Review Of LightSide

It has been a while since I've done a review. I think it's high time I did and who better to review than my good friend and mentor LightSide. I'll be referring to him as Light throughout this review; just to make things easier.  This will be a fun review because Light's work is exceptional on all levels. He is a fantastic architect; a true landscaper; and last but not least and my favorite; he's a wonderful interior design.

Lets start off with one of Light's modern homes; The Modern Gambara. Light designed this home around a real existing home. First; the real one:

Light's Version:

As you can see, he did a wonderful job of imitating the design into the TS3 environment.

The interior is classic modern. The colors and textures well blended and coordinated. One thing which is important to note is the tree in the center of the building as sort of an accent. Without that tree, the architecture would be colder and indifferent. This is one of the aspects of Modernism; a moving away from a more warmer atmosphere. This doesn't have to be, if the designer knows how to use certain objects such as trees and other flora to give the needed touch of warmth.  Light has an eye for warmth, color, and also light which so many times is overlooked with allot of builders. It never should be.

Lets take a look at some of the interior shots of The Modern Ganbara:

Some of the things important to notice in these two shots is for one; Light's use of columns on the corners of walls; making entry ways, but also adding some style to the overall picture of the room. The colors are subtle and warm. The lighting is well placed and the textures are soft, which go well with the warmth of both rooms. Light also knows what wall decor goes the best and where to place the right vase and statue. Too many times builders will leave an empty space on a wall that is begging for something. Light fills those spots just right; with the very items that bring the room together.

These last photos shows the consistency of the subtle colors and textures, mixed in with soft decor and perfect lighting.

To me, a bedroom should be a place you feel the most comfortable. After all, it is the place you will be visiting your dream world; so shouldn't it be a pleasant place to dream?

The structure of these rooms were well thought out; these are not just square boxes. Take for instance the bedroom; notice the partition wall that comes out by the chest of drawers. Then the bathroom which looks like it has a split level, leading down into the bathtub.

The bathroom is my favorite room. Bathrooms are so often treated as a second thought by so many builders. I suppose they give priority to a room because of it's size.  When you can take a small space and make it a small oasis with just the right design, colors and textures this is what separates the true artist from those who only dabble in the arts. What I particularly like about this bathroom besides the split level which is in itself a wonderful addition; is the small area between the toilet and the shower. I take it Light used floor tiles in a creative way to give us a very subtle touch to this bathroom. A sign of pure elegance is what I call it. Something I will have to remember for my future builds.

Lets cover one more house, and a great one at that.

Asian Dreams Palace

If there is any of Light's houses that I must review, it must be this one. A masterpiece of the highest order. Intricately designed; beautifully landscaped and the interior is oneof astonishing creativity.

I must also note that Light is a great photographer and covershot designer too as his covershots are always so well done. This is important for promoting one's work as I have stressed this many times in my Workshop thread.

Lets first discuss the landscaping and architecture.  Everyone loves a grand entrance:

And everybody loves a beautiful garden. It's my belief that different kinds of landscaping fit different types of architecture and styles of homes. With a traditional style home, the landscaping maybe very neatly done with everything in place. Well manicured you might call it, and usually symmetrical. Moderns on the other hand should be much looser with the landscaping set up in a wild and untamed fashion. This style of home is another thing altogether. Light has combined different types of landscaping to fit the different areas around the home. The entrance is more traditional with perfect symmetry and style. The gardens are a whole different matter as one of the points of a garden is to take you closer to nature. The garden is more wild and natural, yet serene with the mix of water, flora and sand.  The arched bridge and the gazebo are also nice touches to the gardens.

Light's ability to find what I call the "WOW" factor shows that he takes his interior design very seriously. I think what is  necessary  to be a great interior designer is Vision. When you can picture something in your head and then try to transfer it into your design.  This is were the true artistry is. A painter will use his brushes to show color and texture and depth; creating their vision and presenting it to the world.

Light is one of those visionaries. He sees with his inner eye what he wants to see with his physical eye. And, we are only taking a peek into his dreams.

Links to Light's work:

Showcase Thread

Light's Sims 3 Studio

Light's TSR Page

Review of SuperPogimon

I apologize that it's taken me so long to get back here and post this review but I've been rather a busy guy lately with just too many irons in the fire and not enough hours in the day.

