Build-n-Share Challenge #177 - The House of DollsChallenge Deadline: Tuesday, May 31st, 2016, Midnight CST “I'm so pleased that you love your new apartment, Tashira,” you say to the video image of your most recent client. “Talk to you soon!” Tashira gives a quick wave before the webcam video freezes, and a message pops up on screen that reads
Tchnobabbl16 has left the chat. You try to remember how to exit the chat yourself when Rose buzzes through on the intercom.
“Uh..your next appointment is here. But also
not here,” Rose says.
“What on Earth does that mean?”
“Well, you received a rather large delivery with a note to call a Miss...Marion Etta—really? that can't be her actual name!—upon receipt of the delivery.”
“Rose, you're being so cryptic. Would you please bring the package into my office?”
“Sure, but I'll need you to hold open the door for me.”
You swing open your office door just in time to see the back of Rose, who is wheeling a cart with an enormous antique dollhouse on it. You hastily move out of the way so Rose can maneuver it through the door, barely clearing the door frame on either side. She parks it near your drafting table and fiddles with a bundle of wires for a moment.
“I think...maybe,” Rose is peering at a piece of paper, rotating it all around and biting her lip in concentration. “Yes! Got it!” She flips a switch on a little box, and suddenly, the dollhouse lights up.
“Ohhhh!” you breathe, as you move closer to see the tiny brass coach light on the porch, the delicate glass chandelier over the dining table, and tiny Tiffany lamps illuminating the three story structure. The furnishings are exquisitely detailed, with real fabric on the bedding and tufted sofas, miniature china saucers and teacups on the hand-carved coffee table, and what appears to be a functioning grandfather clock all in 1:12 scale. The walls have actual wallpaper on them, and the roof has individual scalloped shingles that were each glued on by hand. Someone spent a great deal of time and money on this dollhouse. “Rose, may I have the note that accompanied this stunning piece?” Rose passes you a pale peach card that smells faintly of lilacs. You hurriedly punch the numbers into your office phone, not even bothering to sit down, wondering where this next job is going to take you.
“Hello?” Marion Etta answers promptly on the second ring, her voice quiet. You introduce yourself, exclaiming over the incredible Victorian replica that is currently occupying the center of your office. Miss Etta makes a pleased sound. “I apologize for such an unusual appointment, but I'm afraid I don't get out much. I find the company of others somewhat distressing; however, it is Important to me that you see my beloved dollhouse in person.”
“It's beautiful, Miss Etta. Please tell me how I can help you and how the dollhouse relates.”
“I was a sickly child, raised by my grandmother who kept me indoors except for doctors appointments. She hired a private tutor to teach me as I wasn't well enough to attend public school. For my eleventh birthday, my grandmother gave me the kit for this dollhouse. I spent years building it, pouring over catalogs for the perfect furnishings, and then years more playing with it. My grandmother recently passed away and left me her entire estate. I have decided that I would like to use some of that money to build a life-sized dollhouse for myself. It doesn't need to be an exact replica, but I would like you to consider the dollhouse as inspiration.”
“It's a beautiful inspiration piece. What are your specifications?”
“I would like two or three stories, Victorian architecture—either Queen Anne or Second Empire, none of that Gothic revival—with a parlor, formal dining room, enclosed kitchen, and two or three bedrooms. I don't care much for technology, but I do love the more classical arts, particularly piano and watercolors. The furnishings should fit the period.”
“That sounds like a plan. We can have it completed within the month. Does that work for you?”
“It does, thank you. I will be in touch.”
You hang up the phone and are suddenly aware that Rose is inches from your computer screen, staring intently at an old photograph. “What are you looking at, Rose?”
“Well, she's just such a peculiar client that I decided to Google her. I found her grandmother's obituary with a photograph of the two of them together. If I didn't know better, I would swear it was taken more than a century ago. Also, from what I've read so far, it appears that she legally changed her name when she turned eighteen.” Rose rolls your office chair aside. “Look.”
Sure enough, there is a black-and-white photo of an unsmiling elderly woman, spine ramrod straight, in a high-necked Victorian gown and a feathered fascinator atop her perfectly coiffed hair. Next to her is a rail-thin girl with eyes that seem almost comically too big for her face, flaxen hair in a cascade of ringlets, wearing layers upon layers of ruffles and bows. In her hand, peeking out from her voluminous skirts, is a tiny doll with flaxen curls and a dress of ruffles and bows. The caption reads, "Ms. Eleanor Shivley and her granddaughter, Julia Applebaum, circa 1982."
“Strange.”
The Brief:** 20x20 lot, in the world of your choice
** Victorian house, either Queen Anne or Second Empire
** 2-3 stories
** formal parlor
** formal dining room
** enclosed kitchen
** 2-3 bedrooms
** at least 1 full bathroom and 1 half bathroom
** include a piano and easel if possible
** appropriate landscaping
** use Victorian dollhouses for inspiration
** budget $70,000
Optional Challenge:Make Miss Marion Etta and show her living in her life-sized dollhouse. She is a loner who envisions herself as a real-life doll. She dislikes technology and the outdoors, preferring instead to play with toys or practice the piano (technophobe, hates the outdoors, childish). She may also be a little unhinged.
