Creatology Wooden Puzzle: Dollhouse Furniture

If I had to guess, I'd say I stop in at Michaels about once every three or four months. I've spoken before about some of the bizarre items a toy collector might find there, if one is willing to browse with an open mind.
Well, on a recent visit, my wife and I came across some "Creatology Wooden Puzzles," which amused us. My wife picked a ship, and I got... wait for it... doll furniture.
I wish I could provide a logical reason for this, but, to tell you the truth, I didn't really pick these up with a specific plan in mind. I'm of the philosophy that more accessories are always a good thing. On top of that, I figured that if I ever play D&D again, I could probably use some of these as accessories for miniatures.
While these are marketed as "puzzles," they're really more like model kits. The pieces start out in flat wooden boards; you punch them out and put them together. Think of it as Ikea for two inch figures.
Eventually, either my wife or I will get around to reviewing the ship. In the meantime, lets look at that furniture.
Well, on a recent visit, my wife and I came across some "Creatology Wooden Puzzles," which amused us. My wife picked a ship, and I got... wait for it... doll furniture.
I wish I could provide a logical reason for this, but, to tell you the truth, I didn't really pick these up with a specific plan in mind. I'm of the philosophy that more accessories are always a good thing. On top of that, I figured that if I ever play D&D again, I could probably use some of these as accessories for miniatures.
While these are marketed as "puzzles," they're really more like model kits. The pieces start out in flat wooden boards; you punch them out and put them together. Think of it as Ikea for two inch figures.
Eventually, either my wife or I will get around to reviewing the ship. In the meantime, lets look at that furniture.
Appearance: 4/10

Keep in mind, everything reviewed here is considered as if it's a collectible. These are small, unpainted, and they've got tabs sticking out everywhere. On the other hand, some of these are rather adorable.
By my count, there are thirty-four distinct pieces here, and... that's a lot. So lets break this up a bit.
More than a third of the pieces are chairs of one sort or another. There are twelve in all of various shapes and sizes ranging from a highchair to a rocking chair to a lawn chair. Of these, my favorite is probably the rocking chair, which is just a touch more inspired than the others. I also like the lawn chair (even though it keeps falling apart), the two small chairs that appear to be intended for children, and the highchair. The five generic chairs, which I'm assuming are intended for use with the dining table, are also pretty cool. On the other end, there are a pair of oddly shaped objects I'm assuming are supposed to be armchairs. These aren't awful, but they're definitely a step down.
By my count, there are thirty-four distinct pieces here, and... that's a lot. So lets break this up a bit.
More than a third of the pieces are chairs of one sort or another. There are twelve in all of various shapes and sizes ranging from a highchair to a rocking chair to a lawn chair. Of these, my favorite is probably the rocking chair, which is just a touch more inspired than the others. I also like the lawn chair (even though it keeps falling apart), the two small chairs that appear to be intended for children, and the highchair. The five generic chairs, which I'm assuming are intended for use with the dining table, are also pretty cool. On the other end, there are a pair of oddly shaped objects I'm assuming are supposed to be armchairs. These aren't awful, but they're definitely a step down.
There are nine objects I'm classifying as "tables", including a dresser. No two of these are the same, which complicates matters. Overall, these are pretty good; not surprising, since tables kind of lend themselves to this sort of design. The largest kitchen table is probably the best of this lot, followed by the scalloped side tables. The various square tables and sawhorses are fairly nice. There's a sideboard table designed to stand against a wall. It's not too bad, but the pegs in back are a bit of an eyesore, and it keeps falling over.
The two beds are both very nice, as is the crib. Of course, the lack of texture is problematic, but they did a solid job with what they had. |
Next, we move into cabinets, dressers, and shelving units. There are three items I'm grouping together here. All of these have a number of visible pegs and extrusions. On one level, the simpler the design, the better the finished project. As such, the shelving unit is probably the least problematic of the three. On the other hand, there's something to be admired about the dresser and especially the kitchen cabinet unit. The dresser opens and closes, as do the three kitchen cabinets, and the kitchen sink is, well, kind of awesome.
From here on, things get a little more nebulous. The bathroom fixtures may actually be my favorite pieces in the set, though this is more a reflection of the fact I expect to get more use of them then most of the other objects. The toilet is pretty nice, though I want to mention that, unlike every other piece, it requires glue. The bath tub is surprisingly effective, considering that it's made entirely from flat pieces. Both of these have obtrusive tabs, but they're still good. From a design standpoint, the bathroom sink works exceptionally well, with the tabs hidden in back. |
What's left is difficult to classify. The piano is a great concept that works all right up close, but without paint it would be easy to wonder what it is. The rocking horse is a great addition, though the centerpiece on mine seems to have been cut wrong. I'm not sure whether they all have this issue, but mine's lopsided.
There's also something which could either be a couch or a bench. Since it's doll house furniture as opposed to park furniture, it's probably supposed to be the former, but it looks far more like a bench to me. Either way, it's pretty decent, but not exceptional.
Last and least, we come to the stand-up mirror, which looks absolutely nothing like a mirror. In fact, I really don't know for certain if that's what it is. |
So, as assembled, I'm looking at some furniture that's cute but not all that spectacular. The visible tabs, bizarre angles, and lack of paint are really what drag the appearance score down. Now, keep in mind that one of these - the paint - can be corrected if you're motivated to do so.
Packaging and Extras: -1
Lets start with the packaging, shall we? Well, there isn't any. It's just held together with plastic. There's an insert on the front that shows you what all the pieces look like:
The back of the insert contains instructions for putting everything together:
Easy to read directions any astrophysicist could follow. Yeah. I recommend having a couple ibuprofen handy (not included). And that's just the start of things that the makers of this product neglected to include. Fortunately, they DID include some sandpaper. And a good thing, because the instructions clearly state that you should punch out all pieces and sand before starting. For that, they've given you this:
Incidentally, whatever you do, DO NOT punch out all pieces before getting started. The individual parts are not numbered, so if everything isn't laid out exactly as it is on your handy map, this really will turn into a puzzle.
All right, so you DON'T get glue for the toilet, paint, more than a scrap of sandpaper, or coherent directions. What do you get? Well, a few of the furniture pieces come with extra parts. The toilet has a lid, the kitchen cabinets have a pair of burners, the highchair has a guard, and you get a whole bunch of scrap wood left over. Yeah, I'm hitting them with a one point deduction. Officially, it's for the lack of glue. But really, it's because of the sand paper. I mean, come on: that's insulting. |
Play and Display: +1

