@mederouin I think you succeeded in your quest for a Gothic castle, It looks wonderful! I wish I could manipulate the terrain like you do.
@JasonAnthonySterling You made me laugh with picture taking! I do that too, but you just have to stop and "It's done!" Here's a tip: don't forget the toilet paper in the bathrooms, they are real sticklers when it comes to toilet paper LOL!
@Kgaff Ha ha! Eventually I do break down and call a halt, although inevitably I'll change things as I'm playing with it- usually subtle but there'll be something I'll think should have been placed just a little better- AND YES (!) I do remember my poor sims commode needs by providing them with the softest digital tissue available- LOL!
OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: Not this time, unless I get it done by tomorrow- lol!
LEVEL: Advanced
LOT SIZE, ADDRESS & FINAL COST: 60x60 15 Summer Hill Ct. Sunset Valley- $1,193,662
LOT DESCRIPTION & DETAILS:
Massive Luxury Overdose
I came at this build with a back story built in my head from the initial story for the build. The structure is built by an aristocratic family that started as purely using white magic in altruistic fashion healing the land and helping the population around them but the family has wrestled through its generations with eras of black magic dabbling leading to full out dark sorcery and persecution of the locals. It’s been transformed during dark years into an imposing walled in estate decadent and opulent, lorded over by dark flying gargoyles, while lighters eras have seen the installation of gardens, greenhouses, tea rooms and even, as though to make a statement to their ancestors, windows inserted into the outer walls giving a glimpse of the interior watched over by white marble lions. Through the back and forth wrangling of the generations the structure itself came to embody the different magical paths.
The current owner is firmly on the side of light and working to clear her families name and reestablish their legacy as one of kindness and generosity. Of course the past- and even the future- fights against the current change. It was during a particularly awesome night of magical wrangling that her castle ripped itself to pieces under the strain of competing ideology. We’ve reconstructed it here- a place somewhat out of time built of the past, the current and due to time manipulation via the perverse merging of the magical and the mechanical, built of the future, giving it a Neo Gothic feel blended of old and new. There are additional descriptions on the pictures via the link. Thank-you for taking the time to view my interpretation of the Sorceress’ Castle.
6 bedrooms- 4 guests rooms in the Guest Annex and a master suite and child's room in the Family Sanctuary. There are 4 add. Servants quarters in the basement and 10 baths in the structure. Formal front buildings separated from the private family rooms and exterior space in the back. Kitchen, servants quarters (empty during the current generation) and a hidden "dark laboratory" are in the basement.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: Sure, why not- lol.
CREDIT TO SIMMERS FOR CUSTOM CONTENT USED: No "CC" used.
Thanks @JasonAnthonySterling and @Kgaff glad you liked my castle. Both of yours look wonderful as well. It's so fun to see how one word, namely castle in this case can be interpreted in so many different ways.
“As an architect you design for the present with an awareness of the past for a future which is essentially unknown”
-Herman Foster
@JasonAnthonySterling, your castle is fantastic! It looks so rich in colour and history, I really adore the story you came up with beforehand. If only those walls could tell their secrets!
@Storietime Thanks! Whenever I build I always have these story lines playing in my head that I think I should act out and post but then I never get to it. Once I started a sort of soap opera and had a long term story planned out and three issues (I was presenting it comic book style) done and ready to roll. I had picture, text and builds for several issues following that. I was ready to go! I put the first issue up on my Facebook page and... my computer crashed and I lost EVERYTHING! It still hurts to even write it- lol. I just couldn't face going back to rebuild at that point and then a few months later I finally broke down and bought Sims 4. I've been playing and building mostly with it the last year or so but it's very limited for building, although the overall build mechanic is easier in some ways it's no where near as adaptable and customizable but I digress, in the end I just have never gotten back on track with that story line but I always have them perking in my head, ha!
You step into Echelon Bistro, the cool air welcoming you in from the humid evening outside. The Maitre D’ greets you, asking for your reservation.
“I’m meeting with clients. The name is Hewes-Kessler.”
“Ah,” he says with a wink and a knowing smile. “Right this way.” He leads you through the restaurant, winding among white-clothed tables, soft lights, and the gentle clinking of glasses. At the rear of the restaurant, he opens a private door, ushering you into a small, but beautiful dining room with a table set for two. At the table is a pale, slight gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair and thick black glasses in a suit with a cheeky checkered bowtie. The gentleman rises when he sees you, offering his hand.