Entry ListBeginnersN/A
IntermediatesNAME: Kgaff
LINK TO LOT: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=8910148
LINK TO MEDIA: http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/KGaff/slideshow/Build and Share No 177 House of Dolls
OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: Miss Marion Etta can be found here:
http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/KGaff/slideshow/Build and Share No 177 House of Dolls/Build and Share No 177 Miss Marion Etta
LEVEL: Intermediate
LOT SIZE, ADDRESS & FINAL COST: 20 X 20, no set address built on placed lot in Sunset Valley, finished cost 69,965
LOT DESCRIPTION & DETAILS: Straight out of the 1860's comes this Second Empire house. Two bedrooms and one and a half baths were the height of luxury back in the day. A formal parlor with grand piano and formal dining room are the main rooms of the first floor along with the entry and kitchen. Upstairs is an informal sitting room for painting and reading. In the master bedroom there is a secret ladder leading to what used to be Miss Marion's childhood playroom. Landscaping is minimal due to the fact that she really doesn't like to be outside much.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: Yes
CREDIT TO SIMMERS FOR CUSTOM CONTENT USED: N/A
NAME: iampes23
LINK TO LOT: http://www.mediafire.com/download/ta1fi412f6eg42w/BnS_177__The_House_of_Dolls.Sims3Pack
LINK TO MEDIA: http://s97.photobucket.com/user/iampes23/slideshow/BnS 177
OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: http://s97.photobucket.com/user/iampes23/slideshow/Marion Etta
http://www.mediafire.com/download/oedwbbo3fqndecm/Marion_Etta.Sims3Pack
Marion Etta is unstable, artistic, a Virgo, a technophobe who hates the outdoors, and childish. She loves pink, classical music, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Her life goal is to own a private museum.
Raised by her doting Grandmother, Marion was always treated as if she was a porcelain doll who might break at any time.She was a sickly child whom her Grandmother would not let attend school, so Marion did not have any friends. Instead, she turned to her doll house and dolls. She lived through them to such an extent that she forgot about the real world entirely until her Grandmother passed away. Since then, her mental stability has been questionable, and she has had to visit the hospital multiple times for her mental health.
The times Marion is happiest are when she is playing with her dolls and doll house. Even now it is her favorite thing to do-even though she is all grown up. Her clothes and demeanor usually reflect her favorite past time. Even her dreams reveal that, aside from a sparkling clean house, Marion wants a colorful fantasy life that has a happy ending!! (possibly with a werewolf or yeti and the Loch Ness monster...weird)
LEVEL: intermediate
LOT SIZE, ADDRESS & FINAL COST: 20x20, replaced 9 Azure Lake Ave. in Hidden Springs, $69,943
LOT DESCRIPTION & DETAILS: The house is modeled after the front part of a large Queen Anne style Victorian. I used a "flat back" to the house, since that is what you would most likely see in a doll house. In Victorian times, doll houses were set up with the kitchen and dining room on the first floor, the parlor and billiards room on the second floor, and bedrooms on the third floor and possibly in the attic. Since we did not need a billiards room, and having a tight budget, I started the bedrooms on the second floor since I was able to place a parlor on the first floor.
I used cheery, feminine colors that would attract a young girl. Marion's room includes the doll house and a large doll. Outside areas were set up, since they might come with the doll house, but Marion will not be using them.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: yes please
CREDIT TO SIMMERS FOR CUSTOM CONTENT USED: my own patterns, TSR, and MTS
NAME: ciane
LINK TO LOT: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=8915258
LINK TO MEDIA: all pics included in upload.
OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: no
LEVEL: intermediate
LOT SIZE, ADDRESS & FINAL COST: 20x20, 14 Clover Lane, Dragon Valley $69,986? (It was under 70k by a smidgen)
LOT DESCRIPTION & DETAILS: She's a Queen Anne Painted Lady, very colorful, with a cheerful palette. All the wall paper is the same style, just varying shades and hues of pretty colors. The wllpaper all has the same creme color running through it as well to match the ceiling. I love the almost symmetrical, but not, look to the house and I think it has a very realistic layout that should play well. Again, I made this in a base game save with only store stuff added.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: No, but thank you.
CREDIT TO SIMMERS FOR CUSTOM CONTENT USED: none used.
