Sims 3 - The Official Building/Remodeling Showboat Thread

[macphile]

Hi. I've been lurking here, and y'all inspired me to try and build a house I like. I found images and a floorplan online, and it's based on that, but it's been half abandoned as I've gone along, of course. This was really my first attempt to build something beyond a shoebox or adding on to existing houses, so despite all the time I've spent, I'm sure it could be done better. BTW, I only have Ambitions, so I'm limited in that respect, but I've bought a fair amount from the store. Also, this was done without any cheats.

Just for the sake of information, it has 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and a bunch of other rooms. I attempted to build a basement and--surprise--failed, so I built it out back and stuck a garden shed over it. I know the shed's a bit blah. Ideally, the chimney should be taller, but it doesn't go that high. :p

I'm going to leave off the floorplan shots (they're in my gallery) because it's not furnished, and I'm sure by the time it ever is, the plan will have been modified, anyway. I've basically identified the room types, though, and I've thrown down some walls and floors.

At this point, my main concerns (and areas for which I need advice) are:

• blending the terrain paints with the surrounding land (I've tried 100 times and can't get it right); I probably need to tweak them in a few places, anyway, from where I've made changes as I've gone along.
• whether the windows to the sunroom at the back (with the striped floor that shows through) should be done differently, as they don't match the others
• whether the porches, um, need anything...I'm not sure here
• if there's a way to get the stripes to stripe correctly on the upper walls, as side walls only have a stripe on one side
• whether the balcony looks...odd? I never deal with balconies, so I don't know. I threw it on late in the process.

Of course, you're welcome to offer other ideas, but I'm pleased with the basic idea of the thing.

Front:

Back:

Left:

Right:


Thanks!

Edit: This is the floorplan: http://www.theplancollection.com/house-plans/home-plan-25809

Looking at it again, I see I really didn't try that hard, LOL. I never put in that side wall, not that I'd have a curved one like that.

[Sims3Clacla123]

That is lovely Macphile. Have you decorated the inside ? It reminds me a medieval home. 

[samoht04]

It looks cool. I know what you mean about that wall pattern. To do it you've either got to use the same panelling but with that beam on the other side of the wallpaper section or you find a Wallpaper which has beams on both sides and the top and bottom. There are some I just don't remember which ones - they're not perfect though.

If you're worried about the balcony try adding stilts underneath. Build say 2 1x1 Blocks below each of the corners that are furthers from the main wall, then either build a 1x1 Wall for a big column or place a normal column from buildmode. You could even put another deck below that just by filling the whole area underneath with foundation/deck.

For terrain paints lower the strength to the weakest to get the best blending. Also never go by what it looks like from the air. The games graphics disguise the terrain detail the further you are from it, if you zoom in the blending can look a lot better than it does from the air. 

[macphile]

If you're worried about the balcony try adding stilts underneath. Build say 2 1x1 Blocks below each of the corners that are furthers from the main wall, then either build a 1x1 Wall for a big column or place a normal column from buildmode. You could even put another deck below that just by filling the whole area underneath with foundation/deck.

For terrain paints lower the strength to the weakest to get the best blending. Also never go by what it looks like from the air. The games graphics disguise the terrain detail the further you are from it, if you zoom in the blending can look a lot better than it does from the air. 

The balcony originally had a porch under it (doubling as support), but I thought it just looked like too much of the same thing, as they were the same size and had the same rails and all. Plus that'd essentially be 4 porches on 1 house, heh. So I ditched that and tried columns on foundation blocks (the 1-floor columns don't reach without foundation, as far as I can tell?), which was just awkward, so you may be right about trying a foundation and wall or something instead. I did shore it up a little so at least it looked less like it'd collapse under you if you stepped on it (after deleting the supports). I don't even know how much I want it...that side of the house is very plain, I guess.

Oh, and mad props to those of you who offered advice on painting the base of the house and under the plants (although I'm sure it's not perfect, in my case). And the idea to build an island garden in the pool. My pool's too small for it, but I created ground corners at opposing corners. I don't know if it fits the house's motif at all, but it looks nice. Plus I always do the "blue pool with some floor around it" thing, and trying different floors and walls in it rocks.

