[Mini Style] Contemporary doll houses
I've always had an obsession for home styling since I can remember. My first styling gig was when I was about 4 years old and decided to re-arrange all the furniture layout in my Barbie doll house, totally unhappy with the original factory set-up.
Needless to say, when I recently saw the Small Stories exhibition at the V&A Museum of Childhood in East London, I was in total heaven... It's just the most fantastic display of vintage dolls' houses from the past 300 years, from country mansions, to Georgian townhouses, to newly built estates. My favourite part of the display was 'Dream House', an art installation commissioned especially for the exhibition. The installation consists of 20 miniature fantasy rooms made by 20 contemporary designers from all sorts of backgrounds, stacked up to create a fascinating and contemporary dolls' house structure.
A sample of the fantasy rooms imagined by designers for the Dream House art installation
Doll houses have come a long way since the Barbie doll house and the old school wooden clunky structures of our childhoods. There is a new breed of modern doll houses that is taking children interiors by storm and are so fabulous, even grown-ups might get hooked. I have selected my favourite ones below.
1. I'll let you admire this beauty aptly called Modern Living Dollhouse from the clever chaps at Kidscraft for example. Each room is a different color and has its own custom-designed style, giving the house a rainbow-like feel that little ones are sure to love. It's available from Smallable.com for £85 which is not bad considering the 20 pieces of furniture and accessories pictured are included!
Modern Living Dollhouse by Kidscraft
2. If you're after something a bit more minimalist and that would work for young budding architects, how about this dolls 'villa'? The Sibis Villa Doll house with garden and pool by Sirch is the miniature version of an architect dream. Available from Smallable.com for £140.
3. Next on my list of most fabulous modern dolls house is the Stockholm House from Lundby. This puppy has three big rooms, a rooftop garden, a pool AND a second floor patio...! It's the ultimate contemporary doll house; the one dreams are made of. Available from alexandalexa.com for £101.
4. Now, I am aware that £300+ doesn't exactly tick the affordable box for a kids doll house but, this is just eye candy... Let me present you with the Arne Jacobsens doll house. A modernist dream, It's actually an officially licensed product, an authentic 1:16 model of Jacobsens' 1929 villa in Charlottenlund, Denmark produced by the company Minimii. The house can be both free-standing and wall mounted. And the Minimii shop is full of mini Egg and Swan chairs to furnish your house with. Available from panik.com. It is so fabulous it deserved two pictures.
5. And last but certainly not least... My ultimate favourite and the one already at the top of Stella's wish list (well mine anyway...). The Attic House by Australian company Mint Rhapsody. How amazingly cool are these? The houses have three floors, can be played with from both sides simultaneously and come in black, white, neon orange or lime. Stella has already told me she wants one in every colour... Available from Scout & Co. for £195.
Want one for yourself too? Or is that just me then? Either way, happy shopping!