by Joan Woods
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As the 50's ended, manufactured doll houses were usually made of metal and the furniture was all hard plastic. There were no soft cushions for dolls to sit on and the beds were always perfect with painted-on spreads. A few doors opened to refrigerators and cabinets and everything else was left to the child's imagination. To have bed covers, cushions or cabinets, the furniture usually had to be handmade wood.

In 1964, Ideal introduced the Fantasy Furniture. With this furniture, Ideal used the decorating of the era. The refrigerator door not only opens but the shelves are rounded in back so they can be completely turned around. Plus, you do not have an empty refrigerator. It has ice cube trays, meat, fresh vegetables and soda stored in the door. The sink cabinet includes a dishwasher and just in case the electricity is not working, there is a dish drainer complete with dishes drying. The stove has a fan vent hood and spoons hanging over the burners. There is a freshly roasted piece of meat on the rotisserie in the oven. The kitchen hutch is complete with a bowl of fresh fruit and collector-type dishes. The kitchen colors are the most up-to- date for the '60's - harvest gold and metallic gold with green counters. The table is tall with clear top and matching chair back stools.

The bath extends the coloring in a blue-green tone with swan faucets. The vanity and tub have drain holes lined to look like metal. The tub is a fantastic oval shape with squared sides for leisurely getting in. There is a soap dish with soap. On the vanity hangs a large beautiful, oval gilded golden mirror. There are all types of fresh scents in bottles of brilliant colors to use on the vanity, commode and towel shelf. The design on the towel shelf, which is complete with towels and wash cloths, is tall and looks like golden, gilded ironwork. The waste paper basket and vanity stool accent the other pieces. Who uses a commode without a big fuzzy rug in brilliant orange-gold? These dolls don't.

The bedrooms host elegant, single beds in light colors of blue or pink, with satin covered headboards trimmed in gold; big fluffy pillows and white dust ruffles. There is a stain chase lounge with a big, round pillow to match each decor. The vanity in the bedroom has the large, three-sided, gold-trimmed mirrors with glass. It's table is trimmed in blue or pink with a long, white ruffle to the floor, trimmed in gold. On the vanity are bottles of colorful essence. There is a rounded soft stool to match. To give the bedroom light, the lyre table set has lyres on each side; a shelf for special things and a lamp with a bird on the arm and real cloth shade to match the decor. Everyone needs a palace chest in white and gold trim with drawers that open and close and do not stick like the ones of the '50's. There are also pictures for the walls that are popular of the period.

Proceed into the fantasy living room to find a baby grand piano with a top that opens and closes and a golden arm to hold the top up. It's sides and inter top are covered with beautiful Victorian scenes. If you look closely, you can see the make-believe strings in the piano. The black and white keys are very distinguished and there are poles in gold going from the foot pedals to the base of the piano to accent the strings. It also includes a music stand that moves to the desired position, music, bench and metronome. The stately grandfather clock carries the same Victorian scenes. There is a screen that carries oriental scenes trimmed in black. The chairs are winged, drum-shaped, low back and some with ottomans. They are in brocades, satins and velvets with lots of cushioning. The couch is massive and curved, done in many different brocades. Then you may find the palace table set and/or the salon table set. They are not just coffee tables, they include beverage bottles, tea and coffee pots, cups, ashtrays, lighters and pictures. The telephone is the large French style and sits on a rounded table to look like a glass top. The end tables can be rounded, pedestaled, or tiered complete with lamps and accessories - including books.  The pedestaled table can be let down to fit snuggly in the corner.   For your entertainment, there is a TV with antennae on a rolling golden care with a shelf underneath and a handle to move it.

The Regency hearth place is large and looks to be of black and white marble, with mirror in gold trim over it, gold andirons, and gold wood basket complete with logs. You might find this fireplace in several rooms of the house.

Dining at the exquisite white trimmed-in-gold oval table with huge pedestal legs, and a look-like black marble top. There are 3 types of chairs for the table-- host chairs, hostess chairs and guest chairs. The chairs are white to match the table and the seats are of red velvet. The host chairs have arms. The hostess chairs look like them with no arms but have the cut-out trim on the backs. The guest chairs have solid red velvet backs.

There is the treasure trove cabinet (china cabinet) with elegant see-through doors with gold trim. The base for the cabinet has red velvet covered drawers with pieces of mirrors on the side. It also has object of interest already in it. The royal buffet picks up the style of the cabinet with opening doors with petite golden handles, a white marble-like top, gold framed mirror to hang above and the necessary pitchers and dishes for the top. What dining room is not complete without a two-shelf golden rolling teacart with tiny glasses. Then there is the golden metal planter full of ferns to place at the window.

Who lives in this luxury? A family of four - mom, dad, sister and brother. They are bendable to fit the style of living with this furniture and dressed in styles of the '60's.

There were Fantasy Rooms made of cardboard that were already fashioned for the furniture with big windows, wallpaper, flooring and painted-on draperies. Except in the case of a little decorator who was always moving pictures and maybe tearing up wallpaper, I have rooms that were played with extensively and have stood the test of time. There was also a vinyl house that had lots of design. However, the rooms and the house does not show the completeness of the furniture.   The stores had an electrical lighted display that had the wall, floor and window trim that did the furniture justice.  Some collectors have been lucky enough to purchase these.

What was even more enticing were the prices in the '60's. I have many boxes (all the furniture was boxed separately) with prices on them of 47 to 98 cents. The piano went for approximately $3.00. The bath and kitchen furniture was only sold on the West Coast and came out slightly later than the other pieces. I have been unable to obtain original prices on these.  The booklets that came with the furniture do not mention either the bath or kitchen.

Today, people love it's elegant durability and completeness which makes it a very collectible grouping.