Introduction

The purpose of this guide is to help you make an informed decision about lighting your dollhouse. This guide will explain what kind of lighting you need, power sources for dollhouse or miniature roombox lighting and reasonable steps toward completing this lighting.

Chandelier Hanging Fixture

Step 1: Don't Get Overwhelmed

Don't sweat the simple stuff. Think things through. There is a simple solution to any lighting issue. Don't expect to call a master electrician or a professional. It's simply not needed! The scale of your project is a lot finer and a lot easier. This is something you can be proud of when you've finished and it really doesn't take that long, either. Don't let technicalities make you panic.

Tiffany Hanging Fixture

Step 2: Learn About Lighting

Dollhouse lighting is run through small copper wires. When you purchase a lamp or light fixture it is usually pre-wired and has a male plug at the end (see photo). This plug will attach to a receptacle just like real life lighting does. We'll talk more about the outlets later. Most dollhouse lighting runs on 12 volts of electricity. Do not be afraid of the wires. You may have to splice them, cut them and rewire them. Needle-nose pliers are your new best friend! Practice on some extra wire and get to know how electricity travels. If you have some old lights that do not work, take them apart and teach yourself to rewire them. Getting them to work again can be a challenge the first time but soon you will be a pro!

Male Plugs

Research your lighting. Most kits come with a book on how to light a dollhouse. Check out a book at the library or search for guides on eBay. Experiment with lighting and learn what goes where. It is the best way to learn about circuits and miniature wiring. Buy screw based bulbs and sockets as the bulbs can easily be replaced without tearing out the wiring. Soldering wires to bulbs can be time-consuming but is sometimes needed. A Cold Heat soldering tool is a great item to keep handy for many wiring purposes.

Hanging Lamp - Cir-Kit Tape Wire

Step 3: Determine Your Lighting Type

There are many different ways to light a dollhouse, but which way is right for you? If you are assembling a dollhouse yourself the easiest way to light that dollhouse would be to use a tapewire kit. If you are adding lighting to an existing dollhouse a power strip or battery box would be the simplest solution. A brief explanation of both types of lighting is presented below:

Tape Wiring

If you are starting from scratch or using an unassembled dollhouse kit, a preassembled or unfinished dollhouse, or a new roombox you should use a tapewire kit to electrify your miniature room(s). Tapewire is called this because it does exactly what its name describes. The wire is taped all over a house in a path (circuit) and the flow of electricity runs through each room that has been taped.

Tapewire is relatively easy to use, although it may seem overwhelming when you are shopping for it on eBay. Try looking for a starter kit and get to know your product. Starter kits usually come with a book. I recommend searching for Cir-Kit basic wiring kits but any Cir-Kit kit will work. The reason why Cir-Kit lighting is so unique is because it allows receptacles to work on a basic circuit which lights the entire house and is easily hidden under wallpaper and flooring.

Cir-Kit tapewire consists of the same type of copper wiring that is in dollhouse lamp wires. The wires are flat and hidden within the tape. Simply run the tape throughout a house. Layout a path in pencil first. Every time the tape makes a major turn a new piece will be laid. To connect these two pieces together simply overlap the two pieces of tape and pound 2 tiny nails (brads) through them to "connect" them. The metal keeps the flow of electricity running between turns. How simple is that!

When the dollhouse has been taped, receptacles (outlets) can be placed in the rooms where lights with attached plugs should go. Hanging lights can be placed in the ceiling as simple as the push of a pin. The receptacles have two long sharp ends on them which connect into tape and are held into the wall after pounded in. When a light's male plug end is inserted into an outlet the light will be powered with electricity.

Once the area is wired it is best to test the wiring to make sure it is working. A transformer, a switch, and a joint splice are needed. The switch plugs into your transformer and the joint splice plugs onto the end of the switch cable. The joint splice is then placed into the two copper strips of tape wire (at the end of the circuit). Plug in the transformer and the tapewire becomes electrified. Be sure to test all areas using a Cir-Kit test piece. Plug in outlets and test each light to make sure the flow of electricity is running correctly. Adjust any problem areas with brads or rewire a problem area before finishing your miniature.

For a quick and easy tapewire lighting tutorial please check out my ME page - there is a link near the bottom that makes tapewiring easy! The tutorial is a gif image file created by me. :)

Finished Cir-Kit Tape Wired Dollhouse

Power Strips and Battery Boxes

Although tapewire is by far much easier for houses which are not already finished, what happens if a house is already complete but still needs lights? This is where power strips and battery boxes may come into play.

A power strip usually plugs into a transformer just like with tapewire kits. The only difference is that it is a long strip containing many outlets to plug in your lights. Run your lights through your house (it is easy to conceal them along trim or along the corner of the floor, under furniture or within furniture) and connect the wire into the outlet. Voila! Your house is lit! Please note: power strips for lighting usually contain a fuse that may need to be replaced in the future. It is best to order replacements and keep them handy. 

Power or Lighting Strip

Battery boxes are great items to have if you have vintage lights or lights that run on lower voltage. They DO NOT support all 12v lighting. They only hold 3 volts of lighting in most circumstances and if your lights have higher milamps they will appear dim or unlit. Do not mistake this for faults in the lighting, as it is the box to blame. Most battery boxes only hold 3 lights and are concealed as furniture for your miniature roombox or dollhouse (see photo).

 
Battery Box (front of box at left, outlets on back of box at right)

Step 4: Purchase Your Lighting Supplies

Gather all materials first. If all the items needed are not already purchased important steps may be missed, causing hassle later. Everything needed to light a dollhouse can be found on eBay. If search terms are not bringing promising results try narrowing the search to the Dollhouse Miniatures category and limiting keywords. Try ticking the "Search title and description" box as well. A simple search like 12v in the Dollhouse Miniatures category yields amazing result numbers when that box is ticked. Use keywords like light, lighting, electric and 12 volt. 

Lampshades made into ceiling lights

Step 5: Get Creative

Want to light your doll's house or room box but find it too expensive? Try making lights yourself! Buy glass beads and wire and make the fixtures. Buy screw based sockets and wire them through each fixture. Attach to a dollhouse and personalize a piece of art! Try a ping pong ball sliced in half for a lamp shade. Get creative! Once you've wired one house you'll find your creative energy blossoming. Need some inspiration? Where else - eBay has many auctions for hand-crafted chandeliers. Try searching OOAK (one of a kind).
 

Tape Wired Dollhouse

Conclusion: Enjoy!

The miniature room or house is done and lit and friends and relatives think it's fantastic! Bask in the glory of knowing you "did it yourself"! Enjoy that dollhouse for years to come and pass it on through generations. See? It wasn't as hard as you thought it would be!