Our Dollhouses are Small Wonders! Most people are familiar with the concept of miniatures – dollhouses, doll figures, model cars, airplanes and trains to name a few. Many people are familiar with the term scale but few know the intricacies and history behind 1:12 scale miniatures, or dollhouses. 1:12 scale refers to the ratio of real life to the miniature world. For example, one inch in the miniature world equals one foot in real life. At this scale the doors of typical homes are too large to be created in such detail, yet the finest details within the finished houses can be created to be fine enough. Each unfinished wooden doll house from Real Good Toys is of the highest quality to provide the builder with the most beautiful and imaginative world possible. The 1:12 scale is the industry standard for dollhouses and provides the builder with enough room to add the tiniest of details, and at the same time, the space is small enough so that even the tiniest of details and smallest of spaces can be managed by even the smallest of hands. The Perfect Proportion: Understanding What Makes 1/12 Scale Special Most people are familiar with miniatures and dollhouses but few are familiar with the intricacies of the 1:12 scale world of miniatures. The term 1:12 scale refers to a ratio to scale of the real world and the miniature world. For example 1 inch in the miniatures world equals 1 foot in the real world. Our unfinished doll houses are the perfect blank canvas for your imagination bringing your own personal touch to each room. With MDF, there are no rough edges or splinters. Paint or paper the walls to bring your homes to life. Many people also find building their doll houses very relaxing as the process of focused construction of the rooms of the home can be very therapeutic in itself. Firstly there are the fine details within the finished houses. The amount of time and effort that has gone into each house is evident. Also the individual pieces are not so small that they cannot be managed by the builder whether completing the house from scratch or merely decorating the interior of the finished house. A Collector's Paradise: The Endless Possibilities of 1/12 Scale Components of a Miniature Home Environment. A home is at the center of most environments. However, the surrounds of the home can extend to a massive number of components. The furniture market for miniatures is by far the largest of the markets for miniatures. There are thousands of individual items of furniture, houseware and many other types of miniatures in the form of accessories and decorative items. Some examples of Victorian parlor rooms that have been furnished completely down to the last detail include intricate oil paintings on the walls. A fireplace can be a working chimney or it can be completed to appear as if it has real flames. The modern living room and kitchen are also well represented by completed 1/12 scale rooms which include the latest in miniature appliances made from stainless steel. The surfaces of the countertops can be made of glass, of ceramic tile or of natural stone such as marble or granite. The choices for the type of furniture and the accessories and decorative items for a Victorian Era or modern home are virtually endless. If you are interested in recreating a historic home from the past or you are interested in creating a modern living space for your miniatures there are many choices for you to consider. The choices for building and creating with your miniatures are endless. The wonderful thing about wooden doll houses is that they are so much more than just a house to collect. The real joy of wooden doll houses is the furnishing and decorating of the rooms to create a house that reflects the owner’s style and personality. Within the 1:12 scale miniature world there are thousands of individual items and miniatures that can be used to decorate and furnish the rooms of a doll house. Each room can be completed to the highest level of detail and filled with the finest of miniatures. A single bed in a 1:12 scale bedroom could be a beautiful brass or metal framed bed with posts and a canopy. The room could be cluttered with books and other articles that have been scattered about the room. There are so many different miniatures available to complete the rooms of a doll house and the choices are virtually endless. Even the tiniest of details can be created and added to the scenes to bring them to life in the most wonderful way. The Art of Unfinished: Why Blank Canvases Captivate Builders There is nothing quite like the unboxing of an unfinished wooden doll house to start the building and completing of your latest miniature masterpiece. These beautiful buildings are delivered to your door as a bare shell just waiting to be painted, and/or papered to bring your imagination to life in the colors and wallpaper of your choice. There are so many different styles of unfinished wooden houses to choose from and whether you fancy to build a deep richly painted Victorian period property complete with intricate detail and small windows or opt for something more modern, painted in soft pastel colors with clean lines and simple shapes. The finish that you give to your unfinished doll house will be a reflection of your very own personal style. Some people even like to give their finished houses a distressed look as if they have been around for many years and have been left to fall into a state of disrepair to give them a very rustic, old and worn look. The options are endless with the possibilities for painting and decorating a blank canvas unfinished wooden house only limited by your own imagination. Every dollhouse that is produced by Real Good Toys is of the highest quality. All of the unfinished wooden doll houses are made from the finest quality MDF, with Milled-In Clapboard Exterior Walls or Smooth MDF Exterior Walls as well as pine or