Sims 3 - The Official Building/Remodeling Showboat Thread

[Anushka]

Wow Dane, love this house! And I like dark brick part which really gives me gothic impression, as well as contrast with light windows (sort of look renovated and comfortably livable). And I have no doubts you change it many many times, as well as you'll find the perfect match. Bougenvilla is also looking brighter with dark background rather than with beige (personally I would be tempted to have all outside in dark brick, but I'm far from good builder who can give tips hehehe).

Aussette, that house is fantastic! I love everything about it, specially kitchen pattern, and that carpet - how did you get that large border? Is that 2 carpets on top of each other? House look incredibly warm. Wonderfull! And I liked the cabin interior too, those stone walls looks great but with exterior, not shore what is more fitting. Still, if you left outside walls white with this sort of modern shape, this warm interior might go better with beige outside, of even old uneven paint!

@ Anushka - Are u putting your beach bungalows on Swap Shop or are they going to be part of the world you created and will u put the world in the Swap Shop?

Jen, I put one bungalow in Swap Shop, but they are really fitting only in tropical island. I was thinking about that large beach under Alto's mansion, but it is north facing and not really suitable for warm and funny tropical theme. I'll definitelly upload island here in Swap Shop, not in exchange, but at the moment, CAW is giving me hard time and I can't Edit in Game after latest patch, and have some other things going on, plus I'm still tempted to make a whole world in bungalowy theme (at the moment there is wonderfull modern neighborhood, rabbitholes as part of the town, and flagstone/light brick dominating area - comunity lots too. I'm aiming to finish this island the way it is now, and turn to new project after that.. thank you for the interest

[Ausette]

Thanks Anushka  ! I've just uploaded the house to the Swap Shop, so you can download it here if you like. The rugs in both the bedroom and the living room are actually made of carpet squares. It's much cheaper than using the buy mode rugs, and although it won't increase the environment score it looks just as good! I used the F key to rotate the squares and Ctrl-F to make the diagonal corners. The floral pattern in the middle of the living room rug is one of the abstract patterns, but divided into four trianges at four different angles.



The rug in the bedroom is a recoloured version of a Miscellanous floor pattern from Late Night. I just kept rotating it to make a continuous border, and filled in the middle of the rug with cheap carpet. Speaking of the bedroom, I finally found the right pattern for the wallpaper  !  I think it looks nice with the bedcover. The print above the bed comes from a mostly flat Wallpaper tile that I've recoloured to frame the Geometric pattern in the middle. The bed hides the skirting board at the bottom.

[Phyre]

@ Ausette – I love the exterior of that house, and I loved the first interior of that house! However, as you yourself (as well as several others) already pointed out; it didn’t really mix very well.  This new interior suits the exterior style much better. Moreover, the lighter interior makes the space appear bigger – the dark colours in that small starter-house space did feel a little cramped.

I am hoping you’ll do a log cabin/mountain house kind of exterior in the future though with an interior similar to the first one. It was really well done; just not very suitable for this particular house (both exterior and space wise).

@ Dane - I love how you've finished The Democrat. Except for the kitchen (which IMO is too small and doesn't fit the rest of the house which has a much more up-class look to it), I think you did a great job at capturing the style you were going for.

The Gothic revival house... I think the style needs a lot of work to make it Gothic revival and I'm not sure if it's worth pursuing. You made it really, really hard for yourself though, seeing how (during this period) the main focus was building churches. After the Normans were defeated, Europe was reverted back to Christianity. With the uprising of that religion came new ideas about what a church should be and should represent, eventually culminating in the big gothic cathedrals of Belgium, West Germany, North France and England (with Chartres considered as the "most perfect" gothic architecture).

The house you currently have standing doesn't really remind me of that gothic architecture. The "church-like" front is quite well done, however, it feels incomplete. In gothic architecture the front was always divided in three, with an entrance and rose-window in the middle and bell towers on the side. Also, I can't see the rest of your house but I am missing the feeling of a floorplan resembling a cross; greek (early gothic) or otherwise.

What it does remind me of is the architecture during the gothic period in southern Europe. Gothic architecture was despised in the heart of the former Roman empire. The Italians thought it was absolutely hideous and detracted from the architectural legacy the Romans left. For them, the gothic period was an early-renaissance, a transition from the old Roman architecture, to what would become the renaissance (Roman-revival, complemented with the advancements made in science - for instance the understanding of perspective). The front almost feels like the temple-front found in renaissance architecture, especially when flanked with the symmetric, geometric composition of the rest of the house.

It’s not entirely early-renaissance – it has too much gothic features for that – but I can see it more easily become that, than gothic. Although I’d be very interested to see you try. I hope this didn’t sound too much like criticism; because I applaud your courage in trying this (I’m not sure I’d have the guts for it). I’m merely trying to share my knowledge on the subject and whether or not you want to pick some of it up is entirely up to you.

