The project discussed in this paper is aimed at increasing people’s understanding of the existence and desired workings of ambient technology in the home by demonstrating its potential. For this purpose, an interactive dollhouse is presented. The dollhouse, a miniature model of a sensor-equipped home, was developed and used to engage elderly users in the design of an ambient monitoring system. This paper explains the design of the interactive dollhouse and the ways it was used as an elderly-centered design method for increasing understanding of the desired workings of ambient monitoring in the home.