Now to get started with this review, I want to say that I have always had mixed feelings about Pogi's (SuperPogimon) work. Not because I don't think he's a really great builder but because he has a tendency to push the envelope and sometimes he has pushed it further than I'm willing to go.

When I first went to his showcase thread, I saw some houses that I thought; "Do ya think ya could add some more patterns to that room?" being sarcastic as he is a guy who loves patterns and this is probably where he sometimes goes too far with me.

Now that I've said that negative, I want to say something very positive; he is a very creative and an amazing builder. He is someone who is not afraid to go way out on a limb to create;  which is the sign of a true artist. A true artist is never going to please everyone with their work. They are going to be criticized more than most because they see something that others don't see and because of that extra site, they will create things that others will not understand or appreciate.

Now I'm going to show you some of his work that I appreciate. And when I Do appreciate his work, I really appreciate his work.

Let's start with his "Victorian Apartment Life"

 To me, this is a very fine mix of architecture and landscaping. His use of different color coordination with each one shows a great eye for colors which is one of  Pogi's strong suits. The windows, the balconies, the flower plots; all make for a very appealing place. This is where you hope to see a sale sign so you can have a chance to at least go in and take a look around even if you know you can't afford to move here.

 Now I don't know how practical this build is being that we don't have a TS3 version of "Apartment Life" yet but what a nice lot to have in any neighborhood. The real estate prices are bound to go up.

Now everyone knows I pride myself on my interior design abilities. I go by certain rules when it comes to interior design. Pogi has broken every rule I know of when it comes to interior design and has the ability to shine when he does it. The above room to me is a very impressive room and just spells complete comfort and great color. Yet he has all these different patterns that I would say is a "no-no" but for some reason, they all work well together. This is something the Fidler can not do but Pogi is the real artist here and some way can paint the most beautiful picture. What does help here is the fact that it is a Victorian designed room and we all know that if you can find an elderly, widowed lady who has a Victorian house, she'll have all kinds of patterns in a room.  Here's just a couple more photos of rooms in this build that defies the Old Fidler rules:

Now anyone who knows Pogi, knows his forte is Asian design. This next build is a mixture of Asian and modern. I don't know how he pulled it off but then, that's Pogi and his ability to do things that no one else can do.

The Modern Tamura:

When I first looked at this covershot, I was a little taken back. I thought; "What kind of contraption is this?" I see this mix of Asian architecture and then this obvious modern architecture all mixed up together. I thought to myself "This was a day that Pogi went out and had too many drinks and came home and started building."

Then, the more I looked at it, the more I appreciated it. I will say that it's not the architecture that I like about it the most but it does have a certain confusing appeal to it. But, I want to move inside and show you some of my favorite rooms that got what I call the "WOW" factor out of me.

This of course is a very classical Asian interior design. Great colors and great furniture set up. The ceiling light also adds to  the whole picture. this room also includes one of Pogi's signature designs and that is a floor aquarium. This one doesn't seem to have any fish but he has some that do and it's an incredible design. One other aspect of this room that makes it so appealing is the windows and the sun roof.

I chose to show you this bathroom because I think that though it is not the usual colorful and wildly decorated rooms that Pogi is so well known for but because that to me, this is just as beautiful of a room. It's the subtlety of this room that makes it so appealing; the easy patterns and the light colors. It also conveys both the modern look and the Asian look combined in a simple way. The shower idea is also one that I will steal without remorse. This is probably where Pogi was wishing for the simple shower nozzle we had in TS2 so that we can design showers like this without putting a whole shower in there.

Gosh, I could go on and on with this review because Pogi has got some great work. I want to add that he is also a very talented Sim creator as I saw when I went through his showcase thread. This blog is about lots or I'd show you some of them but I will include the link to his thread at the end of this review and I do encourage you to go over there when you have some time to really take a look through some of the 39 pages at this time, of his work. You'll enjoy it if you do.

But, its time to get down to Pogi's most recent work and what I think is his finest work. I was amazed by the architecture when he first displayed it on my Workshop thread.

The IKEBANA

 I think the most interesting aspect of this build that stands out the most is the roof design. I think that Pogi out did himself completely here. The tier design completely compels me to want to look at this house all day. Only thing I wanted to strangle Pogi about was the tree right up in front. But then, even it adds to the overall appeal of this house. He probably should retire from building from this point because I can't imagine that he could ever possibly build anything else that will add up to the grandeur of this home. I'm only kidding of course; I'm sure Pogi will pull another rabbit out of his house just as well as Chris Angel can come up with another death defying magical trick to out do his last one.

