*Quick Hits*

Happy Sunday to you all! There have been some very exciting new releases in the past few days – it’s been all about the prefabs!! You may have already seen these around the blogosphere, but I would be a very bad blogger if I didn’t show them to you, too! So let’s get to it…

(Elate!) Beach House: I know Kellie Iwish’s work from her (Elate!) clothing designs, which are quite gorgeous and yummy, and it seems she is branching out to home and furniture design! Her beach house has already made quite a splash (heh) from what I’ve seen and heard around the grid, and rightly so! It’s a cozy size, which I love, and the textures are just perfect, all soft and muted.

Her furniture is lovely; it complements the beach house perfectly, and is also a style that I can see used in many settings. There are only a few pieces, but they’re totally worth checking out.

I love the little details over the doors and on the windows, and I am always a sucker for built-in bookshelves! That’s the main reason we bought our RL house! I am very impressed with Kellie’s first offering for home & decor, and I can’t wait to see what’s coming in future! You can tour the house at the main location of (Elate!), up on the roof, here.

NOTsoBAD Maria Hacienda: O. M. G. I reviewed NOTsoBAD a few months ago, and gushed then about how lush and luxurious their items and textures are…this house has blown me away even more. Clearly, this isn’t for the prim- or wallet-conscious consumer, but if you can spare the space, the cash, and the prims, then you MUST get this house.

I’m using the pics that were sent out in the NsB group, mainly because they’re awesome and I couldn’t do better..but I did go to see the house in-person, and it was even more breathtaking than the pictures. This is such an amazing job of texturing, and just such a gorgeous layout…I may be semi-speechless.

Go see it here – seriously, go.

*Designer Review* [ba] Barnesworth Anubis

Anyone who has read this blog knows that I love Barnesworth Anubis Designs. What you may not know — or maybe you do — is that Barnesworth has just re-opened…grandly, of course…and is celebrating his grand re-opening with a sale and awesome freebies for you! Yes, you!

Barnes was kind enough to send me a folder of goodies for review…and as you’ll see in the pictures below, I was so giddy that I rezzed them right there over the water on my sim. 🙂 I’m not ashamed. For the grand re-opening, Barnes has 7 new prefabs available (OMG!), on sale for 25% off (OMGOMG!) *AND* he’s offering an entire furniture package at 50% off for all the contents in his newest prefab. Words cannot describe how awesome this is for all the design junkies out there. ……see? No words.

Here are a few shots of the Angolo prefab. This is another great example of why I love Barnes’ prefabs — it’s simple, not too large, and loaded with quiet style. I love the deck outside, and the large living area. I really really love the pass-through fireplace between the living area and the bedroom…and you’ll see in the second picture that there’s a small bath area partitioned off in the corner of the bedroom. You don’t need anything more than that!

The Trocadero set is new, as well, and is a wonderfully detailed set, perfect for indoors OR out.

In addition to all the new stuff, Barnes has also set up a tour of all 25 prefabs – with goodies in each house! As you walk into each prefab on the tour, you’ll automatically receive a free gift (sometimes you have to wait a minute or two, but it’s totally worth it!). These are not just everyday freebies, either — these are great [ba] items that you’d usually pay 50-250L for in the shop. Here are just some of the freebies I picked up on the tour — remember, there are 25 houses, so 25 goodies!

You can read more about the grand re-opening on Barnes’ blog – you really need to get over to the houses, though, and pick up your freebies! The sale and freebies will be around through this weekend – they’re coming down on Monday, so hurry!

*Designer Spotlight* New Release!

I was talking with Luna Benavente yesterday about the design contest coming up, and she asked me ‘Have you seen our new house?’ I had not, and I’m not one to turn down an opportunity to see a house – in SL or RL – so I said TP me! Here is the actual true response I had as soon as I walked in:

[2008/08/05 8:50] You: i actually just gasped

I’ve stated in this blog before that I’m not partial to big honkin’ SL houses – they tend to feel cavernous and cold, and you couldn’t possibly ever fill them up and make them feel cozy. The times, they are a-changin’. 🙂 The Deeb Home is a product of The Firm, a company formed by Luna and Asri Falcone…and it should be required that you go see it. Yes, you.

When I went back to the house this morning to take pics, I had a really hard time not taking pics of every square meter, because I love every meter as much as the last. So I’m going to try and highlight just the coolest things and tease you just enough that you’ll run right over to see the whole package! Now you know my M.O.

Entrance waterfall:

Super cool curvy ceiling w/recessed lights, over the living area:

My absolute favorite SL office of all time:

Recessed hot tub & bar in the upstairs hall — the coolest thing about this is not that they put a hot tub in the upstairs hall…it’s that they did it with such subtlety. It’s not like you walk upstairs and go ‘Wow! There’s a hot tub here!!!’ It’s more like you come around the corner and go ‘Oh! Well, look at that. There’s a hot tub. Cool.’ It’s not a focal point; it’s a hidden treasure.

Best master bedroom ever — bear in mind that this picture only shows the bed area…you’re missing out on the sitting area, the fireplace, the large cool TV, the master bath, and the cute little wardrobe/closet area. Go. Now. And. See.

The Deeb Home is listed at $L18,995. Before you fall out, let me explain! That includes the house (copy/mod) AND everything inside it. All the cool, sleek, very well-textured and animated furniture…the accessories…original artwork…working faucets…and more and more…and the best SL ceilings I have ever seen. Seriously, as you explore the house, be sure to look up. A lot. And, at 1372 prims (furnished), this is not a house for the 512 sqm land owner – but for the rest of us… 😉 as the info notecard for the house states – ‘be the talk of the town in your neighborhood!’

Check out The Deeb Home here. Enjoy!

*Second Spaces* New Release!

Goodness! I’ve had quite a sudden demand for my beach cottages as prefabs! I’m happy to oblige 🙂 and I’ve boxed up the 4 core styles, now available on the 2nd floor of the Second Spaces shop! You can see the different models set up in the NE corner of the sim where I have my rental community. I’ve still got rentals available, too, if that’s what you need. Either way, get to the sim and check ’em out!

Cottages are copy/mod, no trans; 1-story cottages are $750L and the 2-story model is $1000L. Enjoy!