[FireRaye93]

Wow that house is lovely so far macphile!  I'm not very good with exterior landscaping so I can't offer you any advice their, but I do agree with you that the sunroom window is a little odd. Almost too modern in comparison to the rest of the house. If you have WA then there's a large window called the "Bonjour et Adieu!"

Looks like this:



I think this window would work better in place of the one you already have. Just recolor it and it should do just fine.

[Agneza]

macphile - thanks for a link, there are very nice houses 

[Frey]

Macphile, that house looks really cool so far! I would really like to see the indoors once you've furnished them . Oh, and the link is awsome! I'm really bad at planning my houses and somehow they all end up looking the same, so I really appreciate the link  .

[Agneza]

Frey - I'm in love when I saw  a blue  house - plan 5459  ( same link ) - it's the house of my dream, but I think  is impossible  to build for now... and  macphile thanks again !

[Frey]

  That one's awsome! I don't think it's impossible to build though, at least most of it. Maybe I will give it a try now I'm half jobless and on vacations  (well, I do have a job... but I only have to translate 4th grade math books from english to spanish  needless to say, there's not a lot of text in them).

I liked plan 14328... I don't even know if it's possible to build in the sims, but I do know I would never even try it though! I'm not that patient  .

I'm not so bad at building as I am at planning... but I think I do suck at furnishing and decorating. I always end up getting bored of the whole thing and not finishing anything!

[Joria]

Boy I had a lot of catching up to do!  Wish I could say I've been building something,ANYTHING, but I've gotten myself hyper focused on Metro's Clones challenge so have been awol from pretty much every place I usually visit.  I'm pretty much ocd on this challenge and that's just in the planning and trying out ideas place.  I promised my self I'd work on something to do but just realized I've been doing so many things wrong with that challenge I'll have to rethink it all!  Coming here was just the creative fix I needed.  Every single house/build has been great, from the first time builds to the old timers chipping in something new and awesome.  I do have to make ONE specific major comment though to Hosfac,  BRAVO!!!!!   You took the challenge, dove right in and came up with very, very lovely landscaping!  Of course, you realize you are now on the hook for similar things on future builds?  lol  Great job everyone!

[Lynley1248]

After looking at the plan Agneza mentioned and macphile's lovely tudor, I got inspired. There is no interior yet and the exterior/landscaping isn't complete but any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Frey]

That looks great! Specially the first pic with the landscaping and all. I'm sure it will be awesome when it's finished!

[MoonsAreBlue]

I absolutely love the exterior, Lynley! The landscaping in he front is gorgeous, all the flowers lining the terrain paint like that. I can't wait til it's finished and I can download it. You will be uploading, right? I love tudor style homes and the bigger the better.

[Hosfac]

The architecture of that house is beautiful!  I can never get dormers to look that good lol.

The only thing that stands out in my mind that might be improved is that I think the front landscaping could use a bit more color.  Maybe like a row of the smaller, different colored flowers in front of the row of bushes?  Possibly maybe even a small cluster of flower bushes in the middle of that open area by the tree that's behind the row of flower bushes.  Not to completely fill it, but to make it look a bit less empty.

But that is the start of a beautiful house, for sure!

Of course, you realize you are now on the hook for similar things on future builds?

I'm feeling a lot more confident about landscaping now (which was always my biggest stumbling block when it came to building houses), so I'm up to the challenge! 

That whole concept stemmed from an idea being being bounced around regarding a project for the guide (which should be public very soon).  It started out as a discussion of possibilities, and from there it rapidly took on a life of it's own.

Edit:  Sooner than I expected.  The High End Loft Stuff guide is now live on Carl's Guide!  Check it out for some pictures of the "House from HELS" in action.

You can download the house here in the Swap Shop, too.

[samoht04]

Do you guys like this house, from the outside shot? I'm hating the back of the house but I'm thinking the front is okay. What you do you think?