Skyrim with mods: build my own base

[MadRush]

I'm trying to build a base, like you would in FO4.

The Atronach Crossing mod makes it easy to build and decorate at will. So that's working great.

Any ideas on how to populate the base?
I'm looking for a few friendly sentries/guards. Maybe a few silent workers moving about, working the food and smithing stations.

I'm also using Hearthfire Extended, that allows hiring guards and workers from the home stewards. Does anyone know if I can assign a Hearthfire steward to a home built using Atronach Crossing? That in itself would add around 6 people.

Another idea: is there a way to create permanent NPCs and assign them to the new home?

[MadRush]

Follow up:

My Home Is Your Home - This mod lets you assign a home base for your followers. So one way to create a base would be to find followers, assign them to the new base and dismiss them so they go live there. They can be given "work" duties so they walk around keeping busy with the workstations around the base.

I have a few mods to add population to Skyrim, so it should be fairly easy to find enough followers to make a base with 10 or so people. Some custom followers like Inigo seem to ignore the home base assignment and instead return to their original home.