Charleston Side House
REQUIRES UNI, NIGHTLIFE, OFB, FAMILY FUN STUFF PACK
3 bedrooms, 1full bath, 1 half bath
www.mediafire.com/
Credits:
I have used Phoenix Phaerie's lovely Georgian Windows and Doors throughout the home as well as Marvine's Simple Spiral Stairs. With the exception of the garage interior and the brick, all wall coverings are by pktechgirl of Juniper Sun.
You need to download the animations for Marvine's Spiral Stairs here:
http://www.modthesims2.com/download.php?t=249237
Just download the file titled Marvine-SpiralStairs-ANIMS.rar
I grew up in Charleston, SC and since I was a child, I have dreamed of owning a Historic Charleston Side House. Now I live on the opposite side of the country, so I have to settle for having a Side House for my Sims to live in.
A Brief History of the Charleston Side House:
Not only were Charleston Side Houses excellent space savers on the cramped Charleston peninsula, they also served an important Pre-Revolutionary War purpose - lower taxes! The British taxed Charleston homeowners for, among many things, the number of street-facing windows a house had. The Side House rose to prominence due to the fact that it had few street facing windows, with the majority of the windows facing the secluded side yard. One of the most prominent features of Charleston Side Houses are the long porches, called piazzas, that run the length of the house and are often on each story of the house. The majority of Side Houses have the front door accessible from the piazza only, with some of the houses having a "faux" front door leading to the street from the piazza. The piazzas often feature ornate columns and moulding, and in updated houses, ceiling fans. As Gullah culture spread in the city, many homeowners painted the ceilings of their piazzas pale blue to ward off evil spirits.
The Charleston Harbor and Peninsula suffered numerous attacks and fires during both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, but many of these beautiful Charleston Side Houses still stand today, though quite a few are in disrepair and condemned. Historical preservation societies continue to restore the once beautiful houses as part of a reclamation project to preserve the rich culture and history of Charleston.
Charleston Side Houses range in color from subtle and subdued to bright and colorful - popularized by the homes in the West Indies. Owners of historic Charleston Side Houses must have permission from the City of Charleston to paint their house and are only allowed to choose from a certain selection of historic "Charleston" colors, but your sims can paint their Side House any color they like!
This particular Charleston Side House has a layout similar to my uncle's Side House, with spiral staircases and no exterior door facing the street.
I hope you enjoy this Charleston Side House. I recommend putting ceiling tiles over the piazzas (light blue ones, of course!) if you are going to be taking pictures as the lovely Maxis floors are transparent from the bottom up.