“Jonah Hewes-Kessler, pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“A pleasure,” you say. “Where is the other Mr. Hewes-Kessler? I thought the three of us were meeting this evening.”
“Oh, Oliver will be along in a bit. Please,” Jonah gestures for you to be seated. “Why don’t we enjoy a nice meal first before we get to all of the details.”
You and Jonah chat over plates of crisp autumn salad, steaming bowls of porcini risotto, and the most succulent lobster thermidor you’ve ever tasted. He tells you about his career as a journalist, and how he met Oliver after writing a less than stellar review about Oliver’s bouillabaisse.
“He was so incensed by my review that he actually showed up at Doo Peas Corporate Tower with a new batch of bouillabaisse and a bottle of aged nectar, giving me an impassioned speech about how important it is to drink the proper nectar for a specific dish.” Jonah smiles wryly. “He turned out to be right. The bouillabaisse was delicious with the nectar he chose. I found his cooking enchanting, and his conversation even more so. I’ve been addicted to both ever since.”
As you wait for your baked angel food cake to arrive, he passes you a small photograph from his wallet.
“This is Sophia, our daughter. Oliver and I waited a long time for a child of our own. Finding the right adoption agency and then waiting to be chosen has been quite a difficult process, but we are finally bringing home our baby girl in a month’s time.”
“That’s wonderful!” you exclaim, taking in the beautiful dark-skinned infant with long lashes and tiny wisps of dark curls beneath a pink bow. “She’s perfect. You must be so overjoyed.”
Plates of heavenly smelling angel food cake appear in front of you and a deep voice behind you says, “We are.” You turn to see a large man with coffee-colored eyes and short dark hair, his white chef’s uniform contrasting against his dark skin. He flashes you a brilliant smile and says, “Oliver Hewes-Kessler, owner and executive chef of Echelon Bistro, pleased to meet you.”
“It’s lovely to make your acquaintance. The food here is superb -- you have quite a gift!”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Oliver says, as waitstaff appears out of nowhere with an additional chair and place setting for him to join you and Jonah. He motions to one of the waitstaff who pours a sweet, sparkling nectar into your glasses. “You must have the proper nectar with your dessert. It makes all the difference!” Jonah catches your eye and you both laugh.
“So, I assume this precious little bundle, Sophia, is the impetus for your new home. Tell me about what you envision for your new family of three.”
“We’d like a modestly sized lot with a townhouse or a brownstone, with a gourmet kitchen and formal living and dining spaces,” Oliver begins.
“Oliver does love to have friends over to try out his latest culinary creations,” Jonah adds.
“The home should be multiple levels, with the bedrooms upstairs, separate from the other living areas. We need a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom, and an additional nursery with its own bath. It should be large enough for Sophia to grow into later,” Oliver continues. “We will also need a garden or basement apartment with a separate entrance.”
“Oh, will you be renting?” you ask.
“More like bartering,” Jonah says. “We know a young college student who needs a place to stay while she goes to night school for her teaching degree. We agreed to give Nell lodging in exchange for helping us take care of Sophia since we both have careers that can be demanding at times.”
“What sort of interior style are you looking for?”
“For the main house,” Oliver says, “we’d like it to be elegant and tasteful, but not too traditional. Sort of...understated elegance. For Nell’s garden apartment, however, it should be bright and young and fun. She’s a vibrant young lady, so the space should reflect that.”
“All right. Any other requests or must-haves?”
“A small outdoor area would be great, if you could squeeze that in,” says Jonah. “Something with a bit of greenery and a patio table where we could drink coffee and let Sophia play.”
“That sounds manageable. What sort of budget will I have to work with?”
“We have $120,000 for this project.” Oliver says.
“That is a generous budget. I’m sure my team and I can come up with something that you will love...just as soon as this food coma wears off!”
The Brief:
- 20x15 lot
- $120K budget
- Multi-level townhouse/brownstone
- Casual, understated elegant decor
- Gourmet kitchen
- Formal living and dining spaces
- 2 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, on separate level from main living area
- garden/basement-level apartment for the nanny
- Sleeping area
- Bathroom
- Efficiency kitchen
- Small dining and living areas
- Separate entrance
- Bright, youthful decor for a college student
- Small private outdoor patio area
- If you include laundry facilities, the garden/basement apartment should have its own laundry
Optional Challenge:
Create the Hewes-Kesslers and their live-in nanny, Nell Pasternak. Jonah is a journalist who is a bookworm, friendly, and perfectionist. Oliver is an executive chef who is a natural cook, friendly, and a hopeless romantic. Sophia is a friendly genius. Nell is friendly, exciteable, and has a good sense of humour. Show them living in the space you created.
