Sims 3 - The Official Building/Remodeling Showboat Thread

[roguebait]

So life kept me kinda busy the last couple days, and I just picked my farmhouse¹ back up this morning. After a second, long look out the front, I decided that there were certain changes that needed to be made. So I made them, added some landscaping and a walkway, and we have this:



I swapped out the square doors on the second floor porch for the arched top, to echo the windows. I think they fit a little bit better in with the overall feel of the house. Moved the garage door to the front and joined the walk to the drive. Used that area for a flower bed, since it was so nicely defined. I'm not longer sold on the.... cypress? to the left of the porch stairs, looking at the screenshot. I may have to change that out for something different.

Around to the left, there's another octagonal outcropping of the house. I stuck some ferns around the base there, and a path leading from the gazebo to the back area.

The back yard still needs a lot of work, but after finishing the front and side landscaping, I decided to move inside. I had plans for one room off the front porch, but the rest was sort of up in the air. The original floorplan called for this massive greatroom across the entire back of the house, but after playing around I realized that it just wouldn't work. So eventually I came up with this floorplan:




The room to the right of the entry hall, though, is being a problem child. You can see I've labeled what each room is... except that one? That's because I have no bloody clue what to put there. Adding a library seems redundant because there's that fancy bookcase in the den, as well as an easel and chess table (you just can't see that one), and the piano in the living room....

Do you folk have any suggestion? The upstairs houses three bedrooms, a master suite, and a play/media/exercise room, so making it into a guestroom also seems unnecessary, though it entered my mind as a last resort.

And finally, have a picture of the one complete room:




¹http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,1468.msg305474.html#msg305474

[roguebait]

I'm currently working on this house to share in the Swap Shop . I did some landscaping in the front of the house but I'm not quite pleased with it . I think the flowers used are too short for the size of the house . What do you think ? I wish we had more taller flowers to choose from . I would like to have something tall and airy looking . Your opinion would greatly be appreciated !

I really like the lines of the house! You mention the landscaping as your big complaint, but I think that overall, it looks great. The only thing I could say is that the flowers lining the path are very uniform, but even that isn't a big complaint because the house itself has very straight lines. However there's... And I don't recall what expansion they're from, because I'm giving my computer a little Sims break, but... There's lavender, and there is a blue flower...I think it's called delph-something, but I could be wrong. You can see them, though, in the flower bed at the front of my farmhouse (above). They have a rather 'airy' look, in my opinion, and they're a touch taller than what you're using there.

Unfortunately, that I know of, there aren't very many 'tall' plants, besides bushes and the sunflowers. Though there may be some in expansions I don't have.

[ladybug53]

Thanks so much for your comment ! I know the flowers you're talking about . I wasn't sure that the color would go well with the house color . I might just try tehm out and see what it looks like together . 


roguebait , I really love the flower bed you've designed in front of your farm house . It looks just perfect there . I'm not quite sure about those tall trees though . The interior design looks quite nice .Maybe in your front room you could use it as a game room or something like that . You're very talented ! 

[roguebait]

Thanks so much for your comment ! I know the flowers you're talking about . I wasn't sure that the color would go well with the house color . I might just try tehm out and see what it looks like together . 


roguebait , I really love the flower bed you've designed in front of your farm house . It looks just perfect there . I'm not quite sure about those tall trees though . The interior design looks quite nice .Maybe in your front room you could use it as a game room or something like that . You're very talented ! 

Yeah, I think I'm going t get rid of the cypress tree next to the porch. The two by the garage, though, are camouflaging paint issues because of the CFE cheat I used to add an attached garage, so they pretty much have to stay. Nothing else really works.

[ladybug53]

Yeah, I think I'm going t get rid of the cypress tree next to the porch. The two by the garage, though, are camouflaging paint issues because of the CFE cheat I used to add an attached garage, so they pretty much have to stay. Nothing else really works.

I don't mind the two by your garage but the other one is obstructing part of your building . Maybe if it was pushed a little further to the left it would work better . Over all it looks great !

