Lighting for Dollhouses

Lighting adds a touch of reality to dollhouses.

The goal of placing the lighting in a dollhouse is to give it a realistic look. Depending on the size of your dollhouse, and the number and type of rooms, select the proper lighting fixtures.

Rooms

Place a chandelier in the dining room and wall sconces in the hallways. Ceiling lights work well in bedrooms, the kitchen or bathrooms, while you may want to choose floor and table lights for the living room. External lights by the front door give the doll house a warm, welcoming look.

Wiring

The transformer you will need will depend on the number of bulbs you will have in the dollhouse, not the number of fixtures. For example in the chandelier there may be more than one bulb. Another item you will need when wiring is the socket board, which generally has 12 plug sockets.

Older Dollhouses

It is possible to add lights to an existing dollhouse by hiding wire in inconspicuous places. If you have a vintage dollhouse depicting a time before electricity, consider lighting fixtures that simulate candlelight. Another option to create the look of lighting is to place baby spotlights in strategic areas.

References

• Greenleaf Doll Houses: "To Light or Not to Light--Why Put Lights in a Dollhouse"; by Deb Roberts; February 2009
• Lara Anne Dolls Houses: Lighting Doll Houses