#maxis remodel

Gifts Part 1! Quaint Cottage (3t2 Showtime)

I teased this lot a little while ago, and I crossed 200 followers a little while ago, so it felt right to celebrate that milestone by sharing another 3t2 remake!

Quaint Cottage is a lot that shipped with Showtime and is in the hilly area of Starlight Shores. It is, unrealistically for LA, a decent-sized bungalow on a huge lot (4x5). But that lot size also meant that the TS3 version could surround a house perched on a small hill with a detached, sloped garage and elaborate landscaping. I loved the welcoming porches on the front and side, and the large windows that bring you into the home. 

I knocked down a few walls to keep the layout open (and I didn’t have a 3-tile archway at my disposal), but otherwise the layout is identical. The TS3 version leans heavily into Grandma-core furnishings, which isn’t my style, but I couldn’t abandon it entirely. I’m imagining this house was built in the 50′s, and has retained some of those original flourishes while modernizing slowly over time, so my furnishing choices reflect a mix of cottage, modern, atomic, and comfy styles. Of course, the original teenager loner/gamer bedroom was too good to change. 

I tried to recreate the lot as accurately as possible, but that did mean utilized a few key pieces of 3t2 CC, such as the 1-tile and 3-tile bungalow windows (from Showtime), and the Federal Door (from Ambitions). I’ve also used 3 custom wall  patterns from an old The Sims 2 Exchange lot (more on this to come) for the shingle siding. These are required for the lot to look the same. I also made a small change to the roof that I think looks better. Comparison pictures to follow in another post!

Download: SFS | MTS

CC Included OFB Story Fence in Cleanest White by Ailias 1-Tile and 3-Tile Bungalow Windows and Federal Door by Amotivam (3 Wall Patterns) Gray Stained Shingles by tkelley0000, uploaded in his Happy Endings lot

CC Shown But Not Included Sung Gyu Sunburst Oriental Rug Default Replacement by @tvickiesims

Someone requested I upload my remodel of 1 Tesla Court unfurnished (and honestly not quite finished inside) so here it is! I moved the Beakers out, tested for the Super Duper Hug Bug, and removed Sim references with Lot Compressor, so it’s as clean as I can get it, but I do advise you to install it with Clean Installer, especially if you want to get rid of extra recolors of the front door light or stairs. The minimal CC consists mostly of a couple fences, a few doors, modular stairs, and walls and floors. You could easily uncheck all the CC when installing it and simply replace those things, if you wanted.

Anyway, here you go:

In which I put my own spin on an old favorite: 1t2 Barrett's Boardwalk from Hot Date

I've just gone home for the holidays, so this will be my last update until the New Year. I didn't build much in 2023 - if I didn't have complete inspiration in a project I just couldn't bring myself to spend many hours going back and forth on something. But as I continue to build out my beach front shopping district, I felt like bringing back a classic Hot Date lot to serve as the main shopping district. And I'm happy with the results so far!

This is loaded with CC (including as much 1t2 content as I can find on the internet) so I will not be sharing it, but it has been a lot of fun to bring the TS1 shops to life in this game. I think my favorite is the ice cream parlor (if I could just get the darn barista to spawn...). That floor is not CC, btw.

I'm not done with it but have started to playtest. The beach needs to be completed, and although the front is very faithful to the original, I feel like its missing something. Maybe I need to dress up the port hole windows more? It just feels naked. I am also considering extending the roof over the restaurant patio.

Also, in referencing @philosimy's TS1 database, I learned that this lot had a very different look if you installed House Party before Hot Date??? Story for another time, but Hot Date was probably the second EP I ever owned, so I'd only ever seen the Downtown lots as they would ship without other EP objects. Wild!

LuLu Lounge Maxis Remodel

Inspired by Studio Town’s very own 82 Sunrise Boulevard (aka Fairchild Film Studios), I bring you my latest Maxis Remodel...LuLu Lounge! I first teased this back in September but I never quite happy with the interior (it is a huge footprint) so I kept trying different ideas and tweaking things. Nonetheless, I finally have declared it “done” and ready to share!