Deadline: Friday, September 30th, 2016, Midnight CST
Stopping in to say all your castles look amazing. I didn't get mine finished in time, but I had a lot of fun on this one. I'll just have to complete on my own. Should only take me another 3-4 months, lol. Anyway, yes. Amazing job. They all look great.
I missed the deadline, but I just wanted to share some of my castle It is not finished inside or out, but I did get a few rooms done and it is up on the website to download the shell.
@lampes23 Wow- that's a very ambitious build! I love the rock sculpting- I've haven't build in 3 in about a year and I've gotten so used to 4 that I had completely forgotten I could do land sculpting in 3. Looking back I would have designed mine a little different landscape wise using that tool, although I still love it, of course- lol.
That's such an ambitious build @iampes23, and it looks amazing so far! I really like the effort you have put into the landscaping, all that rock sculpting and the pretty flowers around the walls.
Thanks everyone! This was the 6th or 7th build, so yes, it did take a long time. My friends have convinced me that I need to finish it. I will post a link to pics when I have finished the whole thing. lol I do my best work without a budget. I just hope I can make the inside as beautiful and realistic as the outside.
The Brief:
- 20x15 lot
- $120K budget
- Multi-level townhouse/brownstone
- Casual, understated elegant decor
- Gourmet kitchen
- Formal living and dining spaces
- 2 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, on separate level from main living area
- garden/basement-level apartment for the nanny
- Sleeping area
- Bathroom
- Efficiency kitchen
- Small dining and living areas
- Separate entrance
- Bright, youthful decor for a college student
- Small private outdoor patio area
- If you include laundry facilities, the garden/basement apartment should have its own laundry
Optional Challenge:
Create the Hewes-Kesslers and their live-in nanny, Nell Pasternak. Jonah is a journalist who is a bookworm, friendly, and perfectionist. Oliver is an executive chef who is a natural cook, friendly, and a hopeless romantic. Sophia is a friendly genius. Nell is friendly, exciteable, and has a good sense of humour. Show them living in the space you created.
Deadline: Friday, September 30th, 2016, Midnight CST
Is the small private outdoor patio area for the nanny or for the brownstone?
@aricarai It happens every time I have a budget- LOL! I just start out by putting in the best of everything and then thinking, hmmm well, maybe they don't need a $23,000 home theater, ha! Joking but it's about that bad.
Can someone please tell me if the living and dining spaces have to be separate for the September 2016 townhouse challenge? I find it so difficult to adjust my floor-plan and decorate such a narrow space (10*15 lot). I like open plan living and it's good to challenge myself, but so far I haven't liked any of my efforts.
Can someone please tell me if the living and dining spaces have to be separate for the September 2016 townhouse challenge? I find it so difficult to adjust my floor-plan and decorate such a narrow space (10*15 lot). I like open plan living and it's good to challenge myself, but so far I haven't liked any of my efforts.
I'm not sure if they need to be separate, but I just wanted to make sure that you were aware that the lot is 20x15 - that should give you a little more space to play with
Can someone please tell me if the living and dining spaces have to be separate for the September 2016 townhouse challenge? I find it so difficult to adjust my floor-plan and decorate such a narrow space (10*15 lot). I like open plan living and it's good to challenge myself, but so far I haven't liked any of my efforts.
I'm not sure if they need to be separate, but I just wanted to make sure that you were aware that the lot is 20x15 - that should give you a little more space to play with
OMG! If you've been trying to use the 10x15 lot- I thought it was just a typo, lol. Now that is a challenge!
Can someone please tell me if the living and dining spaces have to be separate for the September 2016 townhouse challenge? I find it so difficult to adjust my floor-plan and decorate such a narrow space (10*15 lot). I like open plan living and it's good to challenge myself, but so far I haven't liked any of my efforts.
I'm not sure if they need to be separate, but I just wanted to make sure that you were aware that the lot is 20x15 - that should give you a little more space to play with
OMG! If you've been trying to use the 10x15 lot- I thought it was just a typo, lol. Now that is a challenge!
I absolutely luuuuurve mini builds, in fact, I find it difficult to do anything over 30x30, but I think a brownstone on 10x15 would be an extremely challenging!
Comments
@Kgaff Ha ha! Eventually I do break down and call a halt, although inevitably I'll change things as I'm playing with it- usually subtle but there'll be something I'll think should have been placed just a little better- AND YES (!) I do remember my poor sims commode needs by providing them with the softest digital tissue available- LOL!
