Any advice/tips for single story houses?

[Hope512]

I get a headache trying to keep track of sims on two levels so I build ground floor homes.  Unfortunately, I'm new to building, too. They are more like boxes at the moment.  Does anyone have any tips about layout, making the building more interesting, or just general things?

Also, is it possible to have two different types of roofs? I've got a Da Vinci wannabe sim and I've built him a studio outside the main house (complete with shower) - just in case it/he catches fire - I'd like to put a flat roof on it, and a hipped roof on the house.

[Ricalynn]

I used to build boxes, too.  The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to experiment with wall shapes and angles when making rooms and work from there.  I would also suggest reading the Build & Edit portion of the guide.   There is a great roofing guide by our very own Norma Blackburn that shows you how to do two styles of roof on the same property as well as other variations of combining roofs to make your house look exactly like you want it to.

[CSquared2]

I would suggest you try building just one room at a time.  Start wherever you like, decide where the entrances and exits will be, furnish that room, then ask yourself which room connects to it and how can you make it something other than a box?  You can be creative with boxes, too.   I dislike flat exterior walls, so often I move a room out (or in) 3-5 tiles just because.  It gives the house a deeper, less monotone appearance and create nice little nooks for bathrooms and patios.

[Twinmum]

Of course there is always the trick of looking at real house plans. Many a Sim build has been based on real plans. There is a thread here somewhere with links to house plan sites, might have to look, but just google house plans and you will get a number of sites where you can browse plans.

edit - found the thread - http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,1683.0.html

[Hope512]

Thanks everyone. Really helpful!    Maybe one day I'll like a house I've built enough to post it.