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Invariably when I tell some one that I'm building a dollhouse they want to know who it's for. Sorry, that's the wrong question.
Several years ago a good deal of my life was spent building houses, real full size cottages in the back woods of southern Iowa. I fell in love with it; there's nothing quite like seeing your ideas and efforts joining together all around you.
Well, those days are gone. I'm back to my profession as a computer programmer, and house building seemed out of reach. Several times the idea of building miniature houses entered my mind. I was thinking in terms of true miniature construction with scale lumber and materials. On a lark, I did a quick search for "miniature" and "house" on the Internet, and discovered Hobby Builders Supply's online catalog. Only then did I realize that "Doll" houses and "scale model" houses were different phrases for the same thing.
But still I had my reservations. The words "Dollhouse" and "Barbie" are forever meshed in my mind. I ordered a catalog, just in case I'd find anything interesting. To make a long story short, I did. While ½ inch scale 2X4s aren't to be found (for obvious reasons! It would be little more than a glorified toothpick), the kit I chose includes individual cedar shakes, "hardwood boards" for flooring, a staircase, attic ladder, gutters, "brickwork," and working windows and doors.
I think I'd prefer ½ inch scale (where 1 scale inch = 2 feet) but I thought I'd better start with something with bigger pieces. Think about this: although ½ inch scale sounds half the size of 1 inch scale, it's really much smaller. Since each dimension is half the size, the area of the pieces is actually four times smaller and the volume eight times smaller.
So don't ask who it's for. Ask why. Or better yet, build one yourself, and then, perhaps, you'll know why. In the meantime, feel free to check out my projects.