Scale is the first thing to check when you buy dollhouse furniture, and it is easy to get wrong. A chair that looks perfect in a photo can turn out to be half the size you expected, because the listing was for a classic dollhouse and your doll is a fashion doll. This guide explains the two scales you will meet most often, which dolls they fit, and how big the pieces really are.
What the numbers mean
Scale tells you how much smaller the model is than the real thing. In 1:6 scale, 1 cm on the model stands for 6 cm in real life. In 1:12, 1 cm stands for 12 cm. So 1:12 furniture is half the size of 1:6 in every direction, and about one eighth of the volume, which is why it looks so much smaller in the hand.
Which dolls fit which scale
- 1:6 is for fashion dolls about 11.5-12 inches (29-30 cm) tall, such as Barbie®, Ken® and Made to Move™ dolls. An 11.5 inch doll stands for a person about 175 cm tall, which is why this scale is also called playscale or fashion doll scale.
- 1:12 is the classic dollhouse scale, for dolls about 15 cm (6 in) tall. Most traditional dollhouses and miniature shops work in it.
If you have an 11.5 inch fashion doll, you need 1:6. A 1:12 chair will be the size of a footstool for her, and a 1:12 bed is shorter than she is tall. Curvy, Petite and Tall dolls all use the same 1:6 furniture; the few centimetres between them do not matter for a chair or a table.
Other scales you will see in listings
The quickest way to place a scale is to ask how tall a 180 cm person becomes in it. Divide 180 by the second number:
| Scale | A 180 cm person becomes | Typical dolls |
|---|---|---|
| 1:3 | 60 cm | large ball-jointed dolls |
| 1:4 | 45 cm | 16-18 inch dolls |
| 1:6 | 30 cm | 11.5-12 inch fashion dolls |
| 1:12 | 15 cm | classic dollhouse dolls |
| 1:18 | 10 cm | small action figures |
| 1:24 | 7.5 cm | half-scale dollhouses |
When a listing gives no scale at all, use the same trick backwards: a chair with a 7-8 cm seat is 1:6, one with a 4 cm seat is 1:12.
Real sizes in 1:6 and 1:12
A real chair seat is about 45 cm high. Divide by 6 and you get 7.5 cm, which is roughly the seat height that lets a 1:6 doll sit naturally. The same sum works for anything: measure the real object, divide by 6 for fashion dolls or by 12 for a classic dollhouse.
| Real object | Real size | In 1:6 | In 1:12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair seat height | 45 cm | 7.5 cm | 3.75 cm |
| Table height | 75 cm | 12.5 cm | 6.25 cm |
| Kitchen counter | 90 cm | 15 cm | 7.5 cm |
| Bed length | 200 cm | 33 cm | 17 cm |
| Door height | 200 cm | 33 cm | 17 cm |
Our pieces in centimetres
Every product page lists the size, so you can compare it with your doll or your room box before you order. A few examples, with the real size they stand for when you multiply by 6:
- The modern chair is 6.8 × 6.8 × 11 cm, and the white wooden chair 7 × 13 cm.
- The dresser is 17.5 cm high, 18 cm wide and 7 cm deep: a 105 cm chest of drawers in real life.
- The patio chaise lounge is 28 cm long with a 31 cm lying surface, so a 12 inch doll lies on it full length.
- The vegetable crate is 3 × 5 × 7.5 cm, and the doll hangers are 7 × 4 cm.
Pieces that work in both scales
Some things can be used in either scale. Our cube display cabinets are 5.5 cm on each side: in a 1:6 room they look like small shelving cubes, in a 1:12 room like a full-size cabinet. Our doormats are made in two sizes, 8.5 × 5 cm for 1:6 and 5.8 × 3.5 cm for 1:12, in natural cork or engraved board. Choose the scale on the product page.
Before you buy
Measure your doll from head to feet, then check the product size in centimetres or inches instead of relying on the word "miniature". If a listing gives a scale, it should match your doll. If it does not, ask the seller. We are happy to answer that kind of question too, at mbdinerija@gmail.com.
Questions we get
Is Barbie® 1:6 scale?
Close enough that everyone uses the term. An 11.5 inch doll multiplied by 6 is about 175 cm, a tall adult. Our furniture is made for 11.5-12 inch dolls and is listed as 1:6.
Does 1:6 furniture fit Curvy or Tall dolls?
Yes. All our furniture and accessories fit every 11.5-12 inch fashion doll, whatever her body type.
What are the pieces made of?
Most pieces are cut from 2.5-3 mm HDF or MDF board; the cork doormats are natural cork. Board is sturdy but can break if bent or dropped, so handle the thin parts with care.
See all our dollhouse furniture and accessories.