Dolls for a Dolls House - Yes or No?

Doll dressed in Edwardian clothes

Do you like dolls in your dolls house? I think the miniatures world is about evenly divided on this question. Some people think having dolls in a dolls house brings it to life. It makes the house look busy and lived in. Others think that having dolls detracts from the overall effect. They like to give evidence of life, such as a cup of tea on the dining table, shoes kicked off beside the bed, or knitting on the couch - as if the dolls have just left the room.  

   Because I look at my dolls houses as interior decorating projects, albeit in miniature, I don't put dolls in. I think that when you look in a dolls house that has dolls, your eyes are repeatedly drawn to the dolls' faces, to the point that you miss seeing details in the surrounding rooms. Also, often the dolls sold in 1:12 scale look quite bulky when they are dressed.

  Having said that, when I made my Victorian emporium, I did, for a short time, include dolls. They were finely detailed resin ones. But I positioned them so that they were facing away from the viewer - looking at the shop counter or turned to examine some handbags or hats. That made them less obtrusive in the setting.

   I did dress this boy doll in Edwardian clothes for a magazine photo shoot. But once that was over, I didn't put him in the Edwardian dolls house. He was relegated to the back of the cupboard! 
  If you would like to dress your dolls in Edwardian style, this article I have written will give you some ideas.