'Small Stories' at the V&A Museum of Childhood opens doors to astonishing miniature worlds
To anyone who fondly recalls having - or who ever dreamt of having - a dolls' house, new show 'Small Stories: At Home in a Dolls' House' at the V&A Museum of Childhood in London's Bethnal Green, is just what the doctor ordered.
Featuring a stunning selection of 12 historical and contemporary dolls' houses of varying sizes from the past 300 years, the exhibition is designed to tell the (fictional) stories of the people living in these houses - a set up that appeals to visitors of all ages. Many of the delicate objects - some are part of the museum's permanent collection - have been painstakingly restored by the museum's conservation department over the past two years.
And even if childhood nostalgia is not your thing, this show will also appeal to the discerning, design-aware visitor. Spanning different periods and architectural styles, 'Small Stories' is a neat whistle-stop tour of the country's design developments over the centuries, from a Georgian town house and suburban mansions, to a 1960s high rise and a Le Corbusier-style white villa; most come complete with miniature period furniture and sophisticated interior fittings. Highlights include the modernist-inspired 'Whiteladies House' by artist Moray Thomas (built in the 1930s) and 'Kaleidoscope House', 2001, by architect Peter Wheelwright and artist (and former Wallpaper* guest editor) Laurie Simmons.
As a contemporary update, the museum invited 19 London-based design studios to produce their own artistic interpretation of a dolls' house for a special display in the show. Entitled 'Dream House', the installation serves as the final stop on the exhibition's circuit and sees contributors, including Bethan Laura Wood, Peter Marigold and PriestmanGoode, turn their hand to creating their own miniature interiors - a fitting finish to the show, bringing the history of this much-loved toy to the present day.
ADDRESS
V&A Museum of Childhood
Cambridge Heath Road
London E2 9PA
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Feel at home at Auberge, Château La Coste's new inn for culture lovers
Auberge La Coste sits at the heart of the art-filled estate, minutes away from the joyful town of Aix-en-Provence
By Harriet Thorpe Published
-
This Nova Lima apartment is a Brazilian family oasis with striking Minas Gerais views
A Nova Lima apartment designed by Jacobsen Arquitetura celebrates its long, natural Minas Gerais vistas
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Commune’s sustainable personal care products look ‘quite unlike anything else’
Commune’s Somerset-made products stand out in the sustainable skincare crowd. Madeleine Rothery speaks with the brand’s co-founders Kate Neal and Rémi Paringaux
By Madeleine Rothery Published
-
Tour the Natural History Museum’s new gardens, a Jurassic lark in London
The Natural History Museum in London has unveiled two new gardens, with resident dinosaurs, after a transformation led by architects Feilden Fowles
By Bridget Downing Published
-
Drama Republic moves into a colourful, handcrafted workspace in London
For the new creative HQ of production company Drama Republic, Emil Eve Architects remodels a warehouse into office space in London’s Holborn
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
Hideaway House in London features timber panelling inspired by the New York hospitality scene
The elegantly refurbished Hideaway House by Studio McW in London features timber panelling inspired by Philip Johnson’s The Four Seasons Restaurant
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
An Uxbridge annexe by Bureau de Change is a design for effortless intergenerational living
Uxbridge Bower, a residential annexe in west London, is a contemporary addition offering both privacy and connection for the needs of a family
By Tianna Williams Published
-
‘Modern Buildings’ tours south-east London through a guide to post-war Blackheath and Greenwich
‘Modern Buildings: Blackheath and Greenwich’ is a detailed survey of a London borough’s rich trove of new modernist architecture
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Triangle House invites you to its inner world of colourful surprises
Triangle House by Artefact is a private home in Epsom, outside London, combining Caribbean style, colour and functionality
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Tour the refreshed Saint Andrew Holborn: an icon reveals its crisp new interior in London
DaeWha Kang reimagines Saint Andrew Holborn church through a sensitive architectural solution that blends tradition and modernity in London
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A Suffolk house by Studio Bark pairs a fresh visual language with low-energy design
Suffolk house Water Farm is off-the-grid but defiantly on the map, a bold new object in the landscape with a strong visual impact and minimal carbon footprint
By Jonathan Bell Published