Susan Downing

I love miniatures and small-space interior design. My goal is to utilize these skills to share creative ideas with other miniaturists.

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

Victorian Painted Ladies - I had always thought that the Victorian Painted Lady originated in San Francisco. That's where the term was coined, but I was surprised how recently, and how painting all that “gingerbread” led to this beautiful style.
https://t.co/o6UzgRsfYw

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

Great 1/12 scale TV commercial videos. Singapore Airlines and Home Depot peddling their products. Alex Stoops turns a box into a mini TV set. Marc Mead shows you how to do it style. Click on a picture, then sit back and watch the show.
https://t.co/qeI2xrJFa4

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

The story goes that Titania's Palace was built to give garden fairies a place to live. Read about the rivalry with Queen Mary’s dolls house.
https://t.co/XnXju1DDQy
#Dollhouse #Miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

Late Victorian to Art Nouveau Dollhouse Furniture - a revolution was about to take place.
https://t.co/YoRXqRxkS9
#Dollhouse #Miniature #Crafts

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

The Tate Babyhouse and other famous traveling dolls houses –
https://t.co/oLP2jxS0S7
#Dollhouse #Miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

The Bourton Dolls House – This 1:12th scale, 24-room dolls house sold at auction for just under £3,000. Referring to a photo, the headline in a local paper read: “If you want to sell a dolls house, get a cute model.”
https://t.co/QqRx6sgxZs
#Dollhouse #Miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

What's Under Your Stairs? - The Buckley Moss Museum in Waynesboro, VA has an enormous Tudor dollhouse under the stairs, just outside the gift shop. It has everything you would expect in a real-life Tudor mansion, including mice!.
https://t.co/NHkQubRmlL
#Dollhouse #Miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

The Nuremberg House, made in 1673, is much smaller than most “puppenhausen” made in that period. It had two purposes: to flaunt the owner’s wealth, and a pleasant way to teach children the skills necessary to run a household.
https://t.co/23RGMN8WGg
#dollhouse #miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

Accessorizing Halls, Bedrooms, Nurseries, and Bathrooms - Julia Morrison wrote an excellent guide on the subject. I am reprinting here, using Edwardian images as examples, but Julia's principles are valid for any era.
https://t.co/VUB7wXyty3 #Dollhouse #Miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

Regency Era: 1811 - 1820 -- It lasted only nine years, but it's a treasure trove for miniature enthusiasts. The future King George V, even while Regent, loved large interiors spaces with many different styles.
https://t.co/0iXEog1jAT

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

Tim Sidford, Miniaturist - Every once in a while I scroll through his voluminous Flickr photostream to find new treasures and revisit old favorites.
https://t.co/QSAJZgswOm
#Dollhouse #Miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

Troy Schmidt Throws Miniature Pots, high-quality replicas of historic ceramics ion 1:1 scale, as well as modern art pieces. Troy is a Fellow in the International Guild of Miniature Artisans and owns the website Red Dragon Pottery.
https://t.co/EXHWp1xSP1
#Dollhouse #Miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

Albrecht's Dollhouse Workshop -- In the town of Elsterberg, Germany, not far from the Czech border, is a shop specializing in “beautiful things from the past and old things newly manufactured.” Read more:
https://t.co/7jT7nu4fcT
#Dollhouse #Miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

The Killer Cabinet - This gorgeous cabinet dollhouse belonged to John Egerton Killer. He wanted to provide the ladies of his household with a baby house to use as a teaching tool on cleanliness. John Egerton Killer was a surgeon. True story.
https://t.co/zbMqqNZcAV

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

Henry Kupjack, Miniaturist - Son of famed miniaturist Eugene Kupjack, Henry is a master artisan in his own right. He has created over 600 miniature rooms, either by himself or with his father, who worked on the Thorne Rooms.
https://t.co/BnnIArVHUt
#Dollhouse #Miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

More Art Deco - Whiteladies House was built in 1935, inspired by the handful of modernist buildings that had begun to crop up in Hampstead, north London. On permanent exhibit at the V&A Museum.
https://t.co/1g1aIgiTN9
#Dollhouse #Miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

The Work of Ivo Kohek - This is an amazing room box, I can find very little about this wonderful artisan other than what's on his Facebook Profile. Comment if you can add to this skimpy bio. I certainly want to see more on Ivo's work.
https://t.co/WXNI7abraq

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

Art Deco Needs More Love - It's a wonderful era for dollhouse enthusiasts. Flamboyant murals or stylized images from nature: shiny, colorful objects. If you are looking for a miniature project with lots of bling, art deco might be just the ticket.
https://t.co/MBTFTp1KTz

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

The Miniature Museum of Taiwan – Many collectors like Narcissa Niblack Thorne chose to endow a permanent exhibition at a suitable museum. Others created their own. Lin Wen-jen, for instance.
https://t.co/pDTbwPpBMR
#Dollhouse #Miniature

[Susan Downing @MiniDecor]

Venetians Puddled
In the days when fabrics were rare and expensive, only the wealthy could afford the could afford extra material to just lay on the floor. Puddling added opulence and style, allowing hosts to show-off. Subtly?
https://t.co/XwswL3JdNs #dollhouse #miniatures