Standardized sizes for modern dollhouses include 1:6, 1:12, 1:16, 1:24, and 1:48, while antique houses are often a custom size. Some scales are popular for collectors of artisan miniatures, while others are more useful for children’s play or families who share a range of hobbies with similar scales. Before investing in a dollhouse, you should understand the various scales available and determine which scale is best for your collection and skills. The scale is common in playhouses for younger children, with Plan Toys and Calico Critters (Sylvanian Families) making their dolls, furniture and some animals in roughly 1:12 scale. For collectors in all ranges, 1:12 scale is the most widely available dollhouse scale. The scale is not popular for other miniatures, however, so cars or trains and some other accessories in 1:12 scale are difficult to find. Space considerations mean 1:12 scale is not as popular with collectors who want to make an entire scene with several buildings or outbuildings. There are some popular model horses (Breyer and others) in this scale, with a few animals. A wide range of animals are available from artisans, but common farmyard animals are limited in this scale. In this scale, 1 inch is equivalent to 6 inches in full size. A standard 7 1/2-foot-tall door would measure 15 inches (38 centimeters), while an adult male doll would be 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) tall. Some artisan miniatures are produced in this scale, mainly in modern styles. This is also the scale for most Japanese ‘Re-Ment’ accessories and play foods. This is also a common play scale for children, as Playmobil houses and accessories are in this scale to go with the company’s railroads and vehicles. There is also a range of inexpensive “puzzle” houses available in this scale. 1:24 scale is also fairly popular for high-end die-cast car collectibles, so street scenes are much easier to construct in 1:24 vs 1:12 scale. In the artisan dollhouse market, the scale remains somewhat of a niche, with some artisans in Europe producing duplicates of their 1:12 scale range in 1:24 scale as well. 1:24 scale items are becoming more widely available commercially, but the range is still limited compared to 1:12 scale. Some kit manufacturers, including The Daisy House, produce furniture kits in 1:24 scale. In 1:24 scale, a doorway is usually 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 centimeters) high, with male dolls standing between 2 1/2 to 3 inches (6.5 to 7.5 centimeters) tall.
