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Proper scale of 1/2" furniture is driving me crazy!!


ItzKathyP

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I'm working on my Fairfield and am having a problem getting items that appear to be in the same scale. It's more difficult to begin with finding nice 1/2" furniture, but when I do, I end up with pieces that appear so mismatched. Obviously, getting correct scale is important in 1" too, but I think this problem must be more apparent in the smaller scales. I'm wondering if this is just me or if others have experienced this also.

Right now I have a 1/2" scale kitchen set that appears too small in the room, a sofa that I think looks really wonderful, and a dresser that seems to be about in the middle. This is nuts! I really can't afford to keep buying things in hopes that I'll end up with enough pieces that all look about the same. Is it necessary to buy everything made by the same manufacturer, do you think? Any comments/suggestions on this would be appreciated.

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Micheal's has a furniture kit that fits into thier puzzle house kits (by Creatology, wooden puzzle). Here at my Michael's the price was about $10.00 Canadian (I had a coupon so it was a little cheaper, if you sign up on line they'll send you a coupon for in store use). It has a whole lota furniture. 34 or 35 pieces, I lost count, a little early in the morning here, it's 9:21am. Any ways this is an unfinished kit and 35 or 35 pieces is the count of actual built furniture on the picture. Maybe you could bring it up online and see if they have a pic of it.

Hope this helps.

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So far all I have done is 1/2 scale and have used the "puzzle furniture". If you want quality and detail this won't make you happy I am sure. Its a little on the clunky side with the tabs and slotted features always present. My miniature houses so far are on the "whimsical" side using the Michaels CD holders and puzzle houses so this kind of furniture works fine for that. I had thought to make the Fairfield next in half size but I agree its really difficult finding the stuff. I really have a problem finding the dolls but once again I am into ecomony more than quality.

I make most everything myself and modify what I have or can't find so I am sure its not true to scale all the time.

It sure is cute though at that size! :lol:

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I haven't opened the puzzle furniture yet, I have made other furniture kits for the girls house which I bought at my dollar store and it's about the same quality. But for my girls to play with it make sense for now. When they are older and less rough on the furniture they will be updated. But for now it will do.

I know that you said that you have made some of the furniture and I know some where in here there are lots of great ideas and tutorial for you to make your own. Have you considered polymere clay? For Mother's Day my Mom bought me a book by Sue Heaser and there are so many things in there to make it's great. Every thing can be adapted to your colors making the choices endless. It doesn't really have alot of furniture in it but it does give you the start of what you could elaborate on.

Just a suggestion.

Good luck in your quest.

Dar

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Hi Kathleen. I have both the cheaper half scale furniture (can't recall the maker but the same as Town Square stuff I think - I purchased mine in Europe) and the Bespaq and there is no way you could ever use the two together as scale is completely different. If you'd like to make some really good stuff very easily Petite Properties has books for making half scale furniture. You could even try modifying it a little. Also, Phoenix miniatures make fantastic kits, which include some half scale ones.

I too am annoyed at how little there is in half scale. For that reason, we are going to get a laser cutter shortly so that I can make my own furniture and other bits and pieces. We may sell kits in the future too, when we've figured it out!

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We're just getting into 1/2 scale at NEM, our first order should be coming in about a week or so. We're putting together an order for Bespaq's too, and we got a sample settee, boy, is it small.

It's good to know that I should watch out for halfscale mis-sizing in the future.

And Shannon, you're right, there isn't all that much 1/2 scale available. I get emails from people asking if I can order them a half scale this or that, and I have to tell them, the companies just don't make that item in 1/2 scale.

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I think I set myself up for a problem by deciding my house would be set in the present day. Well, actually my HOUSE put its dainty little foot down & insisted!

Not only is half scale hard to find in the first place, but modern or transitional style furniture is even more scarce. International Dollhouse Miniatures makes some really attractive pieces, but they don't seem to be scaled the same as Town Square Miniatures, and to me Lee's Line isn't quite the same as either of the other two, though I only have one Lee's Line piece and need to get more to compare. The only contemporary kitchen set I've been able to find is made by Town Square. It's a cute set, but now I'm finding that I might have to fill the rest of the house with Town Square just to make it look right. I think scale is one thing I'm kind of picky about.

Shannon, I had seen the websites you suggested in another thread and found some neat things there. I think I'll try my hand at making some accent tables.

Grazhina, I look forward to seeing your half scale items. Everything in your store is SO neat!

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I agree with you completely! With the gnomes, this kit furniture from Michael's is fine-they're not into Victorian! But I have been looking for something a bit dressier for the next one, and it's just not there. I imagine I will be doing a lot of furniture bashing to get what I want, or anything close to it. Accessories are even harder to find!

