A CITY trader reclines on a leather sofa in his chic loft apartment, tie loosened as he unwinds after a day at the office.

Beyond the discarded pizza box lies a balcony overlooking an urban skyline. In the designer kitchen a plate of oysters and a Champagne bottle rest on the breakfast bar, alongside a coffee maker and iPod.

Look a little closer and all is not as it seems.

The scene is a 1:12 scale "room box" created by renowned miniaturist Caroline Hamilton, part of one of the world's finest collections of dolls houses, on display at Newby Hall.

Caroline and her friend Jane Fiddick have around 70 dolls houses between them, and their collections became so large they could no longer house them. The exquisite miniature houses are now at home in converted potting sheds.

The various styles include an Adam House - Newby Hall is one of Britain's finest Adam Houses, built in the 1690s by Christopher Wren - with a replica of Newby's tapestry room.

Caroline set up the London Doll House Festival and has made and furnished dozens of dolls houses. "You go backwards in the dolls house world; you buy the furniture first then decide what kind of house it's going to be," she says. "Each house takes about three years to complete."

The pair build their houses and do carpentry, wiring, wallpapering, and make soft furnishings.

"We both had dolls houses as children and re-kindled the hobby as young mothers. We research architecture and interiors. Jane is good at period detail, I'm a bit quirky. Each house has its own story. Mrs Aspi Distra likes flying ducks on the wall and Floozy the showgirl is proud of her mirrored ceiling”.

One responsibility of creating a miniature world is extra housework. Small items are stuck down down with wax, so dust can be gently blown off. "We're in agony when something goes missing," says Caroline. "We've just lost a plate of biscuits, it's driving us mad."

Most miniatures are historically accurate. There are Victorian shops, rustic homes, architectural classics and the aforementioned bachelor pad, home to Caroline's creation, "Nick Loadsamoney".

Each tiny room is filled with remarkable detail, reflecting the skill involved in making miniatures. Tiny items include hallmarked silver, hand-blown glass, real china as delicate as an eggshell, a sewing table, complete with pin cushion and thread, a set of dominoes, a library filled with books, carved bone furniture and a Russian doll set.

Caroline and Jane's creations have been exhibited worldwide. "It's satisfying to furnish a house according to its style and characters," says Caroline. "We get terribly involved. I do copies of grand vintage labels on wine bottles."

While she doesn't have a favourite, she's fond of her Rennie Mackintosh house, featuring a miniature version of the artist in his music room and real silverware on the tea table. "Most dolls houses open like cupboards, but this has back rooms too, you can walk around it," says Caroline.

Early dolls houses date back to Germany and Holland in the 1600s, but they weren't toys. "They were rich women's play things," says Caroline. "Dolls houses didn't become toys until Victorian times."

INFORMATION

  • Newby Hall is at Ripon.
  • It is open until September 27, 11am - 5pm.
  • Ring 0845 450 4068 or visit newbyhall.com
  • Our Dolls Houses runs from June 30 to September 27.