It’s not for everyone — especially not people who are knee-deep in actual home renovation. But neighborhood shop Through the Keyhole, which carries dollhouses and miniature furnishings, could make for a fun and indoor (read: air-conditioned) summer activity. If you’re looking for something more challenging than simply buying a dollhouse, the store at Preston and Forest offers basic and advanced classes in dollhouse construction, as well as electrical classes so you can learn to light your beautiful miniature home.
Starting a miniature collection or committing to building a dollhouse from the ground up would be difficult for someone on a tight budget. The Houseworks miniature supplies sold in the store can range from about $4 for brass doorknobs to nearly $200 for more extravagant items like crystal chandeliers, all of which can add up over time. Window-shopping, however, costs nothing, and it’s worth stopping in to see the tiny items, such as bags of fertilizer and tools for a miniature farm, weapons, a fully built saloon style bar, and barbershop chairs. Not a bad way to spend half an hour on a hot afternoon.
