EAxis House of Fail: August

[Zazazu]

Thanks Witch. Turned out the chairs I used in the kitchen did cause the "stuck in the corner" syndrome so I turned the table sideways along the wall. I think those are the only chairs that cause that problem as I haven't run into it in a long time.

Regardless of which particular chairs you choose, that configuration will always cause traffic problems.

Oh and for anybody who uses podiums (podia?), please, please, please paint the sides. Everytime I read a story or see a house with an undyed podium it drives me nuts.

So how do you do that then? I tried applying a wallpaper and it wouldn't take it.

When I place them next to walls, they won't take wallpaper. You have to delete the wall, paint the stage, then replace the wall. Annoying, but worth it for the finished product.

I've never had that problem, but putting any fencing/edging on the stage before wallpapering makes it nigh to impossible. Place stage, place upper stairs (if you are trying to match), wallpaper, place lower stairs and any fencing.

[Annan]

I've never had a problem with putting wallpaper on stages (unless I jinx it now), but in the rare case I use a stage I almost always put a half-wall on its edge. Perhaps that's the trick?

[Tingeling]

Ok, Ive stayed well away from this thread until now (didn't want to get too much inspiration from others work ;P), but here is my final product.
I have all stuffpacks and expansions. The house costs 132,253 simoleons (I tend to create bigger houses) and has four bedrooms and three baths. I expanded the cellar and raised the floor so it now feetures a hobby room, the fourth bedroom, a bath and a party room. Btw, I added the pool after I took the first batch of pics, thats why it only shows on the first picture.

Edit: Forgot to add that I used the flat lot version plus cleaned the lot with clean installer before upload. And now I remember I also forgot to mention that the phones are non-existant in this house. 

Onto the pics!

The front of the house.


Main floor.


Second floor.


The cellar.

House is available here.
More pictures here.

[Sknsarp]

Minena I was wondering what you used from Ikea Stuff,

if you don't have an EP/SP things just disappear right? or is there more bad to it than that?

[witch]

Tingeling, I like your lot. The only routing problem I foresee is the sims trekking through the kitchen to get to upstairs. The outside is lovely and I like the way you have the sloping roofs at the side.

Minena I was wondering what you used from Ikea Stuff,

if you don't have an EP/SP things just disappear right? or is there more bad to it than that?

I believe that is true, that objects you don't have just disappear. I've not heard of anything bad happening.

[Sknsarp]

I believe that is true, that objects you don't have just disappear. I've not heard of anything bad happening.

Thanks, neither have I, but that doesn't always mean much when it comes to Sims.

[jim]

I really like your bold decor, the way hot reds and oranges energise the whole house. Yours is the first basement I've really liked - the grownups must feel like YAs again in their own chill zone.

I've had three serious attempts at this house, all awful, so I now really, really hate this house.   This house is dead for me now, but it's fascinating to see how people produce completely different solutions to the same problem.

[witch]

I know what you mean Jim. I've been playing with the cellar because I can't face the ground floor. I turn it round and round, I add and delete bits. I just dunno.

[SalixTree]

Wow, loving that red color! A house of passion?

[Tingeling]

Tingeling, I like your lot. The only routing problem I foresee is the sims trekking through the kitchen to get to upstairs. The outside is lovely and I like the way you have the sloping roofs at the side.

Yeah, that could be a problem. I hadn't thought of it when I was building. Thanks for the tip, I think I'll try making another one. 

I really like your bold decor, the way hot reds and oranges energise the whole house. Yours is the first basement I've really liked - the grownups must feel like YAs again in their own chill zone.

I've had three serious attempts at this house, all awful, so I now really, really hate this house.   This house is dead for me now, but it's fascinating to see how people produce completely different solutions to the same problem.

Hehe, I thought this was gonna be a great house for a legacy family, seeing as both upstairs and cellar is expandable. And I get what you say about some houses not sparking any inspiration. That was what happened to me when I tried rebuilding the house from last month.

Wow, loving that red color! A house of passion?

It can be whatever you want it to be. I just wanted a really red house for the modern part of my 'hood.   

And I gotta say, I have to download some houses from this thread. I really like the solution of making the wierd entrance a display case. Great work!

[jim]

I've been playing with the cellar because I can't face the ground floor. I turn it round and round, I add and delete bits. I just dunno.

But we're waiting! No pressure, obviously ...

When I see lots from people like Witch and Emma ...

I can't wait to see what you do, witch!

[jolrei]

Hey Minena, (are you the Minena I know?) 

/waves yes I am Salix! Nice house btw

ITZ UH CONSPERASSY!!11

Both houses are nice starter types.  I lol'ed at the bathroom in Minena's house where the narrow entrance was in the original, imaginining the long claustrophobic walk down the "corridor" to the sink. 

[witch]

I've been playing with the cellar because I can't face the ground floor. I turn it round and round, I add and delete bits. I just dunno.

But we're waiting! No pressure, obviously ...

