Is Wiring Worth It?

Looks like I'm on a roll with my 1950s-style diner roombox. The setting is purchased, and now I'm trying to decide whether I want to try wiring it for real lights. Electric lights are a great doll house accessory to add character, charm, and realism. But most of my previous houses have been Victorian-era mansions – where electric lighting wouldn't have been used. . Now that I'm trying to create a 1950s ambience, electrifying the roombox makes more sense. I think that electric lights will be helpful for recreating the bright, shiny appearance of a 1950s diner.

I've always liked the way electrified dollhouses look, but it seemed so complicated! Adding this doll house accessory is definitely detail-oriented work that requires working with small pieces without getting frustrated. I've actually discovered that it actually looks fairly easy to wire a miniature house, especially one as small and manageable as the roombox I have planned. The 12 volt electrical current used to power tiny dollhouse lights is much weaker than what is needed for a full-scale house, which makes it much safer.

There are a couple of different ways to wire a dollhouse. I think I'm going to go with the copper tape method. The wiring consists of two thin strips of copper tape. You run the tape where you want to have power, and then connect the transformer. Once you've added paint, wallpaper, and all of your doll house accessory choices, you won't be able to see the copper tape.

The one downside is that all of the electrical components must be installed before I can begin decorating the roombox. I can't wait to get started! I'm waiting for my wiring kit to arrive, along with a few fixtures I've already picked out. I'm sure I'll have plenty of lighting successes and frustrations to share with you in the coming weeks. Have you ever done dollhouse wiring? Do you have any tips to share?