Saturday 11 November 2017

The not-much-fun bedroom

For some reason this apartment bedroom seemed to be a pig of problem from start to finish.

First of all there were six pairs of LED lights wires lying across the floor from the ceiling below.  They each had the neck of the fitting slightly protruding above the floor. Rather than making six deep grooves to get the wires and neck laid down properly I worked out a different tactic - a false floor.

I bought some 1/8th inch strips of wood from Hobby's  and used them like joists.  I put a strip right round the edge of the room, laid three inside this frame front to back and put in the occasional strip across (for additional support) where the wires would allow.  On top of this I glued a sheet of cardboard (thin but fairly rigid) for the new floor.

So all that worked out reasonably OK and I photographed each step of the way for this how-to-do-it post - then I wiped the card in the camera thinking I had downloaded the photos - I hadn't.

Here is the finished front edge - now that's a useful tutorial.



the edge of the false floor

I then wallpapered and added the usual coving but held off on the skirting.  Much ifs and ands and buts went into the decision to put carpet down first and then add the skirting.  I like realism and, in real life, carpet certainly goes down after the skirting is in place, but I had the sense to realise that my carpet would fray a good deal and the edges would never go down neatly  Any way when I look at my RL fitted carpet it is sort of almost rolled over at the edges to make a neat edge and it looks like the skirting is sitting on top of it.

I have never carpeted a room in a dollshouse - no, I couldn't believe it either.  I found it something of a pain to do.  The carpet seemed to stretch every which way and cutting it to fit round the door and door frames, trying to make that a nice tidy fit, was a pain; not to mention just getting the front edge to end up exactly in the right place.  Once I had got the front edge OK I daubed it with fray stop and gently 'pushed' it into the pile with my finger.  It seems to be holding OK so far.  I used the usual double sided tape but I only added it as I went along so the fabric didn't catch where I didn't want it to as I worked.

Down went the skirtings.  Ta dah - the end?...... not so, I had always planned a door at the back of the room to go to a bathroom.  Moral dilemma....... leave everything as it is (no-one else knows there 'should' be a door) or find a way to cut out a piece of the skirting (perfectly) and shove the door in.


paper and trims all in place

I used a knife with a broad edged blade like a chisel and hacked away at the wood.  It took absolutely ages. I thought that levering the whole piece of skirting out to cut out the piece would make such a mess of the wallpaper and the adjoining skirting so I wasn't prepared to risk it.  Finally I had hacked through to the back wall in both places and I levered out the door size section using a small screwdriver - out popped the whole skirting clean as a whistle.  Fortunately there was no collateral damage other than some wallpaper torn and the door would cover that any way!! So I removed the piece and duly glued the two sections back in again.

In went the door into the newly created space.....


ditto above plus false door


Here is the furniture I have so far for this room.  There will be a small matching side table and a plain small table to fit in the dormer window space for a desk and a chair for that.  The wardrobe and drawers do open.  Unlike some mini friends I may resist the temptation to fill them.....I love the idea but not the cost.  It would be a delight for anyone 'playing' with the finished house to discover such things but, sadly,  that won't happen.  I have never kept a house to 'play' with.  I really like the making and moving on.  That said, this one was meant to be my first keeper, so you never know.







(05/10/17)

8 comments:

  1. Oh the woes of mini construction, but OH the joys of seeing it work out to Perfection! :D
    Good Job on the wall to wall, Marilyn and also with the installation of the Faux door at the back :))

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    1. Thanks Elizabeth. I do like everything to go tickety-poo not one for being frustrated by things I'm afraid so when it doesn't I can fall out with it big time. Marilyn

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  2. That is what I love about minis is that, unlike a real house, there is usually a fairly easy solution to the problem. The carpet worked well in the end.

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    1. As you say it is a good deal easier to work on 10 x 15 inches rather than feet especially if presenting a problem. Feeling a little worried that the end is in sight......what then? Marilyn

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  3. Hello Marilyn,
    The bedroom looks fantastic. I love the idea of building a false floor. It makes it so much easier. The carpet looks beautiful. I installed carpet into the manor once...never again! It is very tricky to keep the carpet from losing its shape during installation, but the finish product looks perfect. The skirting over the carpet looks great and very clean. It might have been long to do, but the back door is a terrific feature.
    Big hug
    Giac

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    1. Hi Giac, yeah I am giving serious thought to always making a wire sandwich, I do find making the grooves for wires a bit of a chore. You made my day when even the maestro says he hated laying carpet it gives me hope. As you say there will have to be one heck of a good reason to repeat the exercise. False doors do tell a little extra story and help make the layout a real possibility rather than a dolls house. Marilyn

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  4. The finished room came out beautifully, Marilyn. I love the contemporary and soothing feeling you've created, and really love the wallpaper. I like the way you've worked out the wiring with the false floor, and know the relief you felt when the skirting removal didn't cause a catastrophe! Looking forward to the bedding and the details.

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    1. Hi Jodi, while I have your attention I cant leave comments on your blog - no idea why - last two times hey wouldn't post???? - I will persist and make it work but I wanted to say I am still there and loving your work. I can't even imagine soft furnishings like bedding right now I seem to be locked in battle with this first floor - nothing is really pleasing me and I keep making mistakes. M

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