Vintage Kiddo Toys: Debbie’s Dream Dollhouse

Most of the time when I’m posting vintage toys, there is a fair amount of nostalgia involved. Things I had. Things my girlfriends had and I desperately wanted but my never parents never got me and I’m still bitter about…helllo Dorothy Hamill ice skating doll. (As an aside I mentioned this story to Greg back when we were first dating and one birthday he got me THE DOROTHY HAMILL ICE SKATING DOLL. That was when I knew this was a man to marry….)

But I digress. So like I was sayin’, vintage toy collecting usually involves a fair amount of nostalgia, but I loooooooove when I unearth something that didn’t even know existed. And I’ve told you guys, I’m a vintage/thriftin’ pro/know-it-all by now and feel like I’ve seen it all. So my eyes popped out of my head when I stumbled upon Debbie’s Dream House. I don’t know who this Debbie is, but girlfriend had my kinda dreams.

You can already tell that this is gonna be a goodie, eh? OK friends. Let’s step inside….


All together now…..”Ooooooooh!” Debbie, I love what you’ve done with the place…



Incredibly, this pad came fully furnished. Please note that the light blue dining room table comes equipped with a LAZY SUSAN people. I’m dyin’….

Requires two big “D” batteries…what for??? Did something light up? Spin? A doorbell?? Debbie, I need to know!

UPDATE! I found out….Debbie’s house had a light up fireplace, working living room lamp and sweet mother mary, A WORKING DOOR BELL!!!!!! Amazing. Why does the doorbell seem like it takes this doll house up a notch to Cadillac of Dollhouses status?? Did anyone here have this beauty? Enquiring minds want to know!!!

Now don’t knock anyone down as you race over to eBay to see if you can nab one of these suckers for yourself. (By the way, I already looked. All I found was Debbie’s living room furniture….sigh.)

My next quest….to find out more about this baby:

Want more retro mod doll house love? Check out this past post: Welcome to the Doll Haus.

Pssst! You can get a home tour over at the lovely doe-c-doe blog.

Images: puppenhaus on Flickr, doe-c-doe, barbigirl

48 thoughts on “Vintage Kiddo Toys: Debbie’s Dream Dollhouse

  1. You know what I love most? Debbie’s a small-space gal! She knows great design and a beautiful layout means you can live like a princess without having a giant bathroom and nursery. Kick over, Barbie’s Dream House! Debbie’s in town and Mr. Brady is her architect!

  2. I glad you guys like!

    heather….hello! Light up fireplace had me before the Double D batteries too!

    Rocket Girl….sooooo Mr. Brady. Love that! (although there IS a nursery. It’s on top of the bed room in the overhead shot!)

    flo….it was so awesome seeing you this weekend. I’m still plotting the Modern Dollhouse you will design!

  3. Would it be wrong to love a dollhouse more than your own house?

    Where can I get one of those TV/stereo consoles for my own pad?

    Where do you find these gems, Alix?

  4. that is amazing! what divine decor, Debbie! (and i will NOT let my 4 year old see this post or i will never hear the end of Debbie’s fabulous pad!)

  5. That is insane. I used to have two dolls houses when I was a little girl; a 90’s country house and a little toyshop with mini toys my parents built for me. But I’ve always wanted an Edwardian dolls house though!!!

    Thanks for this, you’ve just inspired my next blog post!!!

  6. Kody, haha….i know, right? one look and she’ll be hooked!

    Rachel let us know if you do a dolly house post! I’m dying that you had TWO of ’em!!

  7. This WAS my favorite doll house when I was a kid. I was talking to a friend about it and decided to look up some pics to show her just how awesome it was. Even though I am in my 50’s now I would still play with this one!!!!!!

  8. I still have my Debbie’s Dream Dollhouse. (And the Pee Wee dolls that lived there as well.) Many years ago, when my daughter was young, I got it out for her to play with, but I saw how amazing it was and had to box it back up!

  9. hi there..well I have to tell you I fell in love with this house when I was little gilr…and lucky me Santa brought it for Christmas!…I still have mine and can tell you a little more about it…it came with glassware in blue like the cat’s eye table..and the dinning table should be clear blue like the cat’s eye table..I think the table you have is the one for outside…it also had small pots and pans…I had a great deal of fun with mine…I would turn on the fireplace at night for a night light…

  10. I had one of Debbie’s Dream House when I was a child and just found it in the attic when I was cleaning out for a large garage sale a couple of days ago. It truly was the cadillac of doll houses. I had hours of fun having dinner parties, tea parties and playing house. I am not sure if I will keep it or sell it but I will definately be setting it up. All the parts are present and in great shape.

