Thursday, 23 June 2011

Edwardian Dolls House: the Nurseries

Edwardian dolls house day nursery
Well-to-do families in Edwardian times often had a day and a night nursery The day nursery was used for play and eating meals; the night nursery for sleeping and dressing. I wanted both of those in my cabinet house, imagining that a boy and a girl lived there.
   I bought a set of slightly smaller than 1:12 scale furniture from a dollar shop. This was fine to use as often the real nurseries had child-size furniture. A quick sand and paint job and decals applied spruced them up. My husband, horrified at the price of bought brass beds, decided to make some. He enjoyed that so much that he made the brass beds for two of the other rooms as well.

1:12 scale Edwardian night nursery 
   Of course, most of the fun of doing the two nurseries was in the making of the clothes and hats, the toys and books. I researched popular toys of that era and made them in 1:12 scale. Teddy bears and golliwogs were the 'in' things in those days. Also wheeled ride-on toys such as bears and elephants, and the perennial favourites - the rocking horse, dolls and toy soldiers. And a dolls house, of course!
   Little Edwardian boys and girls were dressed in  mini versions of the navy and white sailor suits so I made those too, with boaters to match. Like all the cupboards and drawers in my miniature buildings, the night nursery wardrobe is filled with 'things' - underwear, scarves and dresses.

1 comment:

  1. What a great idea! The overall look is beautiful!