Cuppa-Tea Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 Groan! I realized that because of the slanted second-floor roof in the Victorian Cottage, I can't put railings up anyways. Now I have to decide what to do. I might leave the stairs out completely, cover the hole with the floor tile paper I used in the kitchen and make a bathroom up there. Or, just leave the stairs and not use railings... but I think that not having the railings will greatly detract from the elegant look I wanted for the house. Of course, RGT placed the stair hole in such a way that there isn't enough room to put the stairs facing the other way - not enough clearance on the lower floor. So, regardless of how I had arranged the house when I built it, the stairs would not be able to accomodate railings. But if I take the stairs out, then I won't have that pretty stair runner going up and adding to the decor in the living room, either. I really hate filling in stair holes... it's a mess and it's hard to make it look good on the ceiling below, unless I cover the whole ceiling with some kind of embossed paper. I don't want to spend any more money on this project!!!! AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuppa-Tea Posted February 15, 2007 Author Share Posted February 15, 2007 PS I realized I've got the same problem in my Colonial House too... which means that I won't be able to have those elegant stairs I wanted going between the 2nd and 3rd floors either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakyshaky Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 The Tennyson rail ends at the top stair. Maybe you coul ddo something like this and still have the stairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuppa-Tea Posted February 15, 2007 Author Share Posted February 15, 2007 That's an interesting idea, Melanie.... I'll have to think about it! Thanks! (edited later to add): Well, I looked at the house again, took the stairs out and re-positioned the furniture, and decided to leave them out this time. The cottage is rather small and I don't feel that they add anything to it. I will have to get something to cover the ceiling. However, the trick of the vanishing stairs would look very good in my colonial house, I think! The formal bedrooms are on the second floor, and I was going to put the servants' and children's rooms in the attic, which is fully concealed by a hinged panel, so that would work really well there. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhatter Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 i have not forgotten about the embossed paper ive just been distracted lately. sorry, will take measurments today jenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniDoxLuvr Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 I am not sure I understand the problem with the Victorian Cottage, Jr stairs? Realgoodtoys puts the stairs in with railings on the second floor in the model that you can buy preassembled. I am not certain why railings height will not work for you? http://www.realgoodtoys.com/index.php?PATH...;type=dollhouse YOu might have to buy a special stair kit for this. I have to buy a special stair kit for my Vermont Jr because standard ones are 3" wide and all of the Jr kit openings are only 2 and a 1/2" wide. I didn't think about it but the rails and spindle height could possibly be smaller as well. The only place I could find a narrow staircase kit for the Vermont Jr that still looks as nice as the regular kits was from HBS. Maybe that would work ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 something to cover the ceilingWhat about a spiral stair?(it would make installing a stair runner interesting, I do realize...) If you do decide to leave out the stairs, maybe coffering the ceiling would cover the stairhole from below? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuppa-Tea Posted February 17, 2007 Author Share Posted February 17, 2007 I am not sure I understand the problem with the Victorian Cottage, Jr stairs? Realgoodtoys puts the stairs in with railings on the second floor in the model that you can buy preassembled. I am not certain why railings height will not work for you? You are right... they must have used half-sized railings! I tried to insert a photo in this post and it won't let me, so I'm putting it in my gallery. Wait, let's try this: http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID...882/t_=50993882 That photo shows how a doll coming up the stairs is effectively trapped by the railings... the newel post is actually touching the ceiling. She would have to crawl around it to get into the room... assuming she wasn't knocked unconscious by hitting her head on the ceiling first! Physically, there just isn't enough room for the doll to come up the stairs, so I am assuming the stairs are primarily decorative in nature. I like the way the living room downstairs is opened up by omitting them. http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID...882/t_=50993882 Holly, what is coffering? I was going to get some embossed ceiling paper to do the downstairs ceiling, or paint a mural on it... there is a tea room I love to go to that has one with a blue sky with clouds, the tops of a few tree branches, and some swallows flying across it. Gorgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Christine, a coffered ceiling is one with the center part raised & surrounded by molding. In effect, the surrounding part of the ceiling is "lowered". You can simulate this with foamboard AND cover up your stairway hole. Whatever you use for crown molding around the walls you can also use for the coffered trim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokkie Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Hi Christine, just a quick thought, if you should for example cover your stairs with an atractive carpet-runner or just nicely stained, it might not attract attension to missing railings, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 Ooo, good suggestion, Wilma! Christine, you could mount the handrail along the wall and leave off the balusters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuppa-Tea Posted February 18, 2007 Author Share Posted February 18, 2007 Ooo, good suggestion, Wilma! Christine, you could mount the handrail along the wall and leave off the balusters. Well, I don't want to do that in this particular house because that is a very informal look and I am going for a very formal Victorian parlor downstairs. Mom specifically asked for something very "highbrow". I don't think having the stairs open - no railings going up - would look right with the furniture, etc. I have for the room. But it would definitely work for a future project where I was going for a more casual decor. Also, I wanted to have a safety rail around the hole upstairs, since there is a nursery up there. Before I had a child that would never have bugged me, but now that I am a mommy it would annoy the heck out of me if I left it open! These are really great suggestions, though, and I really appreciate them. I can use these ideas in future projects. :wub: You gals are a mine of information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniDoxLuvr Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 You know you could only put the bannister halfway down the longer opening. Put it on the back of the stairwell and to the side only halfway, which will give more opening for the doll to "walk" thru. Looking at the house straight on no one will know the wiser, and it would probably look rather realistic. You could just then trim out the part of the opening wtihout a rail and bannister and the front opening with some type of very thin trim to create like a picture frame surrounding to solve the problem of bare wood where the railing and bannister is not touching. Did my explanation make a bit of sense? LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuppa-Tea Posted February 19, 2007 Author Share Posted February 19, 2007 Did my explanation make a bit of sense? LOL Yes, it does! Believe it or not. But none of these ideas solve the real problem that there is physically not enough space for the doll to come through... without getting a concussion. I think the only real solution is a fire pole! LOL!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 the only real solution is a fire pole! LOLBack to spiral stairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniDoxLuvr Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 I am planning on making that same cottage for my grandaughter for christmas. I will either only put the bannister and rails IN FRONT of that stairwell opening, or not at all. But I will use the stairs mostly just because she seems to like the stairs in my other houses LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.