Building/Decorating Tiny Houses
Those who know me from around the community know that I hate large homes. I don't get the point of living rooms that could double as ballrooms, or bathrooms that seem like caverns. Perhaps this is because I always grew up in houses that had small, efficient rooms, and I currently live in a one bedroom apartment that measures around 570 square feet but feels absolutely palatial. Perhaps I'm just mean to my sims. We can't make them nearly as miserable as in Sims 2, that's for sure. Oh how I miss "smite".
I've just finished redecorating a typical home in Abelline and I thought I'd share it for those who like to laugh at how silly I am for my tiny house fetish.
This is the house. It's a 7x8 home (with 4 extra squares on the top floor as you can see) which is technically four levels. In actuality, due to the large open balcony on the top floor and the fact that the first three floors are only half floors at staggered heights, it really is only two floors. The house has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, the standard kitchen/dining and living rooms, plus an office.
This is what I consider the first floor: the living room. While the extra-long staircase takes up so much room (it spans what would normally be one and a half floors), a portion of that is usable. I was able to situate the television and a few decorative items. On the far left, you can see the low-clearance stairwell down to what I call the sub-first. No pictures can be taken of the sub-first because it is so very small, but all that is down there is a 2x3 bathroom. Above the sub-first's stairwell I've layered artwork to take advantage of the unused space. That wall of artwork and the two-story windows make the living room look spacious despite the fact that it is only 4x7.
Towards the center, you can see the stairs to what I call the mid-floor. At the top of those stairs is the kitchen, as well as the childrens' room.
This is the kitchen on the mid-floor. Space-saving tip: you only actually need one counter if you have a dishwasher. If you give your sims a sink, you need two. This kitchen has three just because I did have the room for them. Spoiled sims. They have a bit more counter space than I do. A table for four fits comfortably, and it is clear enough that there are never any traffic jams.
This is an early photo of the childrens' room, when there was only one child. This room is 4x3. Two toys, a potty chair, and a crib fit very comfortably in this space.
After the family had their second child, things did become a bit more cramped. I could have kept the toddler toys in the bedroom and done without the mirror and shelving, but I wanted to change things up. Still, plenty of room for a display, a kid's bed, and a crib.
Never waste hall space! This is the hall/balcony on the top floor. An easel fits in the corner, letting someone paint while others can walk around them. A few decorative items keep it from looking like a forgotten land. There is a bathroom in the middle of the top floor. Again, it's too small to really get a photo of.
This is the office, originally meant to be another child's bedroom. However, my heir line sim* wanted to be an author, and I didn't want her writing at the kitchen table. It is only 2x4, but plenty big enough to serve its purpose. And yes, the curtains are meant to clash. I like having a couple of things in each house that are a bit off...it adds to the realism.
The master bedroom is 4x5, which is plenty of room for a bed, two end tables, and a dresser. This bedroom features ocean views on two sides, so I tried to dress up the windows.
Mirrors can be great for making spaces seem bigger. In the past, I've done mirror walls in especially small rooms. In this house, it's not really appropriate for the mesh of beach house contemporary and classic design.
*No, I'm not doing some weird challenge. I start with one sim and I consider each child that comes from that sim to be an heir. I follow all those heirs and consider the other households townies.
I've just finished redecorating a typical home in Abelline and I thought I'd share it for those who like to laugh at how silly I am for my tiny house fetish.
This is the house. It's a 7x8 home (with 4 extra squares on the top floor as you can see) which is technically four levels. In actuality, due to the large open balcony on the top floor and the fact that the first three floors are only half floors at staggered heights, it really is only two floors. The house has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, the standard kitchen/dining and living rooms, plus an office.
This is what I consider the first floor: the living room. While the extra-long staircase takes up so much room (it spans what would normally be one and a half floors), a portion of that is usable. I was able to situate the television and a few decorative items. On the far left, you can see the low-clearance stairwell down to what I call the sub-first. No pictures can be taken of the sub-first because it is so very small, but all that is down there is a 2x3 bathroom. Above the sub-first's stairwell I've layered artwork to take advantage of the unused space. That wall of artwork and the two-story windows make the living room look spacious despite the fact that it is only 4x7.
Towards the center, you can see the stairs to what I call the mid-floor. At the top of those stairs is the kitchen, as well as the childrens' room.
This is the kitchen on the mid-floor. Space-saving tip: you only actually need one counter if you have a dishwasher. If you give your sims a sink, you need two. This kitchen has three just because I did have the room for them. Spoiled sims. They have a bit more counter space than I do. A table for four fits comfortably, and it is clear enough that there are never any traffic jams.
This is an early photo of the childrens' room, when there was only one child. This room is 4x3. Two toys, a potty chair, and a crib fit very comfortably in this space.
After the family had their second child, things did become a bit more cramped. I could have kept the toddler toys in the bedroom and done without the mirror and shelving, but I wanted to change things up. Still, plenty of room for a display, a kid's bed, and a crib.
Never waste hall space! This is the hall/balcony on the top floor. An easel fits in the corner, letting someone paint while others can walk around them. A few decorative items keep it from looking like a forgotten land. There is a bathroom in the middle of the top floor. Again, it's too small to really get a photo of.
This is the office, originally meant to be another child's bedroom. However, my heir line sim* wanted to be an author, and I didn't want her writing at the kitchen table. It is only 2x4, but plenty big enough to serve its purpose. And yes, the curtains are meant to clash. I like having a couple of things in each house that are a bit off...it adds to the realism.
The master bedroom is 4x5, which is plenty of room for a bed, two end tables, and a dresser. This bedroom features ocean views on two sides, so I tried to dress up the windows.
Mirrors can be great for making spaces seem bigger. In the past, I've done mirror walls in especially small rooms. In this house, it's not really appropriate for the mesh of beach house contemporary and classic design.
*No, I'm not doing some weird challenge. I start with one sim and I consider each child that comes from that sim to be an heir. I follow all those heirs and consider the other households townies.