In troubled times, grown-ups find joy in doll’s houses, rediscovering a childhood passion that now offers emotional escape, creativity, and calm. As the world faces rising stress, miniature collecting is booming—evolving into a thriving adult hobby celebrated at global events like the Kensington Dollshouse Festival in London.
Michele Simmons, a 57-year-old recruiter from Boston, revived her love for doll’s houses during the pandemic. Since then, she’s flipped over ten houses—buying, restoring, and reselling them. Her dedication runs deep; she once flew overnight to London with her daughter just to find miniature furnishings.
“You don’t think about anything else when you are doing this,” Simmons said. “It’s absorbing and joyful.” Like many others, she finds peace in curating tiny interiors filled with handcrafted details—from wine glasses to flickering fireplaces.
Grown-ups find joy in doll’s houses not just in their design but in the meticulous craftsmanship. The festival features artisans who create tiny chandeliers, pastries, mahogany tables, and working whisks. These exquisite pieces can cost upwards of £40 and are treasured as collectible art.
Rachel Collings, a 47-year-old editor, is “tiny-obsessed” and proudly shows off her lemon squeezer and pastry brush that actually work. “It’s an inner child thing,” she said. “These things are so beautiful.” She sees her collection as both nostalgic and artistically meaningful.
Doll’s houses originated in Europe during the 1500s as display pieces for the wealthy, long before they became toys. Today, enthusiasts like Susan Evans, a retired midwife from Wales, take the hobby to new heights. Her collection includes an entire village with 18 shops, a pub, and a newly added church costing over £4,000.
Evans started the hobby to unwind but now hosts paying visitors to view her display. “It’s my passion,” she said. “It helps my mental health. It’s imaginative, creative, and totally calming.”
Grown-ups find joy in doll’s houses for the control and serenity they offer. Charlotte Stokoe, the festival’s organizer, said interest in miniatures has skyrocketed since the pandemic. “In a world full of chaos, this gives people a sense of peace.”
Medical anthropologist Dalia Iskander of University College London, who researched miniatures for three years, found they help people process memories, anxiety, and stress. Her book Miniature Antidotes explores this link between small worlds and mental wellness.
For many, like Collings and her 12-year-old daughter, it’s become a family tradition. “When everything feels difficult, there are these tiny things,” she said. “Sometimes I just sit and look at them and it makes me happy.”
