Meet the Miniaturist Who Turned a Dollhouse into a Funeral Home!
- Darren Scala
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Most dollhouses are designed to evoke warmth, comfort, and nostalgia. This one does something entirely different and was created by Massachusetts-based miniaturist Erik Haigh, from @LittlestFuneralHome on Instagram, who owns and operates ice cream parlors with his partner and shares a home with two tuxedo cats, Kiku and Louie. This miniature funeral home reimagines what a dollhouse can be. Blending dark humor, technical precision, and thoughtful reflection, the piece challenges how we interact with miniatures—pushing the hobby into unexpected, provocative territory and taking it to an entirely new level.
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Erik is a relative newcomer to the miniature world, having begun the hobby just two years ago. “I didn’t have a dollhouse growing up—though I always wanted one!” he shares. What started as a long-held curiosity quickly evolved into a bold and unconventional creative outlet.
From Classic Dollhouse to Funeral Home
The idea for the project emerged unexpectedly. Erik originally set out to build a traditional New England–style dollhouse. As he decorated the interior, his mother remarked that it resembled a funeral home. Rather than shy away from the comment, Erik embraced it. “I was instantly attracted to the idea,” he says.
That moment became the turning point—transforming a familiar domestic form into one of the most unusual dollhouse scenarios you’re likely to encounter.
Finding Meaning in the Macabre
While the subject matter may seem dark, Erik’s intention is not to shock. Instead, his work invites reflection—often with humor. “I hope people can laugh about it, most of the time,” he explains. “I realize the subject matter is dark, but I think it’s interesting to approach via a dollhouse and miniatures.”
For Erik, the funeral home becomes a way to engage with larger themes safely and thoughtfully. “Any reflection on death is a reflection on life,” he says. “I hope it can allow people a safe space to laugh, and remember to cherish every moment.”
Building the Miniature Funeral Home
The dollhouse itself dates to 1986 and was purchased on eBay. Though structurally sound, it required extensive cosmetic renovation. Erik restored and redesigned the house room by room over the course of a year, carefully transforming it into a fully functioning miniature mortuary.
Many of the most striking elements come from Northernlites Miniatures, including embalming equipment crafted by Theresa Dudley. “They are so spot-on and brilliant,” Erik says. These pieces helped define the realism and tone of the project.
In addition to sourcing specialized miniatures, Erik fabricates many components himself. He has created an eye-wash station, dissection tank, embalming fluids, and highly specific instruments used in the funeral trade.
Materials range from 3D-printed parts and aluminum sheeting to repurposed model components and hand-sculpted Sculpey. “It’s always fun to search for odds and ends to make something new,” he notes, citing an oscillating skull saw as a favorite example.
What’s Next
The piece is nearly complete, but Erik plans one final addition: a crematory. Once finished, the project will represent a full-service miniature funeral home, morgue, and crematory—an all-in-one vision rarely explored in dollhouse form.
As for future projects, Erik is keeping an open mind. “Nothing yet,” he says, “but I am eagerly awaiting my next mini obsession.”
This miniature funeral home challenges assumptions about scale, subject matter, and storytelling. It proves that dollhouses don’t have to depict idealized domestic life to be powerful. Sometimes, the most compelling miniature worlds are the ones that ask us to look a little closer—at life, memory, and the spaces in between.
To follow Erik and for more awesome photos of. his creation, head over to https://www.instagram.com/littlestfuneralhome/. Also, be sure you are signed up for my newsletter so you never miss an update or a post!
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Written/edited by Darren Scala with the assistance of AI technology!