cedar log homes. Discover Exceptional Designs: Featured 1/12 Scale Options Below we have listed our current line of unfinished wooden doll houses, each of these homes are made in the 1/12 scale miniatures world and would make for a great addition to any miniature scene or environment. Each of the homes listed can be painted and completed in any style to match any current miniatures in your 1/12 scale world that the home will reside in. Front Opening Townhouse Dollhouse Kit (Smooth MDF) The Front Opening Townhouse is a sleek modern home in 1/12 scale, that contains all of the great features of a home of this style in a compact package. It is made from smooth MDF, and the front of the home opens up, to allow for access to the interior. This is a big plus over other homes of this scale that have openings in the back. The Front Opening Townhouse is perfect for the modern miniaturist, or for building a modern home, and then filling it with an eclectic mix of miniaturist items. The home has a modern geometric style, with an open floor plan, and is perfect for building a modern style home, whether it is a penthouse apartment on the top floor of a high-rise building, or a modern home for a family, or even just a fun and creative miniaturist’s home. Classic Victorian Estate Collection The Classic Victorian Estate Collection - These homes where once the pinnacle of architectural expression and our Victorian Estate Collection brings that back to life in scaled form to be the show piece of any miniaturist's collection. Of classic heights these homes have many individual features such as intricately carved staircases and beautiful bay windows, many of which can be opened to allow a large amount of light into the rooms. The Victorian's make the perfect home for any miniaturist wishing to recreate a historical period and with each room to be furnished with period specific miniatures the homes provide the perfect atmosphere for any scene. A treasured heirloom for generations to come, these collector quality homes are sure to be a favorite among all miniaturists. Charming Cottage Designs The Charming Cottage miniatures are a favorite with many of the dollhouse enthusiasts around the world. These beautiful little homes bring back warm, fuzzy feelings to people of all ages. They bring to mind memories of childhood homes and create new happy memories of homes of their own. These little homes are perfect for display in a home or for seasonal or thematic displays. There are many different styles of Charming Cottage miniatures and each of the designs can fit into just about any decorating theme. There are Charming Cottage miniatures that are reminiscent of childhood homes of yesterday and there are the simple yet charming little rustic country cottages that will make a beautiful addition to any home or display. More Than a Hobby: The Personal Connection to 1/12 Scale Worlds I was thinking it wouldn’t be possible for a person to get attached to a single 1/12 scale doll house, but no, it’s not. There are so many people who spend years or even more, creating and decorating one single house. They are collecting piece after piece of furniture, restoring old objects or even trying out new techniques of how to create a more realistic setting by using for example lighting. It could also be that the doll house is for a personal collection of rooms they cannot afford in real life. Some people like to recreate houses from historical times and then create a mini world inside of them, while others like to make up their very own stories and create a fictional world. For a lot of people their 1/12 scale miniatures are a way of meditation and/or a way to relax. By building and creating with miniatures a person can really get in touch with their artistic side and thereby also with the long line of artisans and craftsmen. Children are often kept busy these days with television, video games and their computers, etc. This means that much of the time that children once spent playing with toys and interacting with family and friends is now lost. Instead, you and your children could work on a project together such as a wooden doll house. It’s a wonderful way to spend quality time with your children, which in turn will make them want to take advantage of creative play; and you will love the way they use their imagination to bring the interior and exterior of the home to life. It’s a project that the two of you can complete together, and the doll house can provide your children with hours of imaginative play time. The Enduring Magic of Miniature Worlds There is something very special about 1/12 scale miniatures. In a world that is accelerating more and more with every year it is a real treat to pause for a moment and take a closer look at the minute details. And most importantly – it is extremely difficult to express oneself in the traditional forms of art. Miniatures in 1/12 scale open up a whole new world of creative potential and allow the artist to express themselves in a truly unique way. We invite you to browse our site and see what wonders of the 1/12 scale world we have prepared for you. We offer a huge selection of unfinished wooden dollhouse kits in many sizes and styles as well as supplies and miniatures for the miniaturist. If you have any questions, require assistance or would simply like to discuss your project with an expert, please do not hesitate to contact us. To begin your journey into the world of 1/12 scale miniatures, browse through our range of unfinished dollhouse kits. We here at Real Good Toys hope that you will find that our high quality unfinished wooden doll houses and other miniatures are just what you need to help spark your imagination along with many hours of creative fun. Questions About 1/12 Scale Dollhouses? We Have Answers What does 1/12 scale actually mean? 1/12 scale is the miniature world's standard measurement