The timing of this interview couldn't really be better. With Halloween just around the corner, I know quite a few of you will be looking for something a little darker or more unusual to add to your dollhouse or miniature scenes.
And that brings me to Kristen’s Parlour of Minis!
Kristen makes wonderful 1:12 scale miniatures with a mix of Victorian and Gothic style, from upholstered chairs and ornate furniture to ravens, skulls and all sorts of curious little accessories.
Some would fit perfectly into a Halloween miniature scene, while others could easily find a permanent home in a Victorian or Gothic dollhouse.
What caught my attention, though, wasn't just the style of her work. Kristen has a rather fun story about how she ended up in the miniature world in the first place.
I asked Kristen about how she got started, where her love for Victorian and Gothic miniatures comes from, her favorite things to make and what she has planned next for Kristen’s Parlour of Miniatures.
- Image courtesy of Kristen Dixen
It All Started With a Tiny Chair
Kristen actually started out making book nooks before moving on to room boxes and smaller individual pieces.
Her first real attempt at making something specifically in 1:12 scale was a chair.
And apparently, it went rather well! Just look at these pictures!
“The first thing I made specifically in 1:12 scale was a chair, and it turned out pretty damn good! I think I surprised myself.”
Of course, once you've successfully made one tiny chair, it's very easy to start thinking, “Well, maybe I can make everything else too.”
Kristen began making more pieces and gradually discovered just how big the dollhouse and miniature world actually is.
“At some point, I realized I was making all these little things that other people might want for their dollhouses. I had no idea how big the dollhouse world was until I got into it!”
The funny thing is that despite making furniture for dollhouses, Kristen doesn't actually own one herself — and she doesn't particularly want one either.
As she says, apparently she's just here to furnish everyone else's!
From Making Miniatures to Selling Them
As Kristen made more pieces, people kept telling her the same thing: “You should sell these!”
Eventually, she decided she might as well find out if they were right and opened her Etsy shop, Parlour of Minis.
She admits that opening the shop felt a little scary at first, but she also had a pretty good way of looking at it.
“I figured the worst that could happen was I'd end up with a lot of tiny furniture and accessories. Which, honestly, was already happening.”
And so Kristen’s Parlour of Miniatures was born.
Today, you'll find all sorts of handmade 1:12 scale pieces in her collection, but there's definitely a recognizable style running through them.
Why Victorian and Gothic Miniatures?
If you've already looked at some of Kristen's work, you've probably noticed that she has a thing for Victorian style — usually with a slightly darker Gothic twist.
And that's not accidental.
Kristen says
" she has always felt as though she was born in the wrong era, although she is quick to add that she does appreciate modern plumbing!"
She loves the detail, romance and elegance of Victorian design, especially when things get a little darker and moodier.
In fact, even when she isn't deliberately trying to make something Gothic, it has a habit of sneaking into her work anyway.
That also explains the name Kristen’s Parlour of Miniatures. She wanted something that would suit her love of Victorian style without limiting the more Gothic side of what she makes.
I think Kristen described it best herself:
“It sounded like somewhere you might find a lovely antique chair, a dramatic mirror, and perhaps a very well-dressed ghost.”
Honestly, that's a pretty accurate description of the shop!
Inspiration Can Come From Just About Anywhere
Kristen doesn't have one particular place where she goes looking for ideas.
Sometimes she'll simply spot a piece of furniture or an interesting detail while she's out and immediately start wondering how she could make a tiny version of it.