-abode- Rico Rico Bo Bico

(Okay, I added the Name Game reference in the title.)

Once again, I’m behind on blogging, so this weekend will (hopefully) be catch up time! Let’s get started with the latest release from Aya Liotta of -abode –: the Rico. I like the looks of this house – it’s a little urban, a little brownstone, and a little storefront all mixed in.

I enjoy the little patio on the back, and I like having the tree and little hedges included…the textures on the hedges are a little strange, making them look more like seat cushions than hedges. Of course, it’s entirely possible that they ARE cushions…I’ve totally misinterpreted builds before. It’s a cozy little patio area nonetheless.

Back around front, the double doors open into a nice foyer area and L-shaped stairs (one of my favorite styles). I really like the use of brick throughout the house – Aya did a very nice job with her textures in this build. The first floor has a bonus room on the back, and the front living area has some nice architectural details – the picture ledge on one wall is awesome (I added a pic to show it off), and the alcove at one end gives nice depth to the room.

Here’s the bonus room off the back – great for an office, bedroom, kitchen – anything goes, really.

Upstairs are two large (but not too large) bedrooms. I really like that these aren’t basic square bedrooms – there’s some character to both – and the wall textures are warm and rich. There’s a nice little landing at the top of the stairs, too – I love spaces like that for random bookshelves, sideboards, etc.

In past reviews, I’ve commented on the vertical scale in Aya’s houses, that it seemed a bit on the taller/larger side. The Rico is much more realistically scaled for an average-height avatar. Definitely worth a look, the Rico is available now at -abode- !

-abode- [SLurl]

-abode- Niko

Hi again! I’ve got another house to show you today — seems like the SL prefab market is booming! Aya Liotta of -abode- sent me her latest, the Niko house. Definitely Mediterranean in feel, this house is on a slightly larger scale, but certainly not massive. Just the right amount of living space for you and a friend or two.

I like the rough cloth accents on the covered patio in the front. Lots and lots of windows in this house, which I also like. When you walk in, there are 2 rooms, one on each side, and the main living area opens up from that small entrance foyer. The columns are a nice touch, a subtly grand (that may be an oxymoron) introduction to the space.

There are sliding doors on two sides of the room – one set takes you to a small open patio, and the other takes you to the enclosed patio in the middle picture above. I like the lattice walls – keeps the space from feeling crowded. In the third pic above, you can see the main room from above – it’s a 2 story high ceiling, with windows all around – that little ledge that marks where the lower meets the upper would be great for large art pieces, small plants, and various knick-knacks.

The two rooms that are off to the sides could be bedrooms, offices or workrooms – anything, really. The room in the first pic below also has a door opening to the outside, right across from the front patio. I like the mix of textures in that room, with the red and the rough browns. The other room is all windows on two sides, and has a great skylight. What I like best about the skylight is that it’s a window well, rather than just a flat window on the ceiling. The physical depth is a nice touch.

Last is a close-up of the front door – I am always a fan of eye-catching entrances.

Overall, I think Aya has done another great job with the Niko. The textures are good — there are a few visible seams in some of the walls (you may notice that in the window-well room above), but nothing earth-shattering. They’re only noticeable from certain angles…and possibly only to folks as persnickety as me. 🙂 Be sure to swing by -abode- to see this house for yourself!

-abode- [SLurl]

A is for apple, -abode-, and Ambient.

Before I get started, just a quick thank you to everyone who came out for the Happy New Shop party yesterday!! We had a great time and I was so touched by the turnout…makes me want to open a new shop every week! 😉 But I’m not gonna. Just FYI.

Ok, let’s look at some houses! Aya Liotta sent me her latest release from -abode-, the Baxton Spring House. As with previous releases from -abode-, I really just enjoy the simplicity of the Baxton. I like the slightly shabby cottage-y feel, and the front & back porches are a nice little touch of subtle glam with the arches and columns.

Inside, you’ll find an open living area, flanked on either side by a small bedroom. The windows are great – this would be gorgeous overlooking water – and I adore the little built-in shelves that help to define the living area. The beams on the ceiling are a very nice touch, too.