system: one inch equals one foot. So if you're furnishing a 1/12 scale dollhouse room that's 12 inches wide, you're working with a space equivalent to 12 feet in the real world. This proportion has become universal because it offers the best balance between visible detail and practical manageability. You can actually see the craftsmanship in a 1/12 scale piece without needing magnification—a luxury that smaller scales don't offer. Do I need to be skilled to assemble an unfinished wooden dollhouse kit? One of the beautiful aspects of Real Good Toys' 1/12 scale dollhouse kits is that they're engineered for accessibility. The pre-cut components fit together intuitively, and you'll need only basic tools: tacky white glue, utility knife and/or fine-toothed saw, sandpaper. Detailed assembly instructions with photography guide you through each step. Most builders complete assemblies without any prior experience. The process is straightforward enough for a motivated teenager but rewarding enough for experienced woodcrafters. How much should I expect to invest in a quality 1/12 scale dollhouse? The cost of a 1/12 scale dollhouse kit varies based on design complexity and size. A smaller, simpler kit might range from $100-300, while more elaborate multi-story homes or specialized designs can run $400-1000+. Real Good Toys offers options across this spectrum, ensuring you can find something that fits your budget and vision. Consider that these are investments—many collectors keep their homes for decades, and well-maintained wooden doll houses often increase in sentimental and sometimes monetary value over time. What kind of furniture and accessories are available for 1/12 scale spaces? The market for 1/12 scale miniatures is remarkably robust. You can find handcrafted pieces from artisans worldwide and mass-produced options that are affordably priced. Need a Victorian parlor set? Check. Modern bedroom furniture? Absolutely. Tiny kitchen appliances that actually look contemporary? Yes. Holiday decorations, art supplies, books, lighting, plants, architectural elements—essentially anything you'd find in a real home exists in miniature form. This abundance makes decorating your 1/12 scale dollhouse an endlessly creative endeavor. Can I change my mind about the design after assembly? Absolutely! The freedom to reimagine your wooden doll houses is one of the greatest joys of ownership. You can paint over a color you've grown tired of, update wallpaper, replace furnishings, or completely change the decorative direction. Some collectors create seasonal variations of their homes, swapping furnishings between summer and winter designs. Others gradually evolve their spaces over years as their tastes develop. The structure remains constant; the interior personality is entirely yours to shape and reshape. How much time does a complete 1/12 scale project typically take? Assembly of a 1/12 scale dollhouse kit usually requires 20-40 hours depending on complexity and your pace, just to finish the exterior. Many builders work on this across several weekends. Finishing—painting, staining, wallpapering—adds additional time. Then comes the truly open-ended part: decorating and furnishing. Some people complete this phase in weeks, others spend months or years gradually acquiring pieces and perfecting their vision. There's no correct timeline—the beauty is that you can move at your own pace without pressure. Many miniaturists say they are never truly done decorating. Are 1/12 scale dollhouses appropriate for kids? With appropriate supervision, absolutely. Children can participate in painting, decorating, and arranging. Assembly is generally best handled by adults or older teens, as it involves small pieces and potentially sharp edges. However, many families find that working together on a 1/12 scale dollhouse kit creates meaningful bonding time while teaching practical skills. The small components make this scale less suitable for very young children, but it's perfect for kids ages 8 and up, particularly those interested in creativity and detail-oriented activities. What tools do I actually need to assemble a kit? The toolkit for a 1/12 scale dollhouse is refreshingly simple. You need glue (white tacky glue works perfectly), a hammer, a pencil, and a ruler. Some designs might require a drill or screwdriver for specific hardware. That's genuinely it. No specialized miniature tools, no expensive equipment. This accessibility is by design—Real Good Toys engineered their wooden doll houses to be approachable for any builder. How does 1/12 scale compare to other scales like 1/24? In 1/24 scale (also called half-scale), one inch equals two feet. This makes everything twice as small, which can be charming but also limiting. Furniture becomes harder to find, details become more difficult to appreciate without magnification, and the building experience becomes more technically challenging. 1/12 scale remains the sweet spot because it offers genuine detail visibility, a massive market of available furnishings, and a 1/12 scale dollhouse that's large enough to create immersive worlds without requiring excessive space. That's why it's remained the industry standard for over a century. Where should I start if I'm interested in a 1/12 scale dollhouse kit? Real Good Toys is an ideal starting point. With over 53 years of experience, they've curated a diverse collection of unfinished 1/12 scale dollhouse kits in various styles and price points. Their collection includes everything from intimate cottage designs to sprawling multi-story estates. Browse their selection of quality wooden doll houses to discover styles that speak to you. Don't feel pressured to choose immediately—many people browse for months before selecting their first kit. The key is choosing something that genuinely excites you, something that makes you envision the finished product.