Hi there! You are currently browsing as a guest. Why not create an account? Then you get less ads, can thank creators, post feedback, keep a list of your favourites, and more!
Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 16th Aug 2017 at 11:13 PM Last edited by Geraltthegrey : 18th Aug 2017 at 7:30 AM.
Default Apartment housing based on Modern penthouses
Hey y'all, I am still pretty new at constructing apartments but this is something i kinda whipped up when pondering how to build penthouses styled apartments based on those in big cities. This particular lot is only inspired by penthouse architecture and is not made to resemble any in particular. I would appreciate a lot of feedback on anything i can improve or change and if anyone is interested in trying this baby out, i have attached the zip file. Apartment details are attached with the file. (The pictures show a second outer fence and a residential lot but the file actually has no second fence and is an apartment lot). Thanks, everyone. :D

Update: I just added the new pictures and removed the old ones as well as added a second color scheme and an updated zip file, hope everyone likes it.

Yet another update: Yay, yet another color scheme, this time in black and red. I also decided to remove the roof portion of the left building and instead add a lounge area for the residents. As advised by joandsarah77, i mixed up the floorboards and wall paint for the lobby and apartments to get a better light/dark mix of colors.
Screenshots
Attached files:
File Type: zip  The Uncommons.zip (1.88 MB, 12 downloads) - View custom content
Description: 3X5 lot, 5 apartments available, $2501-$3161 to rent, no cc included and ultimate edition of Sims 2 was used. No sims have ever been moved in.
File Type: zip  The Uncommons 2.zip (2.07 MB, 10 downloads) - View custom content
Description: Same as #1, just different colors.
File Type: zip  The Uncommons 3.zip (2.01 MB, 10 downloads) - View custom content
Description: Black and Red
Advertisement
*shrugs*
retired moderator
#2 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 12:24 AM
Move to Creator Feedback Forum so it will hopefully get more views.

I don't mind if you call me "MSD" or something for short.
Tumblr
Perhaps someday I'll have leisure time back...
Test Subject
Original Poster
#3 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 12:25 AM
Got it, Thanks.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#4 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 12:39 AM
I think you have a nice start there. You have some interesting shapes and I like the glass at the back.

Looking at the first picture my suggestions would be to use some more contrasting colour, remove the very large fountains and use walls around your lift/elevator. No walls around an elevator looks very unsafe. I would also rethink that thin half wall with glass on top since that wouldn't be structurally sound up there.

For the garden I would cut way back on the hedges and put some paving down, think about other colours rather than black. You don't normally get grass down the sides in an urban area like that. Just keep some at the back and or front and think about how real garden beds look. Place some terrain plaint under plants to make it look more realistic.

Windows, I would try and keep the same, see how on the left they are one tile and on the right larger, I would try and keep those the same.


I can't really see the inside too well, but again suggest some lighter colours. Maybe think of some colour schemes such as black and blue, black and red. Black, red and grey always look good. To take a floor plan put the walls up, use the down arrow and zoom in as close as possible on your building. Quite often the garden beds look best with a strip against the building and a garden edging around them. One way to break up the expanse of back paving would be to take a pale one and do some kind of pattern, say inset some as diagonals or just every 4 squares or so have a pale one, or pale around the edge. There is a lot you can do with pavers if you play around with them. Ctl F makes them into triangles.

Just checking, this lot has never had a sim moved into it?

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#5 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 12:58 AM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
I think you have a nice start there. You have some interesting shapes and I like the glass at the back.

Looking at the first picture my suggestions would be to use some more contrasting colour, remove the very large fountains and use walls around your lift/elevator. No walls around an elevator looks very unsafe. I would also rethink that thin half wall with glass on top since that wouldn't be structurally sound up there.

For the garden I would cut way back on the hedges and put some paving down, think about other colours rather than black. You don't normally get grass down the sides in an urban area like that. Just keep some at the back and or front and think about how real garden beds look. Place some terrain plaint under plants to make it look more realistic.

Windows, I would try and keep the same, see how on the left they are one tile and on the right larger, I would try and keep those the same.


I can't really see the inside too well, but again suggest some lighter colours. Maybe think of some colour schemes such as black and blue, black and red. Black, red and grey always look good. To take a floor plan put the walls up, use the down arrow and zoom in as close as possible on your building. Quite often the garden beds look best with a strip against the building and a garden edging around them. One way to break up the expanse of back paving would be to take a pale one and do some kind of pattern, say inset some as diagonals or just every 4 squares or so have a pale one, or pale around the edge. There is a lot you can do with pavers if you play around with them. Ctl F makes them into triangles.

Just checking, this lot has never had a sim moved into it?


Very good and interesting feedback, i really appreciate it. I was rethinking the glass fencing up on the roof, you just settled the decision for me and as for the exterior, i see your point in there being way being too much hedges, i probably might just take your advice and get a little bit of pavement work done and mix that up with more flower beds.