The Baxton would look very cozy filled with lots of overstuffed chairs and sofas, tricked out with lots of knick-knacks and greenery. My personal preference would be to have the house a bit more proportionate on the vertical scale – the footprint is just right, and while I do love the high ceilings, it can lead to a bit of an exaggerated feel. In the bottom pic below, that’s me standing next to the bedroom door — I only come up as high as the doorknob would be, and I’m a tall AV. 🙂

The Baxton Spring House is available now at -abode-! [SLurl]

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You’ve most likely heard of  Zanzo, a pretty awesome fashion shop in SL. What you may not know is that the Zanzo designers, Theodore DuCasse and Drusus DuCasse, also have a pre-fab sub-brand, Ambient! Theodore sent me quite a few houses/skyboxes to check out…so I did…and now I’ll share  them with you. 🙂 I’m a giver.

I pulled out the New England Retreat: Grace to play with. The exterior wood texture is yummy – weathered and worn, definitely very coastal. This is another example of simplicity, where less is more – very basic, three rooms and a deck – and the tower in the center gives a little oomph to the architecture.

The three rooms are a nice size and it’s an easy flow from room to room. I love the corner windows in the tower, and the shading in the tower room is spot-on. I would love to see more shading/depth in the outer rooms to match the tower room – the floors look great, but the light blue wallpaper needs more corner/edge definition, at least for me.

I would recommend Ambient as a must-visit — in addition to pre-fabs, they also offer really cute skyboxes, very colorful and a bit whimsical. Here’s a peek at a few, as well as another pre-fab:

Check out Ambient Designs here [SLurl]!

*Designer Review* -abode- Aldwyn – Heritage Home

Another new house from Aya Liotta of -abode-! The Aldwyn-Heritage Home, a cute little cottage ideal for smaller parcels – simple and clean lines, with a touch of character in the textures.

I was feeling ambitious and decided to dress it up a bit for the pics, 1) because it’s like playing dress up for me, and 2) to give some perspective on the size of the living area. I didn’t fill it up and still managed to have three distinct areas: living room, dining(ish), and bedroom. I think the space could be used much more effectively than I demonstrated here, with some creative thinking and more time spent – so let those imaginations kick in. 😉

I like the added detail of the windowboxes (seen in the first group of pics) – I’ve always loved being able to dress up windows with cute little flowers. The back deck is nice, too, with the slatted roof. I added the swing lounger from MudHoney – makes it a great place for lounging on a lazy afternoon. All the furniture/accessories seen here are pulled from Second Spaces, MudHoney, and the m.fox Collection (no longer available).

Swing by -abode- to see the Aldwyn for yourself! [SLurl]

**NOTE: Oh yeah, Aya reminded me: the house is available for just $250L until Monday night! Get to it!**

*Designer Review* -abode- Sephia Lake House

Aya Liotta is reopening her prefab home store, -abode-, and that happens today! She sent me a copy of her newest release, the Sephia Lake House, and so, dear readers, I share that with you. I’m a giver.

The house is a nice medium size, with great rustic textures, and very nice details in the windows and trim work. I really like how Aya has mixed brick wall sections in with wallpaper and panelling – it’s subtle but goes a long way to keeping that rustic feel. Just inside the front door is a large living area, partially divided into two rooms – the room with the fireplace and picture window would make a great dining room! To the left of this main area is the hall to the bedrooms – it’s a very nice wide hall, with a great window, so it’s definitely another area just ripe for decorating. 😉 Never neglect your hallways!

Before we move to the bedrooms (oh my!), I want to show you a close-up of the fire place. I love a large brick fireplace, just in general – what I really like about this one is the texturing on the back interior wall. The little flourish pattern is a great touch!

The house includes 2 bedrooms, both a nice size with great wall textures and beautiful windows for lots of sunlight. The first bedroom opens onto the back deck, as well.

Be sure to swing by -abode- today – I’m not sure what time the grand opening kicks off, but I know it’s today, and I know that Aya plans to offer the Sephia Lake House at a discounted price for the first 48 hours! Going forward, as well, she plans to offer each new release at a discount for the first 48 hours…which means you need to be sure to join her subscriber group so you always know when the new stuff is coming out!

-abode- [SLurl]