I let the window casings dry overnight. I assembled the stairs without any issues since it's a simple design. The small clamps were very helpful. Be sure to dry fit the stairs and confirm their orientation in the dollhouse before gluing them, so you don’t accidentally attach them the wrong way.
The Orchid dollhouse comes in two versions - an older version and a newer one. You can identify your kit by the windows. The box photo may show a dollhouse with a silk-screened “cross” on the dormer and door windows, but the actual kit will have “flowers” silk screening for those areas. You will also find an extra sheet not included in the schematics. This sheet contains the top second-floor staircase landing rails and handrails. Initially, I was confused about this extra sheet because the dollhouse photo does not show the second-floor rails.
I considered positioning the staircase to face the open back instead of the front window, but I ultimately decided against it. If I faced it towards me, it would occupy that wall space and limit my options further.
I added and glued the first-floor partition, making sure to leave space for the door's interior trim. I glued on the front roof, which fit perfectly without any struggle. I assembled the front dormer but won't glue it to the dollhouse yet because I need to wallpaper it first. It would be more challenging to wallpaper properly if it's already attached. I put together the front door and glued on as many parts as possible that won’t interfere with finishing the interior of the dollhouse.
I applied the first coat of light blue paint to the dollhouse. After this, I will sand it down and apply a second coat. The first coat acts more like a primer, helping me identify gaps that I can seal with spackle before applying the second coat.
I constructed the front porch assembly and dry-fitted it to see how it looks. I won’t glue it until later in the process because assembling it away from the dollhouse would prevent a flush fit. Since the dollhouse isn’t completely square, it's best to complete steps against it for a perfect fit later on. I painted all of the porch components as well.
I also assembled the two small dormers. I placed the door in its opening to check how the color scheme is coming together. I did a first coat of paint on the base of the dollhouse. I initially planned to use brick paper for the foundation, but after changing my color scheme, I decided against it. I want to keep the dark blue at the bottom to balance out the colors.
