I’m going to make wainscoting on this room but not just regular wainscoting, I want them upholstered.
First I took the balsa wood slats I bought and measured out the wainscoting for the room. Just like wallpaper, you want to start with the far front wall first and then the sides. I only had to cut the slats length wise because the width is just right for the bottom half of the wall.
After I had the slats cut to the right length for each wall, I cut out the square panels that will sit on top of the slats. I have to make sure they are the right size to go all the way around the room, with even spaces between each.
I then took each square panel and glued some foam to one side of them. Luckily I had ordered some miniatures and this foam came with them, so I’m putting it to good use now. You can use a couple of layers of felt batting if you don’t have foam.
I then wrapped each in fabric like birthday gifts. Use hot melt glue to make the fabric stay in place quickly and not shift. Make sure you put the square with the foam face down and glue the folded fabric to the back wood slat side. The foam is suppose to be face out when your done.
I took a needle and thread and made a stitch through each panel in the middle to make an indentation. The balsa wood slat is so soft that the needle goes right through it. Pull tightly and make a knot in the back. Use hot melt glue over it for extra hold and when you turn it back over to the foam side, you will see the sunken in effect. I hot glued a flower to each indentation.
I also glued foam to the back slats as well and covered them in fabric too. I then glued on each “pillow” panel, equal distance from each other to each upholstered slat. It gives the effect of raised upholstered wainscoting panels.
After wallpapering with fabric, the top half of the room, I glued on the completed upholstered wainscoting to each wall, starting with the far front wall and then the sides.
I added trim to the tops and bottoms of the wainscoting and to ceiling as well. I put two roses on each corner of the ceiling trim.
I trimmed around the doorway as well and added roses to the top corners.
Now the top paneling. I’ve always wanted a room with this type of paneling so I took some very thin ribbon and made panels all around the room for the walls over the wainscoting. I had to cut each side individually and to the same lengths so they are all the same size panels throughout the room.
I don’t think they had rooms like this in real life, but this dollhouse is not suppose to be realistic. It’s suppose to be fantasy.