If you've been reading the Clearance Bin long enough, you know I give accessories, displays, and statues a bonus point on principle. Obviously, I'm continuing that trend here.
That isn't to say these don't offer any moving parts or display options, though: in fact, there are a decent number of moving parts, changeable features, and so on. We've already looked at the toilet in the last section, so lets continue.
On some level, a rocking horse represents the simplest of all action features: a curved bottom and good balance. In the off chance there's any doubt, the horse, crib, and rocking chair share this.
That isn't to say these don't offer any moving parts or display options, though: in fact, there are a decent number of moving parts, changeable features, and so on. We've already looked at the toilet in the last section, so lets continue.
On some level, a rocking horse represents the simplest of all action features: a curved bottom and good balance. In the off chance there's any doubt, the horse, crib, and rocking chair share this.
Moving into other simple machines, the dresser and kitchen cabinets all have opening doors. They're not complicated, but they get the job done. In addition, the piano has an opening and closing cover for the keys. Just be aware that using this can damage the weak wood beneath (mine's started to chip). Other than that, there's the aforementioned toilet seat cover and the burners on the stove. And, of course, an infinite number of different figures, toys, and items you can stack in, on, or around the furniture. That's what the point's for, obviously. I also want to mention one more item of interest. If you're so disposed, there are certainly kitbashing opportunities here. Most of the pieces use the same basic tabs and panels to connect together, so I'm sure someone with the time and inclination could construct whatever they wanted. |
Normally, I would have used this space to complain about problems I had putting these together, but, honestly, I've already harped on that enough. So: bonus point for being fun, and we're through here.
Price Tag and Final Analysis: 4/10

I picked up this kit for a grand total of five dollars, which seems more than reasonable considering what it came with. Oh, sure: the score's lower than seems fair, but that's life. These weren't intended as collectibles, so it's neither surprising nor disappointing that they're not. As accessories, they have some potential, though the scale is a bit awkward. Most of these are too large for use with one inch figures: only the small tables really have potential for use with miniatures.
Likewise, they're too small for most larger figures. I have a few things that worked, though: check them out below.
In addition, I am planning on painting a few of these, particularly the toilet, because every toy collector needs a scale toilet.
Likewise, they're too small for most larger figures. I have a few things that worked, though: check them out below.
In addition, I am planning on painting a few of these, particularly the toilet, because every toy collector needs a scale toilet.
Don't forget to drop by The Middle Room for additional thoughts on geek philosophy.