The Official Building/Remodeling Showboat Thread

[Metropolis Man]

The Official Building/Remodeling Showboat Thread

Here’s your chance to flex your designing and remodeling muscles — to show the world your true building prowess (and prove that the extra room you added to Pre-Fabulous deserves some special recognition!). Feel free to post your screenshots of your best creations. This is not a challenge or a contest — it’s your chance to casually show off your mad building skillz. A few simple rules:

1) All Forum Rules obviously apply.
2) Be focused in your posts and keep screenshots related to building and remodeling only.
3) Please limit screenshots to no more than 10 per post.
4) Linking to your house on the Exchange is fine as long as you have no mods or third party Custom Content.
5) Please be mindful of giving constructive criticism ONLY when the poster specifically asks for it.  Sometimes we just want to share without being told how to make it better. 


Photo courtesy of TommyT Real-a-T

[Twinmum]

Nice, I look forward to seeing other people's houses. One question, if we have uploaded the house to the exchange can we add a link there.
Norma

[Pam]

If you mean can you put a link to your house on the Exchange, as long as there's no mods or third party custom content, I don't have a problem with it.  But it's critical that it be a "clean" house with nothing third party at all.  I can't stress that enough.

[Twinmum]

Guess I'll jump in here. This is a house I built for an artist of mine. Had one problem though, by the time he had established himself and could afford it, someone else had moved in 
I built it on 100 Redwood Parkway in Sunset Valley to take advantage of that wonderful view.

Front


the back at night


lower floor plan


upper level


I love building houses, but now and then, I do one I really like. This was one of them, so I tend to put a copy in most of my casual games.

Norma

[Pam]

Very lovely house, Norma.  I love the modern look.  Very nice. 

[Metropolis Man]

If you mean can you put a link to your house on the Exchange, as long as there's no mods or third party custom content, I don't have a problem with it.  But it's critical that it be a "clean" house with nothing third party at all.  I can't stress that enough.

I'll add that the the rules.

[Joria]

Question:  I want to build a copy of Cockey's Tavern.  It is the original and first "inn" built on the Columbia Pike in what is now Westminster, Maryland.  The current building is actually only 2/3 of the original.  I lived in that lovely, 200 year old, ghost haunted house.  (It is a registered haunted house and yes, we actually did see the ghosts).  My problem is the ceilings on the first and second floor are 11 feet high.  How would I build walls tall enough to be able to accommodate the stairs and show the height of the rooms?  The third floor had normal, 8 foot tall ceilings and if I remember correctly, 5 bedrooms and a truly huge bathroom.  Sadly, the building was bought out by lawyers, totally gutted and remodeled into less than lovely.  IMHO it should have been maintained as a historical landmark building. 

[bshag]

What a shame Joria...stupid lawyers.

I'm definitely a novice builder, especially after looking at the current pictures which are beautiful.  But the only way I would think you could get that very tall ceiling look would be to put walls on top of walls, but that's just my humble opinion.  Someone else might have a different and better solution.  I've built lofts before and just love the effect of having tall ceilings.

[samoht04]

There is a way to make half walls using constrain floor elevation cheat. But it may not work on a foundation but I don't know how... 

[SimMe]

You guys did a great job! I love to see what other people have done.

[Twinmum]

yes, I think you would have to use the constrain floor cheat. It involves building another temp wall outside the real building at a different level. I used to use that cheat a lot, but I haven't really dabbled with it in TS3 yet.

Norma

[Saltypaws]

This is the house in SV I usually start my challenges with, in fact, this is my BB1 starter home.



This is the house now, yes, I am still playing it. I moved it to Pinacle point, right on the end.



Basement where professional artist bedroom is.



Below that is Renowed Surgeons quarters, he is taking a nap, I see.




This is my mad scientists garden and money trees.  These sims are my second generation from BBI and the youngest one has a daughter that starts the third generation.

[Saltypaws]

I got that new Zen bathroom set and thought I would share a bathroom redo.  I really love that kind of stuff.  I flipflopped the colors and have arches on either side of the sinks.

[Pam]

Question:  I want to build a copy of Cockey's Tavern.  It is the original and first "inn" built on the Columbia Pike in what is now Westminster, Maryland.  The current building is actually only 2/3 of the original.  I lived in that lovely, 200 year old, ghost haunted house.  (It is a registered haunted house and yes, we actually did see the ghosts).  My problem is the ceilings on the first and second floor are 11 feet high.  How would I build walls tall enough to be able to accommodate the stairs and show the height of the rooms?  The third floor had normal, 8 foot tall ceilings and if I remember correctly, 5 bedrooms and a truly huge bathroom.  Sadly, the building was bought out by lawyers, totally gutted and remodeled into less than lovely.  IMHO it should have been maintained as a historical landmark building. 

