Light reading

When I began the staircase I knew that I wanted a window seat on the first floor landing and that explains the size of the landings and the configuration of the whole. 

I drew up a quick plan for scale and looked out some magic Venetian blind wood and began assembling. 

I add that this piece is essentiel in the construction of the stair as it anchors the landings against the surrounding walls. 

 Here are a couple of pieces of 'balcony' that came with a dollhouse magasine. A great friend sent me about 100 of these magasines that were destined for the bin and on each was piece of furniture, floor or walls, mostly not very good quality. I Dremelled these into this shape to fit under the seat as a radiator cover because when you read you like to be toasty warm. 

 I began assembling the piece on a heavy sheet of card that I would later cut away. This makes the assembly and handling much easier. I used blind wood for the uprights and some thick balsa for the base, card for the top.

 I thickened the top with more balsa ready for a trim and added two fake doors in the base. I wanted to make real doors that open but HONESTLY there is a point when you have to let go the silly ideas! This is not Queen Mary's Dollhouse! I glued a thicker piece of wood under the seat as this will be glued to the landing. 

 Above and below you can see my effort to make a radiator behind the cover! It just didn't seem right to have a blank space or just put card behind so I glued three pieces of balsa dowel in between two pieces of card. I glued the balcony bits to a piece of metal mesh also Dremelled but with lots of sparks! I used two part époxy for the metal and wood glue from behind for the wood parts. 

 Below the piece still on the back board and ready for painting. I like to give a first coat to show up the places where filler is needed. I am still out on the general scheme of colour or the hallway. I would like to use F&B blue grey but with the orangish floor I need to choose the secondary tones. The steps will be dark stained wood, the risers and bannisters painted and the hand rail dark wood again. I am due to go to the city soon so I will go to F&B and choose there. 

 Below you can see that I have cut away the card backing and painted the whole thing off white.

 Below an image close up of the radiator behind the grille cover. You can see that the wood needs filling here and there. 

 This will explain where the bookcase/window seat will go in the landing configuration. It will be almost on eye level when the house is finished on its base, in 2030 !! 

It still needs filling and painting with fine sanding in between of course more dust.

 I couldn't resist filling it with books and putting down pillows. There will be a fine mattress and matching Roman blind. There will be a window in between the bookcase looking out to the garden and on each side of the seat a reading light. The Butterfly pillow on the left came from Elly in Amsterdam's estate. My mum loves butterflies so its a memory of both women. The detail and finess of the pillow is astounding! 

I bought a few books from different sellers on Etsy in the beginning but the quality is embarassing, no idea how anyone can ask money for the bits of card they send out! Much better to download images ( also Etsy ) and make your own.

This allows me to place and cut out the window spaces and begin assembling.

Next project will be the second bigger landing from which the doors to the two bedrooms will lead from.