Upper stairs - and consequences

This weekend I decided it was time for a major break-through. I have been making floors with my new tool, but nothing finished yet; and I have made some furniture for a change, a desk and some tables, but I haven't moved on with any larger features of the house.

Time to put in the stairs. At least the upper flight. Start small. I have the grand staircase to cope with. I haven't done anything with upper stairs since I tested the wooden steps. I now trimmed them with my new favourite tool and glued them permanently. Then I glued on the rail. When I tested the assembly I discovered that the pretty moulding I had added didn't fit into the stairwell. I could have anticipated it, but I hadn't. I had to cut off two centimetres which was quite a job since I didn't want to damage anything.

Then I realised that before I put in the stairs permanently I actually need to put in the floor in the room upstairs. It is the servants' room, and I hadn't done anything there except the wallpaper. There probably wouldn't be any elaborate floor in a servants' room, but I still wanted to make something interesting so I went back to the self-adhesive shelf lining and made a decent floor that didn't take more than a couple of hours.

When I started testing the stairs again I realised that there are two doors in the room and that I probably should put in at least the door to the right before I put in the stairs. This is something that the instruction manual does not mention at all - that doors will have to be put in at some point, and which point exactly might be best.

Have I mentioned that of all the ungrateful tasks in dollhouse building the most ungrateful is putting in doors? I am sure I have, but here it is again: of all the ungrateful tasks in dollhouse building the most ungrateful is putting in doors. They just never fit the openings. And in this case, it was an opening at the back of an attic room. I had to use kitchen steps, and I am not repeating all the dirty words I kept saying for the two whole hours it took me. I didn't even bother to invent interesting door knobs, just put in two nails with large white heads.

 

I had no energy to do the other door, but at least it won't be obstructed by the stairs.

Finally, after all these preparations I took a deep breath and glued in the stairs. 

And a close-up:

Then I added the railings in the room upstairs.

 

As I said, this room hasn't been properly furbished yet, so I will add some objects now that I see where the stairs are.

Finally, I glued another moulding on the wall along the stairs. It is not mandatory, but I think it makes a huge difference.

 

I am enormously pleased with my progress. The staircase looks great, and it feels that two rooms are now almost finished, And it will be less intimidating to make the grand staircase.