NAME: Hued Moll
LINK TO LOT: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=8915350
LINK TO MEDIA: http://s1262.photobucket.com/user/HuedMoll/slideshow/House for Dolls BuildnShare 177
OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: http://s1262.photobucket.com/user/HuedMoll/slideshow/House for Dolls BuildnShare 177
LEVEL: intermediate
LOT SIZE, ADDRESS & FINAL COST: 20x20, replaced 477 Sunnyvale Blvd in Sunset Valley with 20 X20. $53,711
LOT DESCRIPTION & DETAILS:
I went with a Second Empire Build. To give it more of a dollhouse feel, I made all the back walls glass and added extra walls coming out at different angles to look like open doors. Like a dollhouse that has compartments that open out for every room. So, the build looks like a child could sit in the back yard (a giant child) and play with the house-- but it is a fully functional house with windows instead of open walls. The large windows give gorgeous views of the ocean and beach behind the house.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: yes please
CREDIT TO SIMMERS FOR CUSTOM CONTENT USED: the hair I used for Marion Etta is Skysims Hair Adult _Jiolu-245, TSR, http://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims3/id/1267147/
AdvancedNAME: Mederouin
LINK TO LOT: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=8907078
LINK TO MEDIA: http://s1380.photobucket.com/user/mederouin/slideshow/Build and Share 177
Password: Dollhouse (Note: is case sensitive)
OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: N/A
LEVEL: Advanced
LOT SIZE, ADDRESS & FINAL COST: 20 X 20; 435 Huckleberry Lane (Placed lot), Moonlight Falls; Final cost: 69,992
LOT DESCRIPTION & DETAILS: For this build I wanted to build a Queen Anne style house which then involved a lot of time spent getting the roofs to look natural. I also underestimated the size of the house to the size of the lot ratio and as a result my landscaping is a bit lack luster. For the inside I tried to work with a more traditional closed floor plan giving all the main rooms their own space which adds to the coziness of the spaces. This build has three livable stories, but only two are furnished due to budget and space requirements. I wanted this whole build to have a Victorian feel, homey and proper while still with a touch of whimsy that dollhouses inspire. Hope you enjoy.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: Yes, please
CREDIT TO SIMMERS FOR CUSTOM CONTENT USED: N/A
NAME: chrischris8894
LINK TO LOT: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=8908475
LINK TO MEDIA: http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/14830967/#Comment_14830967
OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: I created Ms. Marion Etta as a childish, loner, who has her head in the clouds, with a dislike for the outdoors & technology. Her favorite color is blue, she could eat pancakes for breakfast everyday & she enjoys classical music as much as she loves to play it. Pictures in above link.
LEVEL: Advanced
LOT SIZE, ADDRESS & FINAL COST: 20 X 20,1264 Lakefront Drive (placed lot) in Twinbrook, Final cost: 69,984
LOT DESCRIPTION & DETAILS: My entry is done in Second Empire Victorian, I used roof decor to create a more regal look despite the modest size of the home. The structure stands three stories high, although the attic is simply storage, it could always be converted into another room. There is also roof access from there, though i didn't do much with this space due to budget & the fact that Marion wouldn't like to go outside much anyway. I used pastels & jewel tones (both color palettes of the Victorian Era) throughout my build to create balance between refined propriety & child-like whimsy. I tried to keep the rooms cozy & well decorated without over-cluttering. Since Marion Etta prefers to stay inside, I included an atrium at the back of the house filled with large windows & greenery, so she can enjoy sunlight while she paints. The kitchen includes a baker's station, as I figured that is another fitting hobby Marion would partake in. Overall I feel this life-sized dollhouse is the perfect place for Ms. Etta & her (what I can assume is massive) doll collection.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: Yes
CREDIT TO SIMMERS FOR CUSTOM CONTENT USED: N/A
NAME: noisybrain
LINK TO LOT:http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=8915876
LINK TO MEDIA: http://s1334.photobucket.com/user/noisybrain/library/BnS 177 House of Dolls
OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: http://s1334.photobucket.com/user/noisybrain/library/BnS 177 House of Dolls/Marion Etta
Marion Etta is the new owner of the lovely "Living Doll House".
She is a loner who hates being outside, a technophobe that loves
to play the piano (virtuoso) and practice painting. She is also
childish and loves to play with her toys and host tea parties in
her third floor play room.
LEVEL: advanced
LOT SIZE, ADDRESS & FINAL COST:20x20 in Moonlight Falls (no formal street address) Final Cost $69,767
LOT DESCRIPTION & DETAILS: "Living Doll House"
This charming Second Empire Victorian "dollhouse" Features 1 and 1/2 bathrooms, 3 spacious bedrooms
an eat in kitchen with access to a wraparound porch,
a formal parlor and dining room as well as an art room/office, and a third story playroom.
I used a classic Victorian dollhouse for inspiration set in Second Empire Style
(mainly because I really wanted to use the Mansard roofs:) I havent used this style yet and usually build Gothic Revival and Queen Anne)
I left the walls mostly bare so Marion Etta can fill them with her own paintings once she is settled
(also because of budget issues)
I included a third story playroom so Marion can have tea with her "friends" and I just like the thought
of a "secret" place that children can have to be creative. There is also a storage room on the third floor
mainly due to budget restrictions.
Each room is decorated in traditional victorian style. Marion's favorite color is lilac so I tried to incorporate that in
each room with the exception of the guest bedroom and first floor powder room.
I did include some outdoor seating just incase Marion felt the need for some fresh air.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: "yes"
CREDIT TO SIMMERS FOR CUSTOM CONTENT USED: No custom content
ResultsBeginners -:
1st Place: N/A
Optional Challenge: N/A
Intermediates -:
Comments1st Place: @Kgaff
Optional Challenge: @iampes23
Advanced -:
Comments1st Place: @noisybrain
Optional Challenge: @noisybrain