[Micler]

@Danefaith- I wasn't so sure of the house when I saw the first picture, but the grey brick looks great!

[pallyndrome]

Danefaith I'm not sure of the grey bricks, or the red bushes, but it's exciting to have you try different (older) styles).

Ausette, as I said on the swap shop, well done with that house. I like the second version a lot better.

[danefaith]

Aside from the steep gables gothic revivals aren't trying to really emulate churches.  It's mostly the sort of "gingerbread" ornamentation I can't seem to corner: the embellished bargeboards and window frames, and the gothic pointed windows/tudor arches.

Although the church note gave me an idea for the doorway...



Three-featured, with entryway flanked by higher reaching windows.



With that consolidated (kind of!) I tackled the back-yard.

[Shenice93]

Danefaith, While I love your newest house (all three designs) I must say that it just doesn't scream 'Gothic Revival' to me. Admitedly the Sims 3 isn't really equipped to properly handle the true essence of this particular revival (without the use of mods). So, I do commend you on your current attempt. I feel the current doorway is too "wide" in my opinion but taking away a full square thingy will make it two narrow I believe. Its a shame you can't build in half squares too. I think being able to do that would make Gothic Revival that much easier.

[beccaboo105]

@Dane

The garden looks really good! Also love the front of the house 

[Lynley1248]

@Danefaith-

I'm not as familiar with Gothic Revival as I am with other styles, so I can't comment so much on authenticity,  but it does remind me of the less ornate homes I've seen in this style.  Aside from the "gingerbread" elements you mentioned, which can't really be recreated in the game, I think it is still has that "feel" even if it isn't a perfect representation.  Regardless of style, I love it so far and am eager to see it when finished.

The only thing that looks slightly off to me is the second story section above the front door.  The empty space seems like it needs something.  Perhaps center the two windows instead of placing them on the outer corners? I'm not sure... it just feels a bit to barren to me.

@Ausette-

I love the exterior of your home and I agree that the new interior fits it better.  I would love to see the first interior in another house, though.  I love the new wallpaper in the dining/kitchen area. The colors are great.

[Lynley1248]

I tweaked the roof line a bit, but am not sure if the hipped roof section on the right side of the porch needs to have a steeper pitch or not.    




Kitchen/Dining


Living room


Master bedroom


2nd bedroom/office and bath

[beccaboo105]

Lynley that house is really cute! Maybe add a chair or something to the room with the easel, it just looks a little bare

[Joria]

Mostly I go on how a house "feels" to me, not just the way it looks.  I seldom have enough "construction-eze" to be able to express technicalities.  So, Dane, your house, whatever the style might be, is going to be terrific.  House number one "felt", empty, barren, almost like a cartoon house.  House number two felt wonderful!  It felt warm and welcoming, and despite the gingerbread being actually missing, there was an illusion, or an expectation, that it was there.  Just not visible.  The colors were great and the stone work/masonry on the exterior were perfect, imho.  House number 3 felt like it was looking down it's nose at me.  At was cold and off putting to me, at least in the front.  So if the three versions of this house were on the market, I'd buy number two, the middle rendition.  I think part of it was the landscaping.  Total lack in version one, except for those oh, so, austere trees, lovingly cared for in version two, and just not quite right in number 3.  The bougainvillea didn't seem to go with the jumble of shrubbery and the many little fences in version 3. 

As for Lynley and Ausette.  Ausette I've downloaded your house and love it and have already placed it in the new town I'm developing for a new legacy/dynasty/Simstory.  What used to be Sunset Valley will become, Happy Valley, or something similar with pretty much all the buildings being ones people here have created or remodeled. 

Lynley, I liked the roof line in your first rendition but the second one is ok too.  I love the color of the house.  It looks like one I've passed on my way to Costco and I admire it every time I go by.  It's a historical house here and you've caught the feel of it perfectly.  I love the fact it isn't just another straight line, or box, or L shape starter home.  It's charming and if you put it in the swap shop it's going to be in Happy Valley.  Don't worry overly much about the entire decor as folks will change it to suit themselves anyway.  However, I happen to like what you've done.  The only thing I would do is take away the easel and add a small bed in that room, or a crib.

[pallyndrome]

Lynley, I like the lounge/kitchen, but the bedrooms seem quite barren. Maybe some nice patterns, or nick nacks would help?

[TallStar]

I built this beach house, and I like it, but something just seems wrong with it. Any ideas?

[samoht04]

@ TallStar - The Roof and that Railing looks a little odd to me, maybe a lower Railing will look better. It needs landscaping as well though!
 
I also started my own new building project in a new Dynasty For Fun Game, so far I have not used any Money Cheats but will to furnish it probably. It looks pretty ugly right now but I am hoping that once the insides are done and the Gardening it will look acceptable, I'm mainly just trying out a Multi-Level Garden type thing.