As usual, I did make some architectural changes. The whole building has been extended by one tile, mainly so I could dress up the entrance with two-story doors and a new marquee. The original description said LuLu Lounge offers velvet couches and ambient music, but as I leaned into the Studio Town aesthetic, I wanted something more “old Hollywood.” That meant lots of wood and a little art nouveau styling. The second floor is accessible but largely decorative, but there is a small office above the bathrooms if you want to run it as a business. Everything has been tested in a copy. The uploaded file has never been played. 

There is some CC included in the file, which is outlined below. Because this makeover was inspired by Studio Town, downloading the 1t2 conversions is vital to the lot appearing as shown. Please note that Argon’s seasonal topiares are bundled, so you’ll be getting the set of 5 (Egg, Skyscraper, Pyramid, Llama, and Dolphin). Thank you to the CC creators!

CC Included (Exterior wall) Sims1 SS Movie 1 and Movie 2 by simthing TS1 Superstar Studio Fence by Crisps&Kerosene TS1 Iron Fence and Gate by grinder (Topiaries) Surplus Llama Lawn Ornament and The Poetic Porpoise Topiary by MaxoidMonkey, updated for Seasons by Argon Neukem Systems “Repertoire” Jazz Speaker by Zeroth

CC Shown But Not Included NL Wall Curtain Texture Default by HugeLunatic

CC Not Included But Suggested Formal Sign by Simlogical Sims 2 Store Deco Collection by shastakiss

Download: SFS | MTS

New WIP: 3t2 Quaint Cottage from TS3 Showtime. 

TBH, I think this is more of a bungalow than a cottage. And if you miraculously had this much land in LA (which Starlight Shores is based on), you’d be living in a mansion. But those quibbles aside, I always liked this house! I’ve made some adjustments to better suit my style, but for the most part it is a faithful recreation. 

The interior isn’t quite finished but I like where it is going. 

Here is the first gift to show my appreciation for reaching 100 followers. I’ve already teased this one a bunch, it is a 3t2 recreation of Chic Retreat from Lucky Palms. 

My recreation is very faithful to the original, but without TS3's Create-a-Style tool and it's limitless coloring, I was at the mercy of TS2 textures, and those of the 3t2 CC objects that were essential for this recreation. I couldn't quite match the medium wood tone in a way that made me happy, so I switched the doors and windows and garage to black. Boring, I know, but easiest to work with.

The layout is still very open, and the furniture choices are expensive and intentionally a little incoherent.  The backyard should be where you have the most fun. I actually downsized the TS3 version (so much extra, empty space, the EA specialty). But even in doing so, I fit a large pool, grill, table, chess, bar, hot tub, and pool slide. This is truly the place to party in the summer.

Light CC included but the 3t2 objects are absolutely required for the lot to look the same. Comparison pictures to follow in another post!

CC Included (Exterior wall) Discrete Concrete Grid Wall Pattern by cireking213, included in his Tower House II upload Clearstory 3-Tier Window from Lucky Palms by immlegacy, uploaded by ScaryRob at MTS Heavenly Bells Slanted Columns by immlegacy Torch Moderne Fireplace by lmhwjs Chiclettina Wall Cabinet by CTNutmegger Good End Table by MA Designs by shastakiss

CC Not Included (Per TSR Policy) Helios Maxis Blinds by Windkeeper

I hope you enjoy this 3t2 lot recreation! And keep your eyes out for a couple more gifts (though I think this was the easiest to upload? I’m in over my head).

I had the sudden urge to make my La Fiesta Tech feel more like a coherent college campus, which has meant moving lots around and changing the campus set up. It also meant rebuilding Shallow Valley Library from the ground up. I’m imagining it as being one of the oldest buildings on campus, located just to the side of the quad / plaza. Struggling to decide what to do with this big, two-story wall on the front of the building. It seems like it’s begging for a two-story window...do the small stained glass windows make it too busy? And I have these glass windows on the back to create a sort of atrium feel. Probably doesn’t make sense on the front, does it? 

Additional pictures of LuLu Lounge - Maxis Remodel. Available in this post.