Here is yet again one of Pogi's floor aquariums as you can see. What I really like about this living room set up is the whole idea of it in the first place; and that is the fact that it looks like a porch. Can't you just imagine inviting some well chosen friends over and sitting around on a cool evening enjoying some drinks from a beautiful and well planned dinner? The curtains were a really creative idea on Pogi's part. The whole set up is just very inviting to me. Wide open windows and the entertainment of the floor aquarium.

I felt I need to show both these photos of the dining area because you need them both to fully appreciate the room. Again he employed the use of the curtains on the windows which frame the beautiful blossomed trees just outside.  The accent wall is perfect in color and design.  This is my favorite room out of them all.

Now just to top it all off; a twilight view:

  

Overall, Pogi is more of an artist than anything else. He puts allot of self expression into his work and because of it,  he stands apart from all the other builders with unique designs that defies any rule book.

To download any of Pogi's design's you can go to the following link to his showcase thread. There's much more to look at as you'll see. 

http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/102760.page

Review of Ruthless_KK

It's been a while since I've posted any updates on this blog. I suppose because it has gone so slowly that I've come to the point of almost giving up on it.

But then I realize; Rome wasn't built in a day and I must continue to be persistent if I am to succeed.

On to Ruthless_kk, or as I will refer to her in her given name;  Ruth.

Ruth is one of my judges for my monthly challenges and I consider her the main judge as she's been with me from the beginning and she also devised the very fair scoring system we use. She's a very intelligent and logic minded individual and I highly respect her for that.

Ruth is well known for her talents with Victorian architecture but she is not limited to that. I've watched her talents since TS2 and I know she has a far ranging ability with building in the Sims environment.

Lets see; where to get started with her body of work. I think I will start with a Victorian called "Willow Bend". I particularly liked the color of this house as I'm a fan of turquoise or blue-greens; I'm not sure which to call it. It features a garden on one side of it and a wrap around porch.

I think the architecture is done very smartly with the roof section around the porch and the dormer on the roof.  I'm still new to Victorian design but I think this is a classical but unique at the same time. I will say I'm not a fan of the red brick walk way but it does match well with the chimney on the left side of the house.

I think a question anybody ask themselves when they first look at a house, though it be in real life or in the Sims environment is "Would I enjoy living there?" That is one of the qualities of Ruth's homes is the feeling of invitation to come rest your weary bones and enjoy the simple pleasures of this simple home.

Lets take a look at the interior of  this simple home. First is the living room:

Now I'd like to mention that I think this house was built before the advent of certain store items, stuff packs and expansion packs and was built with some of the base game items. I'd have to confirm that with her but I think so. Still Ruth was able to still create a comfortable home that is not only inviting, but subtlety sumptuous. The colors are quiet and simple and yet compelling. Those who know me, know I'm one for bright colors but I can appreciate the softer side which this room shows.

Now this kitchen is much more my taste:

 

I love a cheery kitchen. There's something about a room that is the first place you're going to spend time in the morning for a  hearty breakfast of eggs and hash-browns. Her simple geometric stripe on the walls and the old fashion cabinets and dining chairs completes the picture for me.

Here's the link to this house for those who'd like to own it:

http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=305027

Lets move on to another fine house that I particularly liked that Ruth calls the Suburban. 

I really like the colors and textures along with the architecture of this house. The porch with it's white columns and then the green trimming makes for a very attractive picture and I know if I drove by it on the street, I'd have thoughts of  "What a nice little home this is". Knowing me, I'd also be thinking about the price too. LOL!!! Then, that of course would depend on the town and area it's in.

The living room:

Again, a quite, subtle room with simple colors and not overdone.

This nursery I think has a really nice color combination.

I am a fan of red for sure and the way she uses it in this room is wonderful. I would have done something different with the chair but other than that, a wonderful room. This room reminds me of why we need rockers. I came from a family that believed in the Mother rocking her baby to sleep at night in a rocking chair.

The link to this house is:

http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=351822

Now to be fair, I should also show you something Ruth has done beyond Victorian. I think this next house is a fine example. I don't particularly know what style it is but I will call it "70's Modern". I'll be waiting for a correction of that but it reminds me of the 70s, so I will call it that, and believe me; Fidler well remembers the 70s; the days of my youth.

