Dollhouse Scale Guide
The most common dollhouse scale is 1:12, or one-inch scale: 1 in on the model equals 1 ft in real life, so a 6 ft person becomes a 6 in doll and rooms are 8–10 in (20–25 cm) high. Smaller scales (1:24, 1:48) fit more house in less space; fashion dolls like Barbie need the much larger 1:6.
Dollhouse scale chart
| Scale | Name | 1 ft real = | Adult doll | Room height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:6 | Playscale (fashion dolls) | 2 in (51 mm) | 11–12 in (28–30 cm) | 15–18 in (38–46 cm) |
| 1:12 | One-inch scale | 1 in (25 mm) | 5.5–6 in (14–15 cm) | 8–10 in (20–25 cm) |
| 1:16 | Three-quarter-inch scale | 3/4 in (19 mm) | 4–4.5 in (10–11 cm) | 6–7 in (15–18 cm) |
| 1:24 | Half-inch scale | 1/2 in (13 mm) | 2.75–3 in (7–7.5 cm) | 4–5 in (10–13 cm) |
| 1:48 | Quarter-inch scale | 1/4 in (6 mm) | about 1.5 in (4 cm) | 2–2.5 in (5–6 cm) |
| 1:144 | Micro scale | 1/12 in (2 mm) | about 1/2 in (1.3 cm) | about 3/4 in (2 cm) |
Room sizes at 1:12
| Room | Real size | At 1:12 |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling height | 8–9 ft (2.4–2.7 m) | 8–9 in (20–23 cm) |
| Living room | 12 × 15 ft | 12 × 15 in (30 × 38 cm) |
| Bedroom | 10 × 12 ft | 10 × 12 in (25 × 30 cm) |
| Kitchen | 10 × 10 ft | 10 × 10 in (25 × 25 cm) |
| Interior door | 2.5 × 7 ft | 2.5 × 7 in (6.5 × 18 cm) |
In an open-front dollhouse the rooms are usually shallower than real rooms, 10–14 in (25–35 cm) deep, so small hands can reach the back wall.
Converting real sizes
Divide every real measurement by the scale number:
- At 1:12: a 30 in table → 2.5 in; a 6 ft 6 in sofa → 6.5 in; a 36 in counter → 3 in.
- At 1:24: the same table → 1.25 in; the counter → 1.5 in.
- At 1:6: the table → 5 in; the counter → 6 in.
In metric, divide by the same number: a 75 cm table is 6.25 cm at 1:12.
Choosing a scale
Pick 1:12 if you want the widest choice of ready-made furniture and dolls; 1:24 if space is tight or you want a large house on a shelf; 1:6 for fashion dolls and young children, who handle bigger pieces more easily. Mixing scales in one house rarely looks right, so choose before you build.
Building a dollhouse
A bookcase dollhouse is the easiest kind to build from sheet goods: an open box with floors and room walls, a back to paint and a flat roof. Our dollhouse plan lets you choose the number of floors and rooms, and warns you if the rooms get too low for 1:12:
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common dollhouse scale?
1:12, also called one-inch scale: 1 in on the model is 1 ft in real life. A 6 ft person becomes a 6 in doll and an 8 ft ceiling 8 in.
What scale is a Barbie dollhouse?
About 1:6, often called playscale. An 11.5 in (29 cm) fashion doll needs rooms about 15–18 in (38–46 cm) high.
How do I convert a real size to dollhouse scale?
Divide by the scale: at 1:12, a 30 in tall real table becomes 30 ÷ 12 = 2.5 in, and a 7 ft door 7 in.
How tall are 1:12 dollhouse rooms?
8–10 in (20–25 cm). Real ceilings are 8–9 ft, which gives 8–9 in, and many dollhouses add an inch so hands fit in to play.