[Chuckles_82]

Ladybug, I like the gardens you have there already. From the angle that you've taken the picture, they are just the right size. If you feel that they aren't quite enough, you could raise the terrain a little underneath, and smooth it for a raised garden bed. Or, for a more clean-cut garden you can use a section of platform for the garden bed.

The pattern on the walls is also very interesting (where did that come from? I like it!), so immediately draws your eye before the gardens.

[Chuckles_82]

Here is the dive bar/local pub I have been working on. I'm not too sure whether to recolour the bar and stools (the red works, but the wood is wrong, and I've already got lots of dark wood).













I haven't recoloured the bar and stools yet - I don't know what to do with those yet. Well-worn seems to kind of suit. The wood on the stools doesn't match, but there needs to be some sort of break from all the dark-coloured wood. Any advice for improvements would be much appreciated.

[pallyndrome]

Maybe a dirtier shade of the light wood would work on the stools? I agree the light wood doesn't work in these photos. Try taking the colour more towards green and white (grey)...?

[ladybug53]

@ Chuckles - I think I found that wall covering under paneling . It might be from Pets Expansion but not sure . I'll have a look when I go in-game next .

I agree with pallyndrome on the bar stools . I quite like the red but the wood is the wrong shade . Maybe something like a weathered grey would work . I just love the building ! Your World is going to be so awesome . You're very artistic and I love your style . 

[Vinyl]

Ladybug, your house is looking fantastic!  If you're still looking for ideas for the main floor room, you could build a skilling room with a theme.  By that I mean you could turn it into a creative workshop (easel(s), sculpting station(s), with dropcloths on the floor and inspirational art around the room), or a home gym, or a music room, or a conservatory (like an indoor greenhouse with a mix of decorative and growing plants), or anything else you like. 

There's always the rumpus room idea too - the less formal couches, the kids toys, the arcade machines, last year's TV, maybe a karaoke machine in the corner, etc.

And a home office is always a fun room, especially if it's tailored to a self-employed or home-based profession.  Like an at home salon, or an investigator's office, or an architect's design studio.

Hopefully one of those suggestions helps.  I can't wait to see the finished product in the swap shop!

[roguebait]

@ Chuckles:

Is that a premade fencing surrounding the outdoor seating area, or is that something you created yourself? If it's the latter, how How did you get that border fencing area at the top?

As far as the berstools, I'm not sure, but maybe one of the peeling, cracking pants?

@ Vinyl: I'm going to assume that was directed at me, as I was the one asking about the lower floor. Your suggestions are all viable options, except I've got other spaces slated for them. There's already a rumpus/exercise room upstairs above the garage, and I'm building a shed for the skilling areas. Since that room's open to the entry, I want something that flows with the feel of the house.

I had to scratch a lot of what I had done and delete the whole backside because the rooms were just too dang large. Here's where we're at now:



From bottom left is the study, living room, kitchen, laundry, dining and
bathroom, ??, and entry hall.

[ladybug53]

roguebait - The fencing that Chuckles used around the patio area is from Supernatural Expansion I believe . It's perfect for a porch .

Your rooms all look like they're a nice size . Maybe you could use that empty room for when you're entertaining guests , you could add a few games and a stereo and it would leave room for the buffet table . 

[roguebait]

Of course it's from an expansion I don't have. /flounce

That's an interesting idea. I usually have problems getting my guests to do what I want them to (they stand around in the kitchen, and complain about how much the party sucks, usually), so I've not given that much thought.

[Vinyl]

Whoops, that comment was meant for you Roguebait.  Somehow the two posts blended together!

You could definitely go the party room route.  Buffet table like Ladybug suggested, maybe a stereo and dance floor, or a nice set up for birthday and wedding cakes.  Leave enough room for seasonal gift piles and it would be all set!

[Chuckles_82]

Thanks everyone for the tips - I tried all the combinations, but nothing seemed to work - so I figured perhaps it wasn't the chairs that needed to be different. Perhaps the floor?