, ditto window draperies.

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Could you add laser cut wooden embellishments, jewelry findings, wooden beads, etc to 1:24 scale barewood furniture to get the added dramatic height you are looking for but still keep the usable parts of the furniture (drawers, doors, shelves etc) in scale for your 3 inch people? Then you could stain or paint them to your taste.

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2 hours ago, havanaholly said:

Paula, if you can find either of Patricia King's books on making dollhouse furniture you will see how you can make your "dramatic" furniture by cobbling together jewelry findings, old buckles, hair clasps, bits of card and scrap wood.

Thanks for this tip found the book used and bought it .

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WOW lots of great information!    I have not  figured out to reply to each of you individually! But really great ideas and yes I will look for that book! Its true most items are just topped with fancy decoration and noting functioning. I have never made much from wood but I am sure I can. I do sculpt  so the fancy details could be interesting and fun....I really appreciate  the time you have taken to help me. I have spent so many wasted hours searching and finding but most post lack details and lots of people selling do not know anything about dollhouse furniture and scale and just happened to be selling something they came across....Ok peeps I am off to find that book CHEERS 

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