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Most of La Casita is furnished with kits I bought at Ron's, The ice box kit (besides to problems I had with how it came out of its mold) is out of proportion with the rest of the kitchen items, which is the main reason why the 1:24 scale stove I made from the DIY in last year's DHM sits outside on the patio.

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  • 3 months later...

Micheal's has a appliance kit that fits into thier addle abode kits (by Creatology, board puzzle). Actuality at my Michael's the amount was about $10.00 Canadian (I had a advertisement so it was a little cheaper, if you assurance up on band they'll forward you a advertisement for in abundance use). It has a accomplished lota furniture. 34 or 35 pieces, I absent count, a little aboriginal in the morning here, it's 9:21am. Any means this is an amateurish kit and 35 or 35 pieces is the calculation of absolute congenital appliance on the picture. Maybe you could accompany it up online and see if they accept a pic of it.

_________________

Patio furniture

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I've had the same problem. I've found some nice resin sets but they are smaller than the Town Square and other non-resin furniture. These are old pictures but you see what I mean... look at the kitchen, the backs of the chairs don't even reach the bottom of the window! I've had similar problems with resin couches appearing too small.

Here are some good sources for furniture kits, if you're cool with building your own furniture...

SDK Miniatures

Scale Designs

I have built the Heywood Wakefield bedroom set and the campaign bedroom from SDK Miniatures and those look great in the Fairfield. Also they have a really nice modern kitchen, but when I asked about changing the configuration for the kitchen Susan said it wouldn't be easy to do, so it's not necessarily ideal for the Fairfield. I have a Cassidy Creations kitchen table kit from Scale Designs and plan to build that for the Fairfield, too.

I don't think I have any recent pictures of my furnished Fairfield... I should take some to show you guys!

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I don't think I have any recent pictures of my furnished Fairfield... I should take some to show you guys!
Oh, yes, yes! More pictures of the Fairfield would be MOST appreciated!! I love the link to your older pictures and can't wait to see more. I especially love how the bathroom turned out. The paper is super. I have the same bathroom set.

I've found both the sites you mentioned and will go back to see specifically the kitchen from SDK. I love the Cassidy Creations furniture also, but the problem seems to be that you can't mix & match furniture manufacturers. I'm one who sees something I like & gets it, then am stuck with it because it looks huge or tiny next to the other furniture in the room.

I couldn't wait - just went to SDK to see their kitchen. I think I'm going to get the kitchen kit. It's a little pricey but looks SO nice. Since it's a kit I'm hoping I'll be able to do a little bashing to make it work in my house. Thanks for the info!!

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I'd love to see what you do with that kitchen. I'll probably pick it up at some point, even if not for the Fairfield.

I'll try to take some more pictures including the SDK and Cassidy Creations stuff next to Town Square, so you can get an idea of scale. In general the kits I've built and the Town Square furniture seem to be about the same size. If anything the Town Square stuff is a little clunky compared to the kits.

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I like the kits here: http://www.thegoldenloon.com/tierneystiles.php

The quality is nice and they have many different scales (1:12,1:24,1:48,1:144). Most pieces are easy to assemble and very pretty. I'm not a big fan of the town square furniture and really prefer to make my own. My Fairfield is mostly furnished with kit assemblies.

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I'll try to take some more pictures including the SDK and Cassidy Creations stuff next to Town Square, so you can get an idea of scale.
That would be a wonderful guide for scale. I'm excited to see the pictures!!

My Fairfield is mostly furnished with kit assemblies.
Your Fairfield is lovely. What did you use for the kitchen? Thanks for sharing that great site, the Golden Loon. I love building kits and theirs look really nice.
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I'm so glad I explored this question!! My Fairfield has been in its box for about a year while I have decided on colors, styles of furniture and furniture placement ( I plan to electrify it and need to have a general idea of what I doing) I, too, have been having trouble finding 1/2 scale "stuff" that is true to scale. You all have given me some great sites to explore. Thanks.

Toppy

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These pictures are not the best (the Fairfield's rooms can be tough to photograph!) but I put together a gallery that shows a mix of Town Square, resin, and kit furniture. These rooms are far from finished but even playing around with this furniture and taking the pictures, I see what you're talking about with the scale being not quite right in a lot of pieces. It also seems like the Fairfield itself isn't quite to scale in some aspects... the windows almost seem too high from the floors, and the archways too big and tall? But maybe it just seems that way because a lot of the furniture is smaller than it should be.

I guess when you're dealing with smaller scale, having a piece be slightly out of scale becomes more noticeable, because the difference is twice as big. (Does that make sense?!)

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