Search light

Before you send out a search party for me, I'm still here!  I've just been busy and with a beautiful summer behind us, I have not had much time to spend on my miniatures.

Autumn is definitively here,
the days are growing shorter again, it is time to turn on some lights.  
I always find it difficult to find a light fixture which I like and which I can afford.  



For my Blue Salon I have used cheap light fixtures which I slightly modified, added a couple of embellishments and gilded.  Although they're not quite the style I would like, they will do for now. 






In the center of the room I would like to add a chandelier.  I have a beautiful chandelier by Ray Storey which I have used here to try out what it looks like.  It is far too big for the room though.   



With a lower voltage like 9V or even 6V the lights are dimmed and look much better.  The wall sconces would benefit from that also, although in reality the lights don't look as bright as in the photos. 




I am curious to hear about your light choices.  Where do you buy your lights?  Do you make your own? 

 Progress is slow on these rooms.  The rooms need furniture.  I have collected many lovely small decorative items, but no cabinets or tables to display them on. I have so many ideas for furniture and maybe a lovely carpet, but I haven't had the time yet.  Hopefully this autumn and winter I'll be able to dedicate my time to making furniture.  

Comments

  1. I either buy from Ray Storey or more usually, make my own. I suppose because I tend to buy modern styles. You're rooms look wonderfully inviting and warm. Don't you think lights in a scene bring it to life? =0)

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    1. Absolutely Pepper! I think every room needs at least three to five lights. Therefore I need a lot of lights for my dollshouse ;-) I have bought some from Ray Storey as well. His lights are of very good quality but don't always fit the style I'm after.

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  2. The only lights I have bought were made by Scott Hughes. From this side of the 'pond' they are the most beautiful I have ever seen. I think many others would say the same thing. His chandeliers will take your breath away!!!

    You can email him and tell him what you are looking for and he will send you photos of what he has available. scottsminiaturelighting@gmail.com

    Scott told me to use a dimmer switch when I build a house. That saves the life of your bulbs and softens the light in your rooms. Especially when you have several fixtures in one room. So many photos of peoples dollhouses look like the are on fire because the lights are so bright.

    You house is just beautiful. I just love how I can see another room through the sliding pocket doors. Your color choices and fabrics are lovely.

    I wish we had one good fabric store. I would so love to find something to upholster with that would look great with the carpet I am working on.

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    1. Yes I remember your lights by Scott Hughes. They are beautiful. I have met Scott several years ago at the Philadelphia Miniaturia and stood by his table drooling for quite some time. I may have to email him ;-)
      My father taught me how to do electrics and told me a lower voltage will 'spectacularly increase the life expectancy of the bulbs' (his words). I agree with you on the brightness of the lights, they bring more atmosphere when they are dimmed.
      I'm very picky when it comes to fabrics and colours. I suppose I am lucky to have a couple of good fabric shops in Amsterdam. But I must say I also have acquired quite a good collection of fabrics over the years. And I bring my little sample book with wallpapers, colours etc. with me to fairs and on shopping trips so that when I see fabrics I can see whether they're a good match. Your embroidered carpet is stunning (and it isn't even finished yet), you must (and will) find a perfectly matched fabric for upholstery. You must take it with you on your travels!

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    2. Hi Josje,
      Only recently have I discovered your beautiful blog. I'm beginning to work on a colonial dollhouse that my father made for me as a girl. I am so inspired by your talent and your choices in fabrics, colors and artisan pieces! I will be in Amsterdam in June and wonder if you could recommend some good shops to buy fabrics, art supplies, miniatures, etc. Thank you for sharing your lovely work in your blog.
      Michelle

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    3. Hi Michelle, sorry I am so late with my response, I only just saw your comment in my dashboard. There are several fabric shops at the Albert Cuyp market. I often buy silks at McLennan's Pure Silk and (quilting) cotton at Den Haan & Wagenmakers ( http://www.dutchquilts.com). I don't know an art supply shop in Amsterdam, but there is a nice paper shop Vlieger http://www.vliegerpapier.nl There is no miniatures shop in Amsterdam, the closest one would be in Monnickendam, it's called Avontuur in Miniatuur. http://www.avontuurinminiatuur.nl
      Have fun in Amsterdam!