To me, this house is very well put together as far as the structure. I also like the great combination of blue wood paneling and masonry. Then the throw in of rock around the door is a sign of pure genius on Ruth's part. I've seen many builders try to use three different textures on homes before and usually with terrible results. I usually advise against it. But Ruth, being the master she is has proven it can be done and with great results. I really love the flower bed built into the side of the house ont he left and the front fireplace. I suppose she may have gotten this idea from a real house but a great choice. The white stone walkway also works really well with this house.

A bedroom;

Ruth's use of the accent stone wall in this room is exceptional. There's a slight clash going on with the lamp shades but easily overlooked. Her color coordination is very well pulled off and makes this room a delightful and cheerful oasis.

I tried to find this house in Ruth's studio without luck. I will hopefully get an update to share with you folks once I can talk to Ruth again and possibly get that link.

As I went through her studio looking for this link, I was pleasantly surprised at her many beautiful homes. Though I love her Victorians, I especially liked the homes she stepped out of her usual box and built.  Saying that, I think it would serve any of you well to go to Ruth's Studio and take a look at many of her fine homes. I'm sure you will enjoy the trip. Here is the link for her main studio:

http://www.thesims3.com/userExchange.html?action=default&persona=ruthless_kk

I'll be keeping an eye on this builder for future masterpieces.

fidlerten

garbuckle3000's Review

This particular builder is one of my favorite people as well as a great builder. He is also a very versatile builder as I've seen him design wonderful older traditional homes, especially large estate type homes, but also he has a great talent for modern architecture too.

Let me start out with one of his traditional homes; Briston Hall II. He has two versions of this house. One of them has been in my studio for the longest as he use to have a problem uploading some of his larger homes to his own page. That one was very successful and now he has a version on his own page.

This house is of course a very grand home with a circular drive and a fountain out front that is one of garbuckle's many innovative creations. A green house on the right and guest house on the left. The landscaping is well done and fits the type of home it is.
Garbuckle is also a fine decorator. Some of the features of this home is a large theater; an indoor pool  as well as an outdoor pool; many bedrooms with fireplaces and each bedroom has it's own design. Allot of thought went into this house and I can tell there was also allot of focus which is the mark of a great builder.

Personally, I think garbuckle doesn't get the attention he deserves. He is so multifaceted in his creativity though it be his architecture, his landscaping, or his interior design.

He does put too many rooms in a house as far as I'm concerned. Working with him on a few projects I find myself searching for different ideas for each of his many rooms. Neither the less; this is a builder that is worth keeping an eye out for.

Here's the link for this house; the latest version: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2602232
And the slideshow which you've just got to see to believe: http://www.thesims3.com/contentDetail.html?contentId=107866

Now lets see something totally different. This next house will show you what I mean by versatile.
S2S Moderna is a fine example of a modern home. This one really isn't even my favorite but the one I like most doesn't have a slideshow I'm sorry to say. At least not one that's posted.

Still, I love this home and appreciate the way he used the two different color tones on the exterior. The search lights are also a grand idea. What is probably the most prominent and most creative points of this house is the sunken pool in the back which is a must see, with steps leading down into it.
The interior features skylights, a huge television room and large kitchen. Garbuckle has a tendency to build everything big. You'd think he was moving in an army with all that he includes with his build. Huge families will find plenty of bathroom space and bedrooms galore in a garbuckle3000 homes. I now know what the 3000 stands for; 3000 rooms! I kid of course.
Here's the link for this house: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2620194
And the slideshow: http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b294/kbahrbarrie/S2S%20Moderna/?albumview=slideshow
Now, I've just got to show all of you an assortment of all the different types of homes that come out of this great builder.

The Eleanor: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2483871
Slideshow: http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b294/kbahrbarrie/The%20Eleanor/?albumview=slideshow

Sung Song Strand: http://www.thesimsresource.com/artists/garbuckle3000/downloads/details/category/sims3-lots-residential/title/Sun%20Song%20Strand/id/959094/
 This is actually my favorite of his modern homes but I didn't see a slideshow on this one in his designer thread. what a wonderful piece of architecture!
There are many more I'd love to show you but I'll just show you one more to convince you of the many different designs this builder can build.

Kefalos Bay: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=1479296
Slideshow: http://www.thesims3.com/contentDetail.html?contentId=121772


Can't you just imagine living in such a gorgeous home right next to the beach?

