The first room I completely stuccoed was the living room by the front door. I didn't have enough stucco for the ceiling, but I can finish that later. It's usually best to do the ceilings before the walls, but since this dollhouse has a stucco interior instead of wallpaper, completing it later shouldn't be too difficult.
I painted the staircase railing wall and the front door. After the stucco dried, I painted it because I find that it doesn't crack when painted afterward rather than mixed in. I primed the floor with dark brown paint to help the vinyl flooring blend in. It's important to avoid raw wood showing between planks or at the edges where they meet the walls.
Always start laying the flooring from the end closest to you and work toward the far wall. Stagger the joints, and make sure uncut joints are flush together. Cutting around the rounded bay can be tricky, but it doesn't need to be perfect since baseboards will cover the edges. I used vinyl flooring planks to create baseboards, though this is optional depending on your desired look. If you prefer white trim for your dollhouse, you might choose not to do it this way.
I'm painting all my interior trim dark brown to match the half-timber trim on the outside. I like how it contrasts with the light stucco. I decided against using stain on the interior trim because it wouldn't match the flooring. Staining can create color variations between staircases, flooring, and trim in die-cut dollhouses, which often use different wood grains and hues. You might get lucky with a kit that has consistent wood, but it's not guaranteed. Ultimately, your choices should reflect your personal style rather than strict techniques.
I installed the windows in this room and also painted and installed the doorknobs on the interior doors. To avoid bending them during installation, always make a starter hole with a nail before inserting doorknobs. Adding a bit of glue to the starter hole helps as well. Since die-cut dollhouse doors are thin, you can't place doorknobs in exactly the same spot on both sides; they will push each other out. Instead, position them slightly apart, to the side, from each other. The height of the doorknob is crucial, so ensure they are at the same height on both sides of the door.
Next time, I'll hinge the staircase closet door to its frame. For that door, I used a pull instead of a regular doorknob.