NAME: JasonAnthonySterling (TonySterling on the Sims 3 Exchange and Sims 4 Gallery)
LINK TO LOT: EDIT: New link to lot w/pic swap: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=8972039
LINK TO MEDIA: http://s280.photobucket.com/user/Jason_Sterling/Massive Luxury Overdose/story The pictures include text in the fashion of a guide book for tourists to the historic landmark castle.
OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: Not this time, unless I get it done by tomorrow- lol!
LEVEL: Advanced
LOT SIZE, ADDRESS & FINAL COST: 60x60 15 Summer Hill Ct. Sunset Valley- $1,193,662
LOT DESCRIPTION & DETAILS:
Massive Luxury Overdose
I came at this build with a back story built in my head from the initial story for the build. The structure is built by an aristocratic family that started as purely using white magic in altruistic fashion healing the land and helping the population around them but the family has wrestled through its generations with eras of black magic dabbling leading to full out dark sorcery and persecution of the locals. It’s been transformed during dark years into an imposing walled in estate decadent and opulent, lorded over by dark flying gargoyles, while lighters eras have seen the installation of gardens, greenhouses, tea rooms and even, as though to make a statement to their ancestors, windows inserted into the outer walls giving a glimpse of the interior watched over by white marble lions. Through the back and forth wrangling of the generations the structure itself came to embody the different magical paths.
The current owner is firmly on the side of light and working to clear her families name and reestablish their legacy as one of kindness and generosity. Of course the past- and even the future- fights against the current change. It was during a particularly awesome night of magical wrangling that her castle ripped itself to pieces under the strain of competing ideology. We’ve reconstructed it here- a place somewhat out of time built of the past, the current and due to time manipulation via the perverse merging of the magical and the mechanical, built of the future, giving it a Neo Gothic feel blended of old and new. There are additional descriptions on the pictures via the link. Thank-you for taking the time to view my interpretation of the Sorceress’ Castle.
6 bedrooms- 4 guests rooms in the Guest Annex and a master suite and child's room in the Family Sanctuary. There are 4 add. Servants quarters in the basement and 10 baths in the structure. Formal front buildings separated from the private family rooms and exterior space in the back. Kitchen, servants quarters (empty during the current generation) and a hidden "dark laboratory" are in the basement.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: Sure, why not- lol.
CREDIT TO SIMMERS FOR CUSTOM CONTENT USED: No "CC" used.
Thanks @JasonAnthonySterling and @Kgaff glad you liked my castle. Both of yours look wonderful as well. It's so fun to see how one word, namely castle in this case can be interpreted in so many different ways.
-Herman Foster
You step into Echelon Bistro, the cool air welcoming you in from the humid evening outside. The Maitre D’ greets you, asking for your reservation.
“I’m meeting with clients. The name is Hewes-Kessler.”
“Ah,” he says with a wink and a knowing smile. “Right this way.” He leads you through the restaurant, winding among white-clothed tables, soft lights, and the gentle clinking of glasses. At the rear of the restaurant, he opens a private door, ushering you into a small, but beautiful dining room with a table set for two. At the table is a pale, slight gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair and thick black glasses in a suit with a cheeky checkered bowtie. The gentleman rises when he sees you, offering his hand.
“Jonah Hewes-Kessler, pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“A pleasure,” you say. “Where is the other Mr. Hewes-Kessler? I thought the three of us were meeting this evening.”
“Oh, Oliver will be along in a bit. Please,” Jonah gestures for you to be seated. “Why don’t we enjoy a nice meal first before we get to all of the details.”
You and Jonah chat over plates of crisp autumn salad, steaming bowls of porcini risotto, and the most succulent lobster thermidor you’ve ever tasted. He tells you about his career as a journalist, and how he met Oliver after writing a less than stellar review about Oliver’s bouillabaisse.
“He was so incensed by my review that he actually showed up at Doo Peas Corporate Tower with a new batch of bouillabaisse and a bottle of aged nectar, giving me an impassioned speech about how important it is to drink the proper nectar for a specific dish.” Jonah smiles wryly. “He turned out to be right. The bouillabaisse was delicious with the nectar he chose. I found his cooking enchanting, and his conversation even more so. I’ve been addicted to both ever since.”
As you wait for your baked angel food cake to arrive, he passes you a small photograph from his wallet.
