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Dolls House Hampshire

Beautiful homes of the miniature kind
Established more than 20 years ago as a gift shop in Winchester, Dolls House Hampshire has evolved over time to become a specialist retailer of the miniature kind. Here you can see a variety of beautiful houses and furniture all crafted on a very small scale.

The shop itself is housed in its very own unique location. Since moving to the pretty town of Whitchurch four years ago, you'll find it nestled inside an old Victorian family chapel dating back to the 1880s.

Build your own
Dolls House Hampshire owner, Carolyn Annette, sells ready made houses or builds them from kits, ranging from small shops to multi-bedroomed mansions. Just as with most new homes, customers are able to choose their own furnishings like wallpaper, flooring, dado rail and so on, from the masses of different types on offer. Carolyn can even 'wire up' houses with real electric lighting.

"It's just like decorating a real house," she explained, "only more important."

Tiny turkeys
With Christmas fast approaching, this is the busiest time of the year for Dolls House Hampshire. Not only are customers buying houses for gifts, there is also big demand for the many festive decorations on sale. Dolls house enthusiasts can furnish their homes with miniature spruce trees, snowmen, wreaths, stockings, replica Christmas dinners for the table, and even a plate of treats to leave by the fire for Santa.

"Christmas is the best time of all to have a dolls' house," said Carolyn, confirming what we were already thinking.
Hand crafted

The houses and furniture span across many different periods, from Victorian, Georgian and Art Deco, to more modern designs. Carolyn also sells the occasional handmade unique creation, like the beautifully crafted Tudor cottage which can be seen in their virtual tour.

It's not just models of houses that customers are looking for either. She has sold kits to people who want to turn them into pubs, a dentist's surgery, builders' merchants, tattooist, and even a brothel.
Carolyn is also able to carry out minor repairs to houses when they've started to look a little tired and in need of a little extra attention.

Home of her own?
With well over 20 houses on display in the shop, does Carolyn have her own at home?
"Of course," she told us. "I have a large dolls' house which I enjoy sharing with my granddaughter."

Perhaps one day we can return with a teeny tiny camera and take a virtual tour inside.

Browse the website at dollshousehampshire.co.uk where you can also shop online. Find them on Facebook here.
Visit at Little Chapel, 6 Winchester Street, Whitchurch RG28 7AL. Tel 01256 893889.

Date: 19 December 2014
Author: The 360 Company