Simple… even if it seems not

Masomaso Quan’s store, MMGraffiti’s, is one of those places I love to get back to whenever I’m in need of some inspiration. It’s not that it carries a lot of products or anything like that (though it has “grown up” steadily for the last couple of years), but there’s always something that sparks my imagination. Mostly specialized in home and garden products, it has released a new house that has saved me from keeping my lot empty for too long. Called  the Japanese and Western-harmonized Style House, (kind of big name, isn’t it?) it combines a Western-like architecture with an Asian-themed interior. Some of its appeal can be traced back to Quan’s previous home, the Small House, that to this date is still one of my favorite houses, but this one has a lot more space to decorate.

I have a smaller plot now, as you already know, so there’s not much to show you from inside the house (not enough prims for extensive furnishing), and there’s almost nothing new outside either… except for these Italian cypress trees from 3D Trees [slurl]. Originally, there are three variations in the pack, and they are taller and wider, but as they are easy to mod (they’re 1 prim each too) you can stretch them at will to fit your doings.

A look from above might help you to better picture the structure’s spatial distribution: It is a two-story building, cross-shaped, with a lot of rotating windows and a small cute terrace, which is actually one of the nice “plus” of this dwelling (I’ve only placed a couple of chairs and some potted plants on it, but there’s plenty of room to play with). At 22 x 22 in size, it’s also relatively small, so it is good for all but the smallest of plots. Have in mind, though, that the house requires 188 prims (unfurnished) when fully rezzed, so I would suggest a minimum parcel size of 2048 sq.m. (468 prims) if you want to decorate thoroughly. From this aerial view, you can also spot the new Papaya tree from Tiki Tattoo [slurl] that I’ve happily added to my greenery collection. In 5 years of monitoring SL’s abundant flora, I think this is the first time that I encounter such a tropical delight.

Two notable elements in these shots are Studio Skye’s The Willow Pond (in the first picture) and the Old Bridge (pictured here). These interactive scenes come full of single and couple animations, are 100% mesh and less that 25 prims each, so they are perfect for… hell, everything and everyone. You can use this “prêt-à-porter” mini-landscapes to fill out an entire sim if you want, and then enjoy the rest of your second life without much hassle. A warning, though: they keep adding new scenes on a “regular” basis, so that could be a pleasant problem, hehe. There are currently eight, with surely more to come. Visit this [slurl] to see them inworld.

The benefits of a waterfront plot is the serenity that SL soundless “waves” add to the atmosphere. If you’re not living in a parcel like this, there’s always the chance to dig a hole until you find the precious liquid. Don’t forget to check out your estate’s covenant for limitations on terraforming before embarking on such a feat. Some of them won’t allow you to lower the land too much (I guess they fear you will try to escape their hold by an underwater tunnel or something). If you have access to a body of water, you can always place a small pier to dock a ship, like this little nice Kick ‘n Go boat from mdrm [slurl]. Actually this model is really a four-vehicle transformer that can turn into a plane, a balloon, a scooter, a boat, and even a chair by typing a few words. The idea is wonderful and helps maintain your inventory in check.

I couldn’t finish this post without showing a few pics from the living quarters, so here is a couple of  shots of the living room and kitchen area. First, these two-seats White sofas are another example of mdrm transformer’s idea put into good use. This time, with the click of the mouse you can choose from three different styles, yet, it is only one object (you have to buy three of these if you want to use them at once).

This beautiful kitchen set is also available at MMGraffiti’s [slurl]. I think it was specifically released for the new house, but you can buy and use it wherever you wish. The first section is the Kitchen Unit; it comes with everything you see in the back walls, except for the fridge and the dish rack, which are from iTuTu [slurl] (though you can get one refrigerator from MMGraffiti’s as well), and the wall shelving (at left), which is another of MMGraffiti’s previously available products. The second part is the Kitchen island Griddle with chairs, that is sold at MMGraffiti’s separately. The potted plant in the living room is from Hydro Homes [slurl], while the Sunshine side table and ladybird vase are from LISP Bazaar [slurl].

Finally, here you have a couple of shots from the upper level, including the intermediate landing of the stairs (first one), which is large enough to accommodate some small furnishing, and the second floor, from where you can access the terrace, by clicking that little square area between the windows at left. Some of the furniture used in these two pictures are:

  • Japanese Maple bonsai from Organica [slurl]
  • Cube’a’cow chair from Herbalys [slurl]
  • Thistle Arts & Crafts Coffee Table from Thistle Homes [slurl]
  • Zataku (low table) from zacca [slurl]
  • Zaisu (floor chair) from nonino [slurl]
  • Classic Toy Train from The Domineaux Effect [slurl]

One comment

Comments are closed.