Garbuckle; we all look forward to seeing more great builds from you!


fidlerten

Update:

Garbuckle has provided me with a new link and a slideshow for Sung Song Strand.

Here they are:

Slideshow:
http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b294/kbahrbarrie/Sun%20Song%20Strand/?albumview=slideshow

Link:
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2818719

Fidler's Modern Dream Challenge

I decided I should post last month's challenge results on here with links to the winning lots:

Fidler's Modern Dream Challenge Results

Hey Everyone!

I'm sorry for being so late with these results and I appreciate you all being patient.

Amateur Category:

1st Place............tdewd  
Entry: http://www.4shared.com/file/BEQ_4zrz/The_Futures_Orange2.html
Media: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/0/226962.page#2801970

2nd Place............SunsetValley01 
Entry: http://www.mediafire.com/?jzvzjunjt2w
Media: http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad228/Zesis/Baile%20Nadurtha/?action=view&current=f8ad1461.pbw

3rd Place............Emilym3 
Entry: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2523377
Media: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/220857.page#2711804

Pro Category

1st Place............SimEve 
Entry: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2635232#
Media: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YlabNGZ_Q4

2nd Place............Stw402 
Entry: http://gb.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2626632
Media: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/15/222985.page#2793630

3rd Place............Tfbob 
Entry: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2483893
Media: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37803355@N07/sets/72157624253127464/show/

I want to congratulate the winners and I want to thank all of you for your participation. These were some really beautiful and unique lots and you all did a great job. 


Next Month, I would like to get a cover shot photo from everyone to post on here also.

fidlerten

Miami/CaliforniaBound Review

So it's finally time to review CB who was suppose to be the first review I reviewed but something got lost in the communications.

First, I'd like to say that Miami/CaliforniaBound (If he ever decides which direction he's actually going; just teasing of course) is one of the best architects in the Sims 3 environment. He has been a little slow in promoting his work but there's no doubt that his talent is exceptional.

I really don't know where to start, so I'll start where he started when he decided to build a showcase thread at Simmerssociety.net

This first lot is amazing which is a park called the Monolith.
                                                                                                                                          

This park is a fine example of the great command that CB has over CFE (ConstrainFloorElevation) cheat code. He also has a fine eye for landscaping.

This next "Mansion" I haven't figured out what he calls it; is a real stunner.

A gold dome with a teal roof, the architecture here is incredible. His landscaping also is a perfect match for a such a Taj Mahal styled home. A great combination of color also with the teal, gold and white trimming.

I think that CB needs to work on his promotion of his lots as this would definitely allow more simmers to know of his work. I'm sure he already has a large fan base and it will continue to grow.

Miami/California is also looking for a good interior designer. I'd love to oblige myself if I wasn't already caught up with so many projects; this one included. So if you think you got the talent to do some collaboration with this extremely talented individual, I encourage you to join the members of Simmerssociety.net which I'm an active member of and offer your talent. Be sure to be ready to show some photos of your work.

I'd like to also share with you a link to a slide show that CB provided for us of his baroque eco home .

http://s850.photobucket.com/albums/ab68/miamibound10/?action=view&current=f482b2c2.pbw

I hope we get a chance to see much more from Miami/CaliforniaBound in the future. I would sure like to do a follow up review once he has finished some more amazing projects.

Also, here's a link to CB's studio page at TS3 if any of you would like check out some of his other work;download and recommend:

CaliforniaBound's Studio

fidlerten

Be sure to check out my website; fidlerten.com for unique gift items.

http://www.fidlerten.com/default.asp

                              

Smoky has provided a slide show of her own. Here's the link:

http://s689.photobucket.com/albums/vv255/lyndapiper63/Smokytopaz Builds/?albumview=slideshow

Review On SmokyTopaz

My next review will be about a person we all know and love; SmokyTopaz.

From watching and adoring Smoky's work, I believe she is most talented in interior design but she also does quite well with architecture.

She has an excellent eye for color and knows how to use great contrasting colors to get the most effect.

I've always been a fan of black, white and red and gray as anyone could tell in some of my own builds.

As far as exterior designSmoky does well with modern design but also she does well with more traditional and classical design.

I've watched Smoky grow over a very short period of time and become a builder who I'd recommend in a heartbeat.

She knows how to get what I call the "WOW" factor in her interior designs.

Of course I still think she has some growing and learning to do but as far as I'm concerned, she's getting there by leaps and bounds.