English Style vs American

The American dollhouse is typically two-sided:  there is the outside "front" elevation and the interior of the house is viewed through the open "back."  I designed Merriman Park in the English dollhouse tradition in that the house only has one side.  The back of the house is unfinished and is meant to sit against a wall. The front facade opens up like a cabinet to reveal the finished interior.

I believe the English have it all over us Yanks when it comes to dollhouses.  For one thing, you don't have to turn an English-style dollhouse around to view the interior.  I can't even imagine having to flip Merriman Park around every time I wanted to see the inside --it weighs a ton!  Even on a turntable it would be cumbersome. (You would still have to pull the house away from the wall to make the clearance).  And then there is the dust factor.  An American dollhouse interior, being open and exposed to the elements, would collect a lot of dust in contrast to the English dollhouse, which is closed off when not on display.

When it comes to space-saving measures, the English dollhouse style again reigns supreme.  Designed to sit --or even hang-- flat against a wall, the slim and trim English dollhouse leaves the bulky, American style wanting.

I am planning on setting Merriman Park on a future cabinet of shelves in my dining room.  The shelves will house my ever-expanding  library of books as well as my aforementioned rapidly-turning-obsolete stereo equipment. (Should have just stuck with the Victrola).  LOL!