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    4. Thank you, Josje! We had the most wonderful time in Amsterdam! We fell madly in love with the city and the Dutch people! My great-great Grandfather was from Amsterdam and I was delighted to see where some of my ancestors once lived. He emigrated to America. We stayed at an Airbnb just up the street from the Anne Frank House Museum and there happened to be a very nice art supply store around the corner from us. I was very happy to find the 23k guilding papers that you use in your projects and in one of your tutorials. I also found some beautiful papers, but I ran out of time to do any fabric shopping. My husband and I also wanted to show our 16 year old daughter and 13 year old son as much of Amsterdam as we could! One of our favorite places was the Rijksmuseum and I saw the "flessenkelder" that you have in miniature. Thank you so much for sharing your exquisite work and miniature collection on your blog where I find so much inspiration!
      Michelle

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    5. You're welcome Michelle! Glad to hear you had such a good time in Amsterdam and you were able to find some art supplies. You stayed in a great area for sight seeing and shopping. Wonderful to see where your ancestor was from, and to show a bit of your heritage to your children. I hope they enjoyed it too! I don't visit the city as much as I would like to and find new shops all the time (new to me anyway). Yes, the Rijksmuseum is a lovely place with many treasures to serve us as inspiration.

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  3. Your rooms look very inviting with the lights on. It's perfect for this season and winter.
    Geneviève

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    1. Thank you Geneviève. With the lights on the rooms draw you in I think. Yes, perfect for autumn and winter.

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  4. Then there is this one... http://crescenteminiatures.homestead.com/Chandeliers.html

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    1. They look very grand! Thanks!

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    2. Oh my...these are stunning! Yes I think I would like one of these in my house. Such a pity I would have to travel to Chicago to see them.

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  5. Beautiful rooms and perfect to look at on a grey late autumn evening. I love the idea of battery operated lights but find the battery part is too big for table lamps. In wall lights the battery part can be sunk into the room. I made my own lights for my fairy tree stump house because I wanted a rustic look. Bought the bits from Evans Designs in US. They sell tiny chip lights which are perfect to put in cupboards or tiny spaces. Looking forward to seeing what furniture you make!

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    1. I'll check out Evans Designs and the chip lights later. I do like battery lights for small vignettes or places which don't have a socket nearby. For my big dollshouse batteries are just not practical, not to mention very expensive!
      Maybe my ideas for furniture are a bit too ambitious for my skills, but we'll see. I hope to have more time for that this winter.
      I do like to see handmade lights, they make a house look far more interesting.

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  6. I made some lights from R/L napkin rings. They are ok but they needed some kind of improvement. Just wasn't sure what kind. I waitingto take a class from Carl Salhburg.

    I really really like those pocket doors. I would love to know how you made them!

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    1. I had never heard of Carl Sahlberg, so I had to look him up. It looks like this guy can teach you a lot about the secrets of wiring!

      The pocket doors are easy: The bottom of each door has a groove with a thin strip of plastic in it which glide through a groove in the floor. The top of the doors also have a groove. Here the plastic strip is attached to the wall above the doors. The doors slide between the two walls of the rooms. As I am building the house myself it was easy to adjust the position of the walls. If you have an existing dollshouse, you will have to build one false wall so that the doors can slide in between. The pockets have to be wide and deep enough for the doors to slide into and fully open.

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  7. Dear Josje, I want your house for real !! no matter about furniture, I can sleep on the floor!
    I do love your work, sighhhhhh
    I wish you a lovely Autumn, Rosanna

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    1. Thank you Rosanna! You can sleep on the sofa ;-) I have not been on blogger for quite some time and probably missed a lot...Any progress on your beautiful house?