As for the exterior walls, i'm not the best with color schemes but ill think of something, i was originally going for an all black and matte look but adding more colors might give more life to the apartment. The walls up top were a problem for me, the game apparently didn't let me create a floor above three and so i couldn't do much with the top elevator, if it is too much a hassle, i might just take it all off.

As for your question; No, the apartment has never been moved into before, probably should mention that in the description.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#6 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 1:37 AM
The way you get another level is place a dormer on your roof which will add more usable floor tile area above. Remove the dormer once you have the area. There is also a cheat for more levels, but the dormer trick is the easiest if its only one level not a skyscraper.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#7 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 3:21 AM
Wow, call me stupid for not realizing that earlier. Anyway thank you, it really helped.

I have attached photos of the updated apartment, followed most of your advice, i'm still not so sure about the contrast but as i said before, my sense of color organization is not the best.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#8 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 4:32 AM
Glad it helped, it'a a quick trick to get another level.

That wasn't quite what I meant with a pattern, but so long as you like it, it's your lot after all.

I'll link you to a few of my own lots to show you what I meant by paving patterns and garden beds.
http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=556857 Picture 6. I broke up the black paving here by making flower beds on the edges and dropping a flower bed into the middle and using the white garden edging around the flowers.

http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=514297 here I used black floor tile on a diagonal, edged and the grey is terrain paint.

http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=476981 I did more of an abstract pattern on this house paving.
Just a few ideas, you are also free to ignore them.

I would say now with the roof you have a bit of a style clash going on, only that roof is rather far east/Asian while the rest isn't.

Breaking up the hedge between the plants looks better, but I would still say remove many of those flowers out the back and think of a shape to make the garden beds and edge it. Perhaps path all of it and like I showed above insert the garden beds into the paving in the middle so sims can walk around. It seems like an upscale place so the gardens would be more manicured. Doesn't have to be square either, can be but they could also have angled edges using the triangle flower pieces. Perhaps a tree at either end, a garden bed in the middle and a couple of benches.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#9 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 6:42 AM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
Glad it helped, it'a a quick trick to get another level.

That wasn't quite what I meant with a pattern, but so long as you like it, it's your lot after all.

I'll link you to a few of my own lots to show you what I meant by paving patterns and garden beds.
http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=556857 Picture 6. I broke up the black paving here by making flower beds on the edges and dropping a flower bed into the middle and using the white garden edging around the flowers.

http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=514297 here I used black floor tile on a diagonal, edged and the grey is terrain paint.

http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=476981 I did more of an abstract pattern on this house paving.
Just a few ideas, you are also free to ignore them.

I would say now with the roof you have a bit of a style clash going on, only that roof is rather far east/Asian while the rest isn't.

Breaking up the hedge between the plants looks better, but I would still say remove many of those flowers out the back and think of a shape to make the garden beds and edge it. Perhaps path all of it and like I showed above insert the garden beds into the paving in the middle so sims can walk around. It seems like an upscale place so the gardens would be more manicured. Doesn't have to be square either, can be but they could also have angled edges using the triangle flower pieces. Perhaps a tree at either end, a garden bed in the middle and a couple of benches.


Recent uploads are my latest update. I followed your design in your lots (which are gorgeous by the way!) and i think i get what you were saying by structuring the flower beds. Hopefully i got it right.

I removed the roofs because they did look really stupid as per your wisdom and just kept it all flat up top. IMO, it looks way better like this. I also decided to go with split windows all through and replace the wider windows which gives the apartment more of a penthouse feel to it. I do believe i'm ready to upload the apartment but i might still tweak the exterior wallpaper a lil bit before. Again thanks for your feedback, it is really helping me.
Test Subject
#10 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 10:51 AM
Good job. Interesting loft house. But it seems to me that the first floor and elevator halls are empty. Can I add columns, chairs or garden greens ?! Cute decoration of the roof. I like flat roofs, but I would add a small garden to the solarium. Flowers, fountains and bushes will revive sullen interiors.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#11 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 1:03 PM
Before you upload do you want to put floor plans here? What you have there now do not count as floor plans and we would have to send that back to be Cr'd (changes Required) Walls up, use the down arrow, not tilted. Then get in so your building fills the shot. Good lighting, make sure all the lights are on. Pictures no smaller than 800 by 600 but you can have up to 2560x1440. I would suggest making sure all the lights are on and all lifts/elevators need to have walls, you can draw the wall directly against them. I am seeing really dark floor boards, really dark walls and black bed sheeting; try and use some grey or white or yellow or blue to brighten it up the apartments inside.

I like the red you added outside, you could also think about bringing that inside to make a feature wall or two say in a living room and or kitchen or bedroom.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#12 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 1:22 PM
Floorplan shots are essential, especially with apartments, where so much can go wrong! As it is I can barely tell anything about them except that the apartments don't have any shared walls (good for reducing noise) or any outdoor spaces (bad for getting abducted but not a deal-breaker).