When I see lots from people like Witch and Emma ...

I can't wait to see what you do, witch!

Oh lord!

You'll LOVE the cellar is about all I can say at this point. 

[Emma]

Mine is done, but I need to take pictures and package it. I have no computer time when everyone is off school/work! Waaah!

I can't wait to see your cellar witch!

[Minena]

Minena I was wondering what you used from Ikea Stuff,

if you don't have an EP/SP things just disappear right? or is there more bad to it than that?

For most of the Stuff Packs this is true, they just don't show up. I heard of the Holiday one causing some problems as it installs more like an EP, but I have no hard evidence of this.

[Sknsarp]

The only pack I don't have at this point is Ikea.

[Yecats]

Is getting the pond to show up at ground level as opposed to at basement level part of using the flat lot, or is it to do with floor elevation cheats?

I'm on holiday for a few more days, then I'll attempt to finish my 2nd house for this month.

Loving the entries so far

[witch]

I can't wait to see your cellar witch!

He he he, come on down EMMA, just me 'n' my axe down here....

[Emma]

I can't wait to see your cellar witch!

He he he, come on down EMMA, just me 'n' my axe down here....

Tee hee!

*Emma runs

[Chaavik]

This is my 2nd makeover of the house for August. I used the flattened lot from this thread for my 2nd house. This lot has a "Southwestern" theme with palm trees, terracotta tiles throughout most of the house and light stucco colors inside and out.

1 Sunset Boulevard - Furnished
For Single Sims or Couples Without Children

Actual Value: Around $147,333
Wanded Cost: Around $73,100

CC: No
Expansion Packs: ALL
Stuff Packs: ALL

1 Bedroom
1.5 Bathrooms  (If there is an "oops" baby in the family, the full bathroom on the 2nd floor can be made smaller to create a 2nd bedroom. Full bathroom on 2nd floor and half bathroom in the basement)

Kitchen  (Sink not included!)
Basement  (Game room, study area and tv room)
Dining Room
Pets Alcove  (Private area for pets to relax, sleep, eat and chew/scratch toys - Bowl and bed included but no pet toys)
Hot Tub and Patio  (2nd floor patio with bar and telescope)
Outdoor Pool  (What better way to beat the summer heat than to cool off in the pool?)
Garden  (Complete with three trees (1 fruit each), a large plot of soil for planting and ladybug houses)
Driveway

*Trashcan moved to an area behind the fence on the right side of the house to keep the trashcan kickers from having their fun*
*Fenced/gated to keep the coyotes out and skunks away from the pool*
*Green overhead lights removed from basement - I used them to light the basement because it was damn dark in there*

Not included - Kitchen sinks, Sims, Cars and Pets


Slideshow (Click to start):

Download from Mediafire:

http://www.mediafire.com/?vdtni9m6w9x


**P.S. Thank you for the tips, Witch **

[J. M. Pescado]

*Emma runs

* J. M. Pescado snipes Emma.

If you run, you'll just die tired! Death to Emma!

[leaths]

I really like that one a lot, Chaavik. All the warm colors throughout the house are nice. I really like the look of the blue bathroom as well. Nice job.

[Emma]

*Emma runs

* J. M. Pescado snipes Emma.

If you run, you'll just die tired! Death to Emma!

Missed! Nyah.

Chaavik, your house is lovely, nice style throughout.

[J. M. Pescado]

I'm pretty sure that wasn't a miss. There's just probably nothing VITAL in there. I forgot that it was an EMMA.

[jim]

This is my second and final attempt at this crazy house. I give you Gym's Bar Nowhere.  It's a home business, on three floors. There are no Awesomespecs on this one: no nursery, no pool, no garden. My playtester is too busy for a social, family or horticultural life.

Front elevation



Basement club, featuring poker, juice bar, karaoke. The photo booth tucked in down there is a sop to my Romance playtester, since he really only has time for a quickie these days.





Ground floor gym and sauna. The decor in here in this section is light and airy, in contrast to the hot tubs, gaming machines and mah jong rooms, where the decor is dark and moody, to match the basement club (blame my puritan upbringing: fitness = good/light; gambling = bad/dark). There are a number of adjoining rooms, which you can close off as preferred.  Currently my playtester is having trouble getting good staff, so he's only operating the gym, sauna and mah jong rooms.  Once I get him a suitable mate to help run the place, he should be able to open up more rooms.  Maybe then he'll stop haemorrhaging cash and cut a profit occasionally.





First floor apartment.  I kept this area light, since he's going to be spending so much time in subterranean gloom. It's set up for a single, but with room to expand onto the terrace area eventually.



Kitchen: What can I say? All that crimson and black in the working day makes a guy come over all girly pink in his down time.



Lounge



Bedroom



Bathroom



Unwanded, it comes in at $193,610. I have all EPs and no SPs.

http://www.4shared.com/file/58895992/cc7533b2/Gyms_Bar_Nowhere.html