Before you begin any miniature project, it is imperative to think through your plan. Will your dollhouse have lights? Do you want to wallpaper? Will your flooring be finished with wood or carpet? Once you have a clear picture of your dollhouse, read over this book in its entirety. At certain stages in the building process, it is key to do certain steps sequentially. For example, you must first paper or paint the roof or tower of a dollhouse before attaching it to the main assembly. As you read, take notes. This will help clarify the steps necessary to reach your goal.
Patience and careful planning are critical for the successful completion of any miniature design project. The following is a brief overview of the steps you should take, listed in their proper sequence. Each chapter in this book is arranged in a similar manner. The beginner should read each chapter in its proper order, while the advanced builder may want to skip to their particular area of interest.
- Build the shell of the dollhouse.
- Seal the inside and outside of the dollhouse (optional).
- Paint the interior of the dollhouse with white flat paint.
- Wire the dollhouse.
- Paint clapboard, windows, doors, porch post, railing, spindles, shutters and exterior trim with semi-gloss paint.
- Paint or stain stairway, interior doors and trim.
- Build brick chimneys or paint chimney.
- Stain shingles. Note: if you are going to stain or paint shingles on the dollhouse, apply shingles now.
- Apply clapboard. Note: if the clapboard hasn't been painted, it can be done after it is applied.
- Apply trim around the edge of the roof.
- Shingle roof - If you did not do so in Step 8.
- If you have a porch, put porch posts, railing, spindles and trim on the porch. Apply foundation and lattice. Apply exterior trim.
- If you did not wire before finishing the outside, wire now.
- Wallpaper or paint ceilings.
- Wallpaper or paint walls.
- Glue in exterior windows, doors and shutters.
- Apply flooring or carpet.
- Glue in stairways if not permanently installed earlier.
- Glue in interior trim and doors.
- Install ceiling lights.
Now the fun begins, and the dollhouse is ready to be furnished. You now qualify to be a M.I.D. (Miniature Interior Decorator). When you're done, you should have a dollhouse that will be a source of pride and enjoyment for years to come.