Today, I worked on the staircase. It doesn't matter which staircase you start with; they fit in easily. Depending on your flooring, you can install the staircase before or after laying the floors. If you're using thin carpet or paper flooring, you can add the staircase afterward. However, if you're using hardwood or tile, it's better to install the staircase first to ensure it fits properly.
I covered the risers with wood-tone shelf liner and used carpet for the steps. The shelf liner adheres well, but make sure the surface is very smooth, as any bumps can cause creases or bulges. For extra grip, use tacky glue in addition to the adhesive backing. What I like about this shelf liner is that it makes it easy to match the staircases with the surrounding wood floor covers. Once I finish covering the living room area with flooring, you'll see how well they match. This paper comes in light and dark wood tones, closely resembling the hues of Greenleaf's Vinyl Flooring.
To cut carpet for the flooring, create a paper template of the floor and then cut the carpet accordingly. I applied carpet in the bedroom today. Although I wish I had chosen a darker color, this particular carpet was discounted and has a great rubber backing that prevents adhesives from seeping through. It feels soft, almost like miniature velvet, though it's a bit lighter than I would have liked. Since my real bedroom has no carpet, I decided to use some in this dollhouse as a small deviation from my original plan. It's best not to install carpet while still working on your dollhouse, but I couldn’t resist seeing it in place and got a bit ahead of myself. I'll cover the carpet with plastic wrap to protect it as I continue working.
The staircase needs a little touch-up here and there but overall looks good. I've decided not to make this room a kitchen, even though I like its size; I just can't get past having the staircase inside it. Instead, I'll use the smaller room as a kitchen and turn this one into a den. These stairs don't have edges on the steps for a finished look, so I created my own by leaving a slight overhang on each step's carpet. This gives the illusion of a lip on each step. I also used a piece of vinyl flooring plank to finish off the top riser against the ceiling.
I primed my entire dollhouse in white, but when laying down wood flooring or tile, it's best to paint your floors a color close to your flooring choice. This will help hide minor imperfections and prevent stark white from showing through between floor planks or tile joints.
