Doll’s House Scales: Which Size is Best?

OVERVIEW

The different miniature scales are important when buying furniture and accessories for your dollhouse. It’s important to consider the size of your dollhouse before you purchase items that won’t fit properly or look out of proportion. Knowing the different scales can help you make sure that you get exactly what you need for your miniature house.

Dollhouses come in a variety of miniature scales, from 1/6 scale to 1/144 scale. The scale represents a real-life measurement of one inch of a doll’s house. For example, 1/12 scale means that one inch of the doll’s house equals twelve inches in reality.  

1/6 scale dollhouse

1 / 6 is the largest scale for doll’s house miniatures and is the equivalent of a Barbie doll or other 11.5in action figures, sometimes called ‘Fashion Doll’ scale. This scale can be used to create a variety of dollhouses, furniture, and accessories that look realistic when compared to their full-size counterparts. They’re one of the best sizes for children, as they’re larger with more moveable pieces. Due to their large size, complete 1 /6 doll’s houses require plenty of space to show off or for play. 

Brands: Barbie, Blythe, KidKraft, L.O.L Surprise

1/12 scale dollhouse

The most common scale used for dollhouses is the 1/12 scale, which is also known as the one-inch scale. 1/12 was popularized by Queen Mary in the 1920s. Her doll’s house was designed by British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and has electricity and running water and fully working elevators.

Brands: Le Toy Van, Melissa & Doug, Tender Leaf, Fisher Price

1/24 scale dollhouse

1:24, also known as half- scale was popularized in the 1950s. They’re compact enough to fit into home decor while still large enough to design furniture with unique detailing.  

Brands: Robotime Rolife (Kits), Playmobil, 

1/48 scale dollhouse 

Since 1 48 is small, at only a quarter-scale, there are fewer pre-built furniture options and so crafting from scratch is often necessary. 1 /48 scale items, such as pictures, can also be implemented into larger-sized doll’s houses as desktop pictures. The size is the most common for diecast models.

1/144 scale dollhouse

1 144 is the micro-scale and is an ideal size for making a ‘doll’s house for a doll’s house’. A doll’s house made on a 1/144 scale can be placed in a 1/12 scale doll’s house. The most unusual doll’s house size and more difficult to work with, although the results are well worth it!

FAQ

What is the most common scale for dollhouses?

The most common scale of dollhouses is 1/12 

What is smaller, 1/12 scale or 1/24 scale?

1/24 is smaller than 1/12 scale. While 1/12 scale is 1 inch to every foot (12 inches), 1/24 scale is half of this size. Every 1 inch equals every 24 inches in real life. 

What are the different dollhouse scales?

There are many different dollhouse scales, although the most popular are 1 / 6, 1 / 12, 1 / 24, 1 / 48 and 1 / 144. There are also less common sizes, such as 1 / 16 and 1 / 18. Sylvanian Families (Calico Critters) are around a 1/16 scale.

What does 1:12 scale mean for dollhouses?

A 1/12 scale doll’s house means that every 1 inch refers to 12 inches in real life. The average dining table is 30 inches high. Based on a one-scale measurement, a dining table would be approximately 2.5in ( 2-½) high.