Sunday 27 April 2014

A Tiny Staircase Tutorial

I decided to redo the staircase for the Fairfield. The house comes with stairs, but they are positioned in an awkward spot and do not make the best use of space.

These are some images from around the web of other Fairfield dollhouses which have been built. You can see that the stairs cat the door way to the lounge in two.



I decided to alter both the stairs and the course they take in the small front hall. I also increased the size of the hall so that they would fit (it now encroaches more into the kitchen behind).


I cut up the kit to alter the direction of the stairs (hard to show how I did this in pictures). I also widened the stairs because they were far too narrow and looked out of scale.




I made new risers and treds out of fine and thin base wood.


I widened the final step to give a nice look.


I made new spindles out of match sticks which I carved simple notches into. I felt as though the stair spindles you find in the shops are not totally the right scale.


I made balustrading  with strips of balsa wood which I sanded to give it a round edge.


I think the finished stairs look much better, and more architecturally accurate.


This is how they sit in the hall now.


14 comments:

  1. The new stairs look much better. Thank you for your tutorial, it is very useful for me

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  2. Oh My Goodness that looks so much better! I wish I had your skills!

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  3. выглядит очень реалистично и намного лучше, чем стандартная.

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  4. You are right about these stairs, it look much better now, great work!
    Hugs, ilona

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  5. Amazing job. The altered staircase doesn't just fit the space better - it looks REAL!

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  6. Hello Emily,
    It looks so grand and beautiful. Excellent work.
    Big hug,
    Giac

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  7. They look so much better, thank you for this tutorial

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  8. They look excellent and I like the moulding you've placed on the front panel. I wouldn't know where to begin with remodelling a staircase. I'd just add/remove what was already there!

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  9. What a difference! Amazing! What a "little" re-moddeling can do.
    Wishing you a great weekend.
    Gr. AM

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  11. Wow! I love your new staircase what a huge difference it makes.
    Good luck with your E Bay sales, I was lucky enough to find two lovely buyers for my dolls houses there and now have more space to work with!
    Debby

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  12. These stairs look amazing and much more period relevant. Awesome job! ;-)

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  13. That staircase is perfect! You have a very precise eye to be able to carve the matchsticks all alike - and lots of patience! I considered making my entrance larger too but couldn't afford to take room from the kitchen and still fit in all the furniture I want to use in there. I love everything you are doing with this house.

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  14. Your staircase really makes a huge difference in the look of the house. Very precisely done—fabulous!

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