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  8. J'adore ! mais je pense aussi que les lumières ne sont pas aussi brillantes que cela , c'est le défaut des photos.

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    1. Quite right. It is tricky to photograph the lights, even with the smart cameras we have nowadays.

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  9. Zo mooi als het licht aan is in een huis, heel sfeervol.
    Was je ook in Apeldoorn op de beurs, ik was 1 dag op en neer vanuit het zuiden van het land, weer veel moois gezien zoals altijd.
    Ik heb zelf nog altijd een licht(e) fobie haha, blijft een wonder als de lichtjes het doen. Ray Storey heeft prachtige lampen. De laatste tijd heb ik lampjes gekocht bij Sun, mooi systeem kan op batterijen en ook op een adapter en geeft mooi licht.
    Veel succes met de zoektocht naar de perfecte lamp.

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    1. Dank je Inge. Ja ik was ook in Apeldoorn. Ik heb een paar lampen van Ray, die zijn erg mooi gemaakt en van goed kwaliteit. Hij houdt er over een paar jaar mee op zei hij, dus als we nog lampen van hem willen moeten we snel zijn ;-) Ik heb ook bij Sun staan kijken en praten. Die ledjes zijn wel de toekomst denk ik, daar zitten zo veel voordelen aan. Toch vind ik dat niet altijd mooi, het licht kan zo kil zijn. Maar ik ga er zeker ook mee aan de slag!
      Ik begrijp je fobie wel hoor, het blijft toch altijd een heel 'gesodemieter' (excusez le mot).

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  10. I found these... http://decavedesign.com/miniatures/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=12_13

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    1. Oh I mixed these up with your other link. These look very grand, but those other ones....wow!

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  11. Hi Josje! Your rooms are exquisite with the lights turned on! I am always trying to find the "right" lights and end up making some and buying some. My tiny tree house is all battery LED lights. My castle I made sconces from parts.... I now think the "flames" need improving on! The longer I work on a project... the more I see the flaws in the earlier work... but it is a process and I am learning! Your sconces look Perfect to me! Using a dimmer is not anything I would have thought of doing.... and could help with the overly bright "candle" flames! Your rooms, and your work are so inspiring! I LOVE the reflection of the lights on your polished floor.... and the views through the windows are enchanting! I really look forward to seeing more!

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    1. Ooooh no, my internet just crashed and I had just finished writing my comment to you...Well it was something about technical skills which you can learn and artistic flair which you have in abundance! For me it is the same as for you, it is a process which is always evolving.

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  12. O wat ziet het er geweldig uit!!!
    Prachtig het licht, ik en elektra hebben niets met elkaar, dus ik koop wat... maar als dat dan nog kapot uit de verpakking komt heb ik echt een probleem en probeer ik hééél lief naar mijn maatje te kijken hihi!
    groetjes van Marijke
    www.thuis-in-het-klein.blogspot.nl

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    1. Tja, ik weet hoe het moet maar echte liefde is het niet... ;-) Kapot uit de verpakking, dat is echt balen. Gelukkig heb je een maatje die het wel kan, toch?

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  13. Una habitación exquisita!!Tanto en la calidad de sus muebles como en en la perfecta decoración y en la armonía de sus colores!!!!!
    Besos.

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  14. As always, your work is just gorgeous. It looks like a real room in a historic house.

    I haven't had great luck with wired lights, so I'm doing battery-operated LED lights in my current build. The house's imaginary owners are contemporary, but have a lot of midcentury furniture, so I made kitschy 1950s figural lamps and will run the wires for the battery pack through the wall and outside. You can see the lamp-making process in my latest blog entry (of course, they don't hold a flickering LED mini candle to the works of Ray Storey and the like...).