It looks like you have commercial shelving in the apartments, which is...unusual. But since you can't rent apartments furnished without a cheat the interior furnishings only matter for pricing. What's the rent range on these units?

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Test Subject
Original Poster
#13 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 2:52 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Secret™
Good job. Interesting loft house. But it seems to me that the first floor and elevator halls are empty. Can I add columns, chairs or garden greens ?! Cute decoration of the roof. I like flat roofs, but I would add a small garden to the solarium. Flowers, fountains and bushes will revive sullen interiors.


Please go right ahead, i would love to see some of your ideas come into fruition. And if you wouldn't mind sending me photos of your finished work, i would very well appreciate it. And don't worry, i just want to see how gardening would look on the inside from your perspective, i will not use any of your ideas unless permitted.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#14 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 3:00 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Peni Griffin
Floorplan shots are essential, especially with apartments, where so much can go wrong! As it is I can barely tell anything about them except that the apartments don't have any shared walls (good for reducing noise) or any outdoor spaces (bad for getting abducted but not a deal-breaker).

It looks like you have commercial shelving in the apartments, which is...unusual. But since you can't rent apartments furnished without a cheat the interior furnishings only matter for pricing. What's the rent range on these units?


The idea of shared walls wouldn't have allowed me to connected the lobby areas to the apartments the way i did but i see your point though, i will consider that the next time i construct an apartment.

As for the balconies, the three units to the right have ones out back (seen in picture #5) but the two to the right just seemed better with an exposed dining/kitchen area and not with balconies like the left.

I know that the furnishings will disappear without the cheat but making them stay would mean that i would have to move a sim and i didn't want to do that just yet. As for the rent price currently, apartments are going for $2509-$3216.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#15 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 3:09 PM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
Before you upload do you want to put floor plans here? What you have there now do not count as floor plans and we would have to send that back to be Cr'd (changes Required) Walls up, use the down arrow, not tilted. Then get in so your building fills the shot. Good lighting, make sure all the lights are on. Pictures no smaller than 800 by 600 but you can have up to 2560x1440. I would suggest making sure all the lights are on and all lifts/elevators need to have walls, you can draw the wall directly against them. I am seeing really dark floor boards, really dark walls and black bed sheeting; try and use some grey or white or yellow or blue to brighten it up the apartments inside.

I like the red you added outside, you could also think about bringing that inside to make a feature wall or two say in a living room and or kitchen or bedroom.


I'm working on those changes currently.
Test Subject
#16 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 3:36 PM
This is an example of the roof of my apartment building. Internal gardening will be in my next creations, I think. Do not be afraid to experiment. Bold ideas are always welcome. You are on the right track.
Screenshots
Test Subject
Original Poster
#17 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 7:45 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Secret™
This is an example of the roof of my apartment building. Internal gardening will be in my next creations, I think. Do not be afraid to experiment. Bold ideas are always welcome. You are on the right track.

Very nice but quick question, is there an actual non-moddable to getting terrain or even garden plants like shrubs on the roof ? Because i looked it up and doing this requires a certain mod or cheat that i don't want to tamper with.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#18 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 9:57 PM
She simply used move objects and placed the plants down.

Another trick is to make raised garden planters by using the stage tool which you then paint (stage won't paint if you edge it first) Edge and place flowers. yes you need moveobjects on to place that. The only slightly risky building cheat is Constrain Elevation false, I always make a copy of a lot first as occasionally it will crash on you while saving after using it. All building cheats are safe, without them you will have a hard time decorating effectively when building cc free. Always best to mention that a gardening mod is needed. Most people have one or more anyway.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#19 Old 17th Aug 2017 at 11:46 PM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
She simply used move objects and placed the plants down.

Another trick is to make raised garden planters by using the stage tool which you then paint (stage won't paint if you edge it first) Edge and place flowers. yes you need moveobjects on to place that. The only slightly risky building cheat is Constrain Elevation false, I always make a copy of a lot first as occasionally it will crash on you while saving after using it. All building cheats are safe, without them you will have a hard time decorating effectively when building cc free. Always best to mention that a gardening mod is needed. Most people have one or more anyway.


I see, I previously thought that move objects was restricted to certain objects but good to know that it's a useful tool for other things. Anyway, i have attached the floor plans with updated interior floors and walls, hopefully it brightens the place enough. I could also post the more closed up photos if you need to see them.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#20 Old 18th Aug 2017 at 5:18 AM
Move objects is an invaluable decorating tool when going cc free. You can combine objects such as the flowers on top of the stage, paintings arranged one above the other, Turn two basic chest of draws face to face and you have what looks like a cardboard box, put flowers into plumbing like I did here: http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=553801 my lots are full of moveobject combinations and even more so http://modthesims.info/member.php?u=4184705 the box was his idea that I improved on a little. Most things can be combined with moveobjects for deco purposes.

I wasn't saying go all pale, and I was only talking about inside not outside, I liked your black and red outside better. If walls are black do lighter floors, or if floor are dark do lighter walls. Just find a balance.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Back to top