Questions like this would be better on one of the other building threads.  This one is specifically for showing off houses, not really for discussion about how to construct them. 

[TommyT]

Great stuff everyone!  Here's a Plantation/Southern style home I'm currently working on.  Most of the objects you see are just placeholders but I hope to have it finished up soon.

View from front.


View from back, full wrap-around patio on lower and upper levels.


Upper level, nothing really here yet except for bedroom and bathroom placeholders.  Bottom right will be a laundry room.


Lower level.


Big southern kitchen


I'll update this thread when I finish the house!

[Twinmum]

Love that kitchen Tommy. Wouldn't mind something like that in real life. Love the whole house.. I adore wrap around verandahs.

[Joria]

TommyT in your modern, southern mansion you have these little spaces with doors.  What are they?  Closets?  I'm thinking in particular the ones in the master bathroom.  What I wouldn't give for a house like that!  So open and airy.  I think the openness is one of your trade marks.  No clutter like in my houses.  I love the use of the willows also.  It gives the illusion of Spanish moss draped trees.

Will you curtain the windows or leave them open?  One of the things I complain about a lot when I'm decorating is the dearth of good window dressing!  Either the curtain is too short, hangs too high, or just isn't right for the room.  Of course, in the south you could do shutters, if you can find ones that fit.  

I got that new Zen bathroom set and thought I would share a bathroom redo.  I really love that kind of stuff.  I flipflopped the colors and have arches on either side of the sinks.

That bathroom looks so luxurious!  I just want to grab the bubbles and sink down into the tub and relax.  Lovely.

In your starter home, which is wonderful by the way, you mention BBI.  I assume that it's a challenge but which one?  What's BBI?

I'm going to learn so much here!  Thanks for the tip about the elevation cheat.  I've never done it, (I don't use cheats mostly because I don't know them), so it will be one more thing for me to learn.

Today I tried 3 levels down under a house.  Basement went fine, sub-basment was ok, lowest level not so great.  I was tired so gave up but will try again.  I was trying to find a place to hide that hideous airplane thing but you have to have it on terrain so that didn't work.  I also wanted to try putting a swimming pool in a basement but that didn't work either.

[samoht04]

This is my best house ever! My Legacy House...



Basement:

Ground Floor:

Second Floor:


P.s I don't know why they have gone different sizes, in photobucket they are 640x480?

[Saltypaws]

Joria,  we had a baby boomer challenge last year that was a blast.  I forget sometimes that alot of members are new.  It is in the graveyard if you want to read about.  It was hard,  but not as hard as BBII.  You guys houses are wonderful.  I am more a re-decorator and an upgrader.  My houses tend to be boxes with a couple of indents in them.  I would probably do pretty good if I just sat and really concentrated on building.

[TommyT]

TommyT in your modern, southern mansion you have these little spaces with doors.  What are they?  Closets?  

Yup!  In my personal houses I like to make closets and pantrys just for realism's sake.

Will you curtain the windows or leave them open?  One of the things I complain about a lot when I'm decorating is the dearth of good window dressing!  Either the curtain is too short, hangs too high, or just isn't right for the room.

There's actually a great curtain that fits these windows so I'm thinking about doing the bathrooms and the upstairs bedrooms and perhaps leaving the downstairs open.  And I totally agree with you, there should be many more curtains, it's a great aesthetic and environment booster!

[The Illuminator]

Yup!  In my personal houses I like to make closets and pantrys just for realism's sake.

That gave me an idea:

Who needs a fridge? Build a small room. In this room you place treasure chests containing fruit, vegetables, meat and fish. And there you are; your own larder!

[Saltypaws]

Thought I had better post these pictures of the tree house here.  Do not want more than one building thread.  Enjoy.

[Metropolis Man]

Too cool, Salty. Let me guess — the Sims that live in the treehouse are named...Tarzan and Jane?

[Saltypaws]

LOL.  How did you know that. Actually, I think this sims name is Jane.  I will have to look, too funny.   Hard to stay zoomed in on these houses, camera likes to float.

[Metropolis Man]

LOL.  How did you know that.

Me guess. Tarzan say you do good job.