“This is Sophia, our daughter. Oliver and I waited a long time for a child of our own. Finding the right adoption agency and then waiting to be chosen has been quite a difficult process, but we are finally bringing home our baby girl in a month’s time.”
“That’s wonderful!” you exclaim, taking in the beautiful dark-skinned infant with long lashes and tiny wisps of dark curls beneath a pink bow. “She’s perfect. You must be so overjoyed.”
Plates of heavenly smelling angel food cake appear in front of you and a deep voice behind you says, “We are.” You turn to see a large man with coffee-colored eyes and short dark hair, his white chef’s uniform contrasting against his dark skin. He flashes you a brilliant smile and says, “Oliver Hewes-Kessler, owner and executive chef of Echelon Bistro, pleased to meet you.”
“It’s lovely to make your acquaintance. The food here is superb -- you have quite a gift!”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Oliver says, as waitstaff appears out of nowhere with an additional chair and place setting for him to join you and Jonah. He motions to one of the waitstaff who pours a sweet, sparkling nectar into your glasses. “You must have the proper nectar with your dessert. It makes all the difference!” Jonah catches your eye and you both laugh.
“So, I assume this precious little bundle, Sophia, is the impetus for your new home. Tell me about what you envision for your new family of three.”
“We’d like a modestly sized lot with a townhouse or a brownstone, with a gourmet kitchen and formal living and dining spaces,” Oliver begins.
“Oliver does love to have friends over to try out his latest culinary creations,” Jonah adds.
“The home should be multiple levels, with the bedrooms upstairs, separate from the other living areas. We need a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom, and an additional nursery with its own bath. It should be large enough for Sophia to grow into later,” Oliver continues. “We will also need a garden or basement apartment with a separate entrance.”
“Oh, will you be renting?” you ask.
“More like bartering,” Jonah says. “We know a young college student who needs a place to stay while she goes to night school for her teaching degree. We agreed to give Nell lodging in exchange for helping us take care of Sophia since we both have careers that can be demanding at times.”
“What sort of interior style are you looking for?”
“For the main house,” Oliver says, “we’d like it to be elegant and tasteful, but not too traditional. Sort of...understated elegance. For Nell’s garden apartment, however, it should be bright and young and fun. She’s a vibrant young lady, so the space should reflect that.”
“All right. Any other requests or must-haves?”
“A small outdoor area would be great, if you could squeeze that in,” says Jonah. “Something with a bit of greenery and a patio table where we could drink coffee and let Sophia play.”
“That sounds manageable. What sort of budget will I have to work with?”
“We have $120,000 for this project.” Oliver says.
“That is a generous budget. I’m sure my team and I can come up with something that you will love...just as soon as this food coma wears off!”
The Brief:
- 20x15 lot
- $120K budget
- Multi-level townhouse/brownstone
- Casual, understated elegant decor
- Gourmet kitchen
- Formal living and dining spaces
- 2 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, on separate level from main living area
- garden/basement-level apartment for the nanny
- Sleeping area
- Bathroom
- Efficiency kitchen
- Small dining and living areas
- Separate entrance
- Bright, youthful decor for a college student
- Small private outdoor patio area
- If you include laundry facilities, the garden/basement apartment should have its own laundry
Optional Challenge:
Create the Hewes-Kesslers and their live-in nanny, Nell Pasternak. Jonah is a journalist who is a bookworm, friendly, and perfectionist. Oliver is an executive chef who is a natural cook, friendly, and a hopeless romantic. Sophia is a friendly genius. Nell is friendly, exciteable, and has a good sense of humour. Show them living in the space you created.
Deadline: Friday, September 30th, 2016, Midnight CST
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=8963451
http://s97.photobucket.com/user/iampes23/slideshow/Castle in the Mountain
Gallery ID: Annabelli_22
Here is what I did: https://iamciane.wordpress.com/stories/h-k/
Store Install
Unlocked Stencils
random legacy
If you want the condensed version/look.
I'm looking forward to seeing your versions.
Store Install
Unlocked Stencils
random legacy
Is the small private outdoor patio area for the nanny or for the brownstone?
It's for the brownstone, but if the budget allows, you can make one for the nanny as well.
I'm not sure if they need to be separate, but I just wanted to make sure that you were aware that the lot is 20x15 - that should give you a little more space to play with
OMG! If you've been trying to use the 10x15 lot- I thought it was just a typo, lol. Now that is a challenge!
I absolutely luuuuurve mini builds, in fact, I find it difficult to do anything over 30x30, but I think a brownstone on 10x15 would be an extremely challenging!