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    1. Thank you Anna. I see I have missed a lot on blogger lately. I love the lamps for your bungalow, much better than anything you could buy. My houses have so many lights which I have on for hours each evening, that batteries are no option. It would become far too expensive to run.

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  15. Hey Jose
    Beautiful pictures full of atmosphere.
    I've been busy too in the garden and done very little on my minis. Now the evenings are darker for longer I'll have more time to work on them.
    Good luck finding the perfect chandelier, I know you'll blow us away as always. That corner sofa still looks perfect!
    Hugs
    Si x

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    1. Hi Simon, Haven't we had a gorgeous summer? I so enjoyed it! However I do enjoy being back in my workshop again. I have some other matters I have to finish first before I can fully concentrate on my dollshouse again, but the ideas are taking shape in my head.
      I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll be creating! Good to hear from you. ~Josje~

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  16. Hi Josje! You might not be 100% happy with the lighting but I think they look great, the rooms look beautifully warm and inviting!
    Kind regards, Brian.

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    2. Thank you Brian. The warm glow of the lights does so much for miniature rooms I think.

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  17. Really beautiful, excellent photography as well---

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  18. Me encanta la habitación. Es tan real, elegante y lujosa.....Las lámparas se ven muy bien aunque las luces suelen salir mal en general en las fotos. Yo suelo hacer mis propias lámparas y utilizo Led, Aunque algún día igual puedo permitirme comprar usa maravillosa lámpara de araña....

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    1. Thank you Isabel. I would love to buy a great chandelier but at the moment I can't afford it. Like you I am looking at making one myself. So far I haven't worked with LED lights but I will look at them as they have so many advantages over regular bulbs.

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  19. Hoi hoi, wat zien je kamers er schitterend uit, ik waan me vanavond helemaal in de 18e eeuw, vlak voor de Franse Revolutie, voor de ondergang van de V.O.C, aan je miniaturen te zien bloeit de rijkdom nog volop, echt schitterend.
    Heel mooi vind ik ook je gordijnen achter de overgordijnen, heel teer en elegant.Fijne avond en groetjes.

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    1. Hoi Alexandra, Nou we zitten op het randje hoor, rond 1790. Ik hou daar wel rekening mee met de aankleding van de kamers. Maar omdat ik het verhaal van mijn huizen in het heden hou, kan ik eigenlijk alle kanten op. Ik vind het ook wel leuk om er hele moderne elementen in te plaatsen.
      De kleine gordijnen zijn van hele fijne zijde gemaakt. De zijde filtert het licht mooi.

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  20. Bonjour Josje ,

    Je suis ravie de pouvoir admirer de nouveau votre travail .
    Je n'avais pas compris que la pièce jaune était à côté de la pièce bleu . Le résultat est magnifique . J'ai une préférence pour la pièce jaune , elle est très lumineuse et j aime beaucoup votre miroir .
    Je comprends très bien votre difficulté pour trouver de jolis luminaires . J'ai une admiration sans limites pour le travail de Scott Hugues , moi aussi .
    Je connais une artiste française qui fait un travail d'exception et qui conviendrait tres bien à votre style. Je vais chercher ses coordonnées .

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    1. Thank you Catherine. Yes the two rooms are next to each other. I like the contrast of colour between the two rooms.
      I do hope I will be able to see the work of Scott Hughes at one of the shows over here one day. As for the French artist, I do know him and have several pieces by Jean-Claude Martin of Once d'Art. I have met him a couple of times at shows and the last time I was at the London show I met Aurélie. I love their work and you are right, it is very much my style.

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  21. Bonjour Josje ,

    Il s'agit du travail d'Aurelie , oncedart.com , elle exposera au salon de Londres le 29 novembre .