  11. What memories! My older sister had this doll house and I was very rarely allowed to play with it. By the time she was done with it I was really too old and it ended up going to my cousin and has never been seen since. Oh, how I dreamed of that! Thank you for sharing this. It was a dream indeed!

  12. About 11 years old in our local grocery store high up on a shelve sat the most wonderful thing I had ever seen! It was Debbie’s Dream House and to top it off my name was Debbie! Mother had the store owner bring it down to eye level so I could look and it was instant love! Expensive though for the day but Christmas was just weeks away. Every time we went in the grocery store my younger sister and I hounded her about that doll house always to the respone that it was too expensive and I knew it. I feel so guilty about this but one day a few days before Christmas my sister and I notice SOLD in big letters on the side of the house! Hearts dropped but soon revived when we saw our Mother’s name listed under it! We never confessed to seeing this but it was the very most exciting Christmas morning rushing to this fantastic home. The light up fireplace, door bell and lights were delightful! A friend fell on it one day and broke it. Her act was definitely intentional derived from jealousy. It broke my heart! Would be a thrill to have another one of these marvelous homes!

  13. I have to confess I have BOTH of these — Debbie’s Dream House and the Marx Imagination! My father bought the Marx Imagination dollhouse for me when I was little, but I couldn’t remember the name of it. I discovered Debbie’s Dream House while trying to find out what the Marx Imagination was called. I’m embarrassed to say they’re both in storage, but now I’m motivated to get them out and set them up! Thanks! Does anyone know of the name of a dollhouse from around the same era that had a magnetic wand underneath?

  14. I own this dollhouse,brand new in box.When I was 12 my Mom bought this for me for Christmas but decided I was too old for it.She never returned to the store and just put it away in storage.I think she loved it and just couldn’t part with it .But she still saved it for me and gave it to me later in life.I was thrilled to own it but decided to keep it stored and never opened it.The only thing that’s wrong with it is a moving company put packing tape around it in one of my moves.Im sure it could be removed carefully but haven’t touched it.Ive often thought of selling it as I had seen one close to the condition of mine for $1500.But I haven’t been able to part with it.I love that I still have a Christmas present Ive yet to open.Im 58 and my Moms been gone for 15 yrs.,so I always have a present from her that’s still new in the box.By the way I told my mother I would’ve loved this when I was 12.

  15. Thanks for taking me back inside Debbie’s Dream House. I love the angles of the shots – it was like I was lying on the floor playing at eye level again. I wished and wished for this doll house for Christmas one year back in 1964 (just old enough to know mom and dad supplied Santa with the money for the toys), and I didn’t think I would get it because of the cost – a whopping $4.99. Best gift ever! I often wonder where it went, though I’m pretty sure my mom past it on to my younger cousins and they probably destroyed it.

  16. I have my Debbie’s Dream House…all furniture in original box. I believe it still works, as well. What are these selling for now. I rec’d mine back in the late 60’s (?).

  17. Yes, my name is Debbie, and I owned one of these. I totally regret giving it up, which I didn’t do until I was 30 years old! Loved the doorbell, lamp and fireplace that lit up! But my favorite part was the coffee table – clear blue top and funky bottom! Spent many rainy days with this toy! Thanks Mom!!!

  18. I had this as a child. My dad threw it during one of our moves and my mom still hollers at him about it. I would be interested in purchasing if I can find one for sale!

    1. I have one of these that I am interested in selling. Lots of other Barbie items too. They were my mother’s. Not sure where to post everything to sell.

  19. I am one of the lucky girls that got Debbie’S Dream House for Christmas when I was small. I still have it and home movies of me playing with my house on Christmas morning in the 1960’s.

  20. Penny – did you sell yours? I just discovered Devbie’s Dream House over the weekend and I want to buy one for me! I’m 487 and have never had a dollhouse. This one would be perfect.

  21. A couple of years ago I was given a Debbie’s Dream House for my great grandchildren. They were too young for it so I packed it away. Now I wonder what to do with it as they have newer doll houses and aren’t interested in it. Is it something a collector is looking for?

  22. On a whim, I tried to find my old “Pee Wee” dolls Doll House—and THIS was IT!! Apparently, it was “Debbie’s Dream House,” but I was 7-8 years old, so who knew?? I had a collection of Pee Wee dolls who lived in this house. They didn’t fit in perfectly, but it was good enough for me. I remember the bathtub, the little triangular tables and barstools—but mostly the fireplace that lit up, the doorbell, and the lamp. Oh my God!!!! What memories!

  23. I have this dollhouse, I got it for Christmas when I was 7. The light, fireplace and doorbell still work. I have all of the furniture and the original box. I have home movies of me playing with it Christmas morning. One of my favorite things about my house is that it has pictures hanging on the walls.

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