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Modernism in Miniature
By Kate Fogarty

Modernism has reported on the proliferation of modernist furniture for children, but the trend has taken a new twist — towards an even tinier market. What better accessory to complement Junior’s pint-sized Eames- and Knoll-outfitted room than a streamlined dollhouse? A few forward-thinking furniture companies have introduced small-scaled designs, and even some traditional dollhouse companies now feature hipster homes in which Modernist Barbie would be thrilled to dwell. And with their often high price tags and irresistible architectural sophistication, it should come as no surprise that many adults are buying these “toys” for themselves, to either admire on a shelf or decorate impeccably, freed from real-life constraints.

Perhaps the most recent fervor for mini-modern began with the Kaleidoscope House in 2000. Introduced by Bozart Toys, which commissioned artists to design “museum quality” toys for children, the multilevel house had transparent sliding and interchangeable colored walls. Designed by artist Laurie Simmons and architect Peter Wheelwright, it featured a line of furniture by hot designers like Ron Arad and Karim Rashid, and paintings, photographs and sculpture by Peter Halley, Cindy Sherman and other artists. The house caused an instant sensation and was even the subject of an exhibition at Deitch Projects gallery in New York. Unfortunately Bozart went bankrupt in 2001, before a pool pavilion extension, as well as a new crop of superstar-designed art and furniture, could be released. The Kaleidoscope House crops up on eBay occasionally; one still in the box sold last year for nearly $1,600.

The Kaleidoscope House may have been slightly ahead of its time; a handful of new modernist dollhouses with impressive pedigrees are now flying off the shelves. If they’re lucky, some well behaved children might be allowed to play with the Villa Sibi, a furnished birch and beech open-plan house with a pool house, deck and sliding Plexiglas and wood-slat walls. Designed by architect Wolfgang Sirch and sculptor Christoph Bitzer, the Villa Sibi is handcrafted in Bavaria by Sirch, a 300-year-old wood products company. It “sells out every Christmas,” notes Clark Miller of Ameico, which retails the house for $750 in the U.S.; he reports that only half of Villa Sibi purchases are for children.

Le Corbusier’s 1926 Guiette House, in Antwerp, Belgium, is considered one of his greatest works. For the chance to own your own miniature (albeit loosely interpreted) version, $295 seems like a bargain. Crafted of basswood by Roost, the Guiette Model can be painted, stained or displayed as is. Says Elizabeth Cashour, co-founder of the boutique Zipper Gifts in Los Angeles, “We have sold it to one or two people who are giving it to children, but also to collectors, and to people who just appreciate it as a 3-D model.” A popular companion purchase, also by Roost, is Corb’s Villa Savoye.

The world’s leading supplier of dollhouses and miniatures, The Dolls House Emporium, of England, is best known for its Victorian townhouses, Tudor stone cottages and Neoclassical estates. But its Malibu Beach House is a modern delight. Depending on one’s taste, the three-story, curvilinear manse can go groovy ‘70s (with the optional rooftop jacuzzi) or urban Art Deco (rooftop solarium). Fully built, painted, decorated and lit, it’s not cheap at £1,700 (about $3,360) — but it costs less than the real thing, attests Modern MC, the author of the blog Mini Modern (minimodern.blogspot.com) and a tireless collector and chronicler of the miniature modern world. Of her constant, expert refurbishment of her Kaleidoscope House, she reasons, “Having the house is like living out the things you would like to do in your own house. My family gets tired of me redecorating.”

Last year, Modern MC won a heated bidding war on eBay for the 360 Dollhouse, a stunning one-off, rotating architect-designed model; the hammer price of $950 generated some online carping; hence, her pseudonym. She hopes her blog will challenge the stereotype of miniature collectors as “old women with cats.” The dollhouse business should start catering to a hipper crowd, she says. “When people find out I like this stuff, they’re like, wow!” With the number of modernist dollhouses on the rise (and the real estate market in the tank), the miniature design market grows ever more attractive — to children and adults alike.