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  22. Josje,
    I am also a huge fan of Ray's lights and have used them in most of my projects! The Crescente lights that Catherine suggested are quite wonderful to see in person! Are you are looking for a crystal chandelier?
    There are two other sources you might try - the Getzans who have a website www.jgetzan.com and you could also do a search for Rosel's miniature chandeliers which are carried by many dealers and shops in North America.
    I will look forward to a future post to see what you ultimately choose for your lovely room.
    Martha

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    1. Thank you for your suggestions Martha. I find choosing lights one of the most difficult parts of decorating, both in full scale and in miniature. Yes I think a crystal chandelier would look good in the blue salon. The room is not very high so the chandelier can't be too big. I will check out your sources!

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  23. This lamp is wonderful *_* the colour that give to the room is really so realistic!!! *_*

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  24. Una elegancia expectacular.
    Feliz Navidad
    Un abrazo
    Maite

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  25. Comme tout est magnifique!! J'adore tout. Tout est tellement vrai.... Et tes luminaires sont aussi très beau. Je voudrai bien savoir comment tu les as fait.

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    1. Thank you! The wall sconces were ones I got from e-Bay, from Jim Coates. I changed them a little bit by cutting some parts off, then added a few ornaments. Lastly I gilded them with gold leaf. They fit well in the room now, even though stylistically they are not 'pure' ;-) I like them though.

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  26. Hi Josje, wow, stunning as always! I also love the view to the other room, the doors etc. Just beautiful!
    I looked at your tips on electronics yesterday (on your website) and I like the idea of a transformator that you can switch volts to dim the lights, they often are quite bright.

    It's a bit of a coincidence: I recently got the same sconces you show here for my birthday; I asked them because I recognized them on a webshop remembering having seen them in one of your other rooms (the ones you painted a bit greyish/withish and gilded the edges and loved it there!). I had them bend a bit like you did since they are a bit wide and I will definately make them less shiny. Because they'll go into the Oldtique Store I don't mind them being 'scrolly', but I understand what you mean. Other lights I will mostly make myself. I have ordered some lights in the past, but mostly in the beginning of my miniing and not too long after I found them not realistic enough. And my style is not available either, industrial/modernish or nostalgic (it will be a mix in the store, more modern for the shoplighting, more oldfashioned for the lamps on sale. But what I like is mostly not for sale and what is is way too expensive. I do have a Jim Pounder lamp (absolutely love it) for the Oldtique Store, but that is something I cannot usually afford at all ;)

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    1. Jeetje zeg, vind ik nog een comment van jou... van kerstmis vorig jaar...Ik ben lekker bij! LOL.
      Heb je al wat kunnen doen inmiddels met de lampjes en trafo? Die armaturen die wij hebben zijn leuk maar toch wel wat gevoelig voor storing merk ik.
      Ja, het leukste is toch als je het zelf kunt maken, en inderdaad ook veel voordeliger. Er is een Amerikaan (ik weet zijn naam niet meer) die verschrikkelijk mooie lampen maakt in niet gangbare stijlen, maar daar betaal je rustig 800 dollar en meer voor. Niet weggelegd voor gewone stervelingen. Maar wel leuk om te zien.

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  27. I just don't know what to say... They are perfect!!! <3

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  28. Hello Josje, I was intimidated before about lighting my house but now its worse ! I can saw and make and paint but lighting is not my thing ! AND to think it has to be wired in soon ! I love your floors ! and everything else of course ,,, huggs Stephanie

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  29. Sorry it took me so long to publish your comment and answer Stephanie! Thank you for your compliments. I'm sorry this post had made you more anxious about wiring! Wiring can be somewhat fiddly but it is not that difficult. Just approach it step by step, room by room. I'm sure there are some good tutorials to be found online, maybe even a YouTube video. I suggest doing a little try-run outside your dollhouse. Light-wiring-attaching it to your adapter. If you can do that, you can wire up a house. The next things is to calculate the size of your adapter, which is dictated by the type and amount of light bulbs you are using.
    Maybe you have already finished the wiring by now but if you still have to start, I hope it will be a succes. You can do it!

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