The second-floor staircase is ready for installation, but I need to finish the underside, which is visible from the bathroom closet. I decided to stain it to give it a more authentic look. Alternatively, you could cover the underside with a balsa wood slab or foam core and wallpaper it to match the bathroom closet. Personally, I prefer to see the detail of the staircase's underside, as it showcases the many parts that come together to create this tiny feature.
I also prepared the tin ceiling for the kitchen. I wanted a silver tin appearance, but it's challenging to get these plastic polystyrene sheets to hold paint, especially silver. Sanding them slightly helps the paint adhere better. Even so, I needed three coats - two gray and a top coat of silver, to prevent any white from showing through. Although it doesn't show well in photos, it has a subtle, antique, blotchy look.
While that dried, I worked on the bedroom/hallway partition. It's already wallpapered, but I had to remove a few tabs so it could slide into place without damaging the finishes. I installed the second-floor staircase first, which went in smoothly while the bedroom/hallway partition was off. After that, I installed the partition. Keep in mind that staircases are rarely square with the rest of the dollhouse, regardless of how straight you kept them during assembly. Even with precise assembly, slight misalignment can occur due to walls not being perfectly square. The staircase will be covered by a back wall, and only a small part will be visible from the bathroom closet at an angle, which helps hide any imperfections when viewed from behind. From the front or through the top opening, it looks just fine. I attempted to find a clever way to make the winding first-floor staircase more visible but couldn't modify anything effectively.
Next, I installed the ceiling trim in the foyer and stairwell, which was quite challenging. I also added the second-floor staircase railing and still need to do some touch-ups in this area, but it's mostly complete. This is fortunate since access is becoming increasingly difficult.
After installing the staircase and bedroom/hallway partition, I can continue with the flooring on the second floor and apply ceiling paper. It will be tricky to reach all the nooks and crannies up here, especially in the bathroom closet, but using Greenleaf Dollhouses vinyl floors makes it easier. The flooring also conceals any gaps around the staircase and railing.
I dry-fitted the double doors for the bedroom so I can lay flooring around them; they won't be hinged or movable. For the bathroom doorway, I'll need continuous flooring since this door will open. The bathroom door will be hinged on the trim facing the upstairs hallway so that it opens outward; there's not enough space for it to open inward. I'm installing this trim first so I can sand, spackle, and paint the inside edge without obstruction from the door. Using binder clamps ensures a tight fit without gaps.
It's essential to hinge and install your bathroom door before putting in the bedroom double doors because you'll need access to that hallway. All windows should be open with only exterior trim installed; leave interior trim with acetate panes for last to maintain access points throughout the dollhouse.
