Castle Interior 
Castle Staircase
Shorter days and dropping temperatures tell us that fall is here. What better time to start planning a fun project for Halloween!
For Americans, Halloween has become as much an adult as a kid’s holiday. We’re on track to spend more than $10 billion on Halloween-themed items this year, a 20% increase over 2020, which gives you some idea of how popular this holiday has become. So, if you’ve begun shopping with Halloween in mind, you’re not alone.
In recognition of the holiday, I‘m sharing this Vampire Castle roombox, a Gothic-inspired vignette I made with input from my Allhallows Eve obsessed daughter. Because it consists of only a single room it looks appropriately creepy but doesn’t eat up counter space like a regular dollhouse or even room box. Add a little work (the fun type), imagination and you’ll have a piece of unique Halloween décor.
Set the Scene
Vampires have long been a popular feature of books and films. In his 1897 publication of Dracula, Author Brahm Stocker popularized the character than most often comes to mind when we think of vampires. Thanks, Mr. Stoker, for your contribution to this Halloween diorama!
The Vampire’s Castle roombox is my version of where Count Dracula would spend most of his awake time. You might also add a comfy coffin for him to rest in. I’ve included instructions on making the basic castle room box, and in my next posting will make suggestions on ways of furnishing it. There are tons of possibilities on items you might add, so don’t feel limited in how you finish off the room. The main idea is to give you a start and encourage you to create and go with it!
Supplies
- 2 Sheets Foamboard 20” x 30” x ½” (Walls and Floor)
- Acrylic Paint (black, gray, and white)
- Chip Board or Light Cardboard (ex: cereal box) (For staircase)
- Cardboard from Regular Shipping Box (For balcony floor)
- Several Cardboard Egg Cartons (For “Stones” to cover staircase)
- Tacky Glue (e.g., Alene’s)
- Mod Podge
- Craft /Exacto Knife
- Painter’s Tape
- Masking Tape
- Small Paint Brush
- Sponge (medium coarse, preferably sea sponge
Directions:
Castle box:
Cut foamboard: (a) 2 pieces 10” x 11”1 (b) 1 piece 15” x 11” (c) 1 piece 10” x 15.”
Glue (b) to (c), then use masking tape to hold together and let dry. This forms floor and back.
Glue (a) to back and each end of floor. Tape and let dry.
Paint interior of box with light coat of white paint, allow to dry. Using sponge, randomly dab on gray paint and darker coat of gray mixed with black paint. Leave some of white paint showing.Walls and floor should have look of uncut stone.
Use craft knife to lightly cut horizontal lines on floor and walls, followed by random series of vertical cuts on floor and walls. Goal is to imitate the look of stone.
balcony flooR and railing:
Use box cardboard to form floor. Cut 1 cardboard strip 3” x 16.” Paint one side of strip with gray or black paint, let dry.
On backwall, measure and mark horizontal line that’s 4” from top of wall to accommodate floor. Dry fit painted strip to fit width between the 2 side walls. Trim ends as needed. Glue strip on its 3 sides to back and side walls.
To form railing, cut a 11 1/2″ x 1 3/4 ” strip of cardboard. Paint strip brown to resemble the look of wood. If you like, decorative elements can be added to give a more polished look. Glue strip by attaching to right wall and balcony floor. This will leave a gap on the left that will be filled by staircase in next step.
staircase:
From chipboard, cut three pieces 3 ½” x 4” each. Make accordion style folds 1” apart in each piece to form steps and risers. Join each piece using masking tape so you end up with a ribbon about 9” long. (Note: tape will be on outside of stairs and painted over later.)
Using glue, attach the set of stairs to balcony floor, side wall and finally castle floor with the last 1” section running horizontal and glued on top of floor. After stairs are dry, paint them with grey paint.
Stones to cover staircase:
Take egg cartons and roughly tear into pieces approximately 1”-1 ½” across. Dip each piece one at a time, front and back, in tacky glue. Attach the pieces on to staircase working your way down until stairs are covered with stones. Be sure to leave a small gap in between each stone to give the appearance of stones in mortar.
Once dry, randomly paint the stairs gray using the sea sponge. After this is dry, go back over stones with a mixture of darker gray paint made from black and white acrylics. Again, the goal is to create the lock of natural stone, so it’s okay if the stairs look rough and worn. If needed, sponge on a small amount of diluted white paint. Finish off stairs with a coat of Mod Podge to seal and strengthen stairs.
Finishing touches:
For a more finished look, you can create an interior wall that covers the inner edge of the staircase. In my box, I also made a non-functioning door from foamboard to go on this wall.
You’ll use cardboard to form the wall. First, make a template of the space where the wall will go. Any kind of paper works fine for this. With pen or pencil mark and then cut the outline of the area under the staircase that you want to fill. Use the template to draw the outline on to cardboard. Cut cardboard along outline edges.
Paint the cut wall grey, and cover it with egg carton stones followed by a sponge paint treatment, just as you did earlier in covering the staircase. Let dry and attach wall to floor, back wall and staircase edge with tacky glue.
Now, some real fun and creativity begin. It’s finally time to furnish your castle!
Next Step:
Furnishing Your Vampire Diorama