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#minimalist decorating style news

suchananewsblog · 1 year

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Minimalist décor: making more of less

We are drowning in possessions. If you disbelieve, check any drawer, closet, cupboard, or chest of drawers in your home. Chances are, it’s filled to bursting capacity. Same goes for the many tables, surfaces, and counters — everything’s drowning in a surfeit of possessions. In 2023, perhaps the best thing you can do for your home is to make it the year of less, and embrace minimalism and…

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#Decluttered living #decor #home #Home interiors designs news #Home interiors news #interior design news #interiors #lifestyle news #minimalism #minimalism the hindu #Minimalist décor ideas #minimalist decorating style news #Minimalist decors #Minimalist home decors #Teja Lele on Minimalism news #What is minimalism?

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secretgardenfox · 23 days

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The living room is the public activity area of the home. It often carries functions such as reception, leisure, entertainment, audio-visual, etc. A reasonable living room design can make your home more spacious. Today I will share 12 elegant living room designs. Friends who are decorating can come and "copy the homework" together! !

#Interior design #Living Room Decoration Inspiration Library #Interior Designer #Living Room Background Wall #Beijing Interior Design #Modern Light Luxury #Decoration Case #New House Decoration #Modern Minimalist Style #Background Wall Design #No Main Light Design #Living Room Renovation #whole house customization #Decoration design #living room decoration inspiration #high appearance

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rosy-dreams · 2 years

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back to posting my regular content lol cs I needed to discuss the finale of season 4 aka volume 2

#post stranger things season 4 #aesthetic #new york #fashion #minimal #light academia #home decor #style #minimalist decor #pinterest #vintage #clean aesthetic #rosy dreams

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impossibleartisanfart · 5 months

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Hot new product丨The high-end sense of Italian minimalist style is perfect! Today I would like to recommend a hot new product to you CALIASOFART's Sky City RIA2-010 This Italian minimalist style sofa is an excellent choice for large living rooms Not only looks exquisite and elegant More importantly, it provides the perfect combination of comfort and texture

#Sofa #Full of design sofa #Decoration design #Italian minimalist sofa #CALIASOFART #Sofa[topic]#MINIMALIST style #MINIMAL #NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH #MINIMALISTism #Double Eleven #Double Eleven Shopping Carnival

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plushpixelssims · 3 months

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Kopenhagen bedroom

As promised I made the bedroom in the same style as the last set. Again the characteristics for this set are gentle curves and organic shapes in nude and earthy tones. Its a bit minimalistic and modern but still has a cozy and warm vibe. I also tried to incooperate some nice textures to give the fabric on the bed and chair some more depth.

The set contains of 9 new meshes and swatches. Its a good mix of furniture pieces and also some decor pieces. The bedding is animated to let your Sims have a good rest whenever its needed :). The set can be found by its set name or/and Plush Pixels.

You can get the set now on early access at my Patreon here.

#sims4 #sims4 maxis match #sims4ccfinds #ts4ccfinds #sims4mm #ts4 #sims4cc #sims4 custom content #ts4 maxis match #ts4cc

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novlr · 3 months

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how to describe? Houses, rooms, interiors, palaces, etc?

Creating immersive descriptions of indoor spaces is more than just scene setting—it’s an invitation to the reader to step into your world. Describing the interior of buildings with vivid detail can draw readers into your narrative. So let’s explore how to describe interiors using multiple sensory experiences and contexts.

Sights

Lighting: soft glow of lamps, harsh fluorescent lights, or natural light.

Colour and textures; peeling paint, plush velvet, or sleek marble.

Size and scale: is it claustrophobically small or impressively grand?

Architectural features: high ceilings, crown mouldings, or exposed beams.

Furnishings: are they modern, sparse, antique, or cluttered?

Style and decor: what style is represented, and how does it affect the atmosphere?

State of repair: is the space well-kept, neglected, or under renovation?

Perspective and layout: how do spaces flow into each other?

Unique design features: describe sculptural elements, or things that stand out.

Spatial relationships: describe how objects are arranged—what’s next to, across from, or underneath something else?

Sounds

Describe echoes in large spaces or the muffled quality of sound in carpeted or furnished rooms.

Note background noises; is there a persistent hum of an air conditioner, or the tick of a clock?

Describe the sound of footsteps; do they click, scuff, or are they inaudible?

Include voices; are they loud and echoing or soft and absorbed?

Is there music? Is it piped in, coming from a live source, or perhaps drifting in from outside?

Capture the sounds of activity; typing, machinery, kitchen noises, etc.

Describe natural sounds; birds outside the window, or the rustle of trees.

Consider sound dynamics; is the space acoustically lively or deadened?

Include unexpected noises that might be unique to the building.

Consider silence as a sound quality. What does the absence of noise convey?

Smells

Identify cleaning products or air fresheners. Do they create a sterile or inviting smell?

Describe cooking smells if near a kitchen; can you identify specific foods?

Mention natural scents; does the room smell of wood, plants, or stone?

Are there musty or stale smells in less ventilated spaces?

Note the smell of new materials; fresh paint, new carpet, or upholstery.

Point out if there’s an absence of smell, which can be as notable as a powerful scent.

Consider personal scents; perfume, sweat, or the hint of someone’s presence.

Include scents from outside that find their way in; ocean air, city smells, etc.

Use metaphors and similes to relate unfamiliar smells to common experiences.

Describe intensity and layering of scents; is there a primary scent supported by subtler ones?

Activities

Describe people’s actions; are they relaxing, working, hurried, or leisurely?

Does the space have a traditional use? What do people come there to do?

Note mechanical activity; elevators moving, printers printing, etc.

Include interactions; are people talking, arguing, or collaborating?

Mention solitary activities; someone reading, writing, or involved in a hobby.

Capture movements; are there servers bustling about, or a janitor sweeping?

Observe routines and rituals; opening blinds in the morning, locking doors at night.

Include energetic activities; perhaps children playing or a bustling trade floor.

Note restful moments; spaces where people come to unwind or reflect.

Describe cultural or community activities that might be unique to the space.

Decorative style

Describe the overall style; is it minimalist, baroque, industrial, or something else?

Note period influences; does the decor reflect a specific era or design movement?

Include colour schemes and how they play with or against each other.

Mention patterns; on wallpaper, upholstery, or tiles.

Describe textural contrasts; rough against smooth, shiny against matte.

Observe symmetry or asymmetry in design.

Note the presence of signature pieces; a chandelier, an antique desk, or a modern art installation.

Mention thematic elements; nautical, floral, astronomical, etc.

Describe homemade or bespoke items that add character.

Include repetitive elements; motifs that appear throughout the space.

History

Mention historical usage; was the building repurposed, and does it keep its original function?

Describe architectural time periods; identify features that pinpoint the era of construction.

Note changes over time; upgrades, downgrades, or restorations.

Include historical events that took place within or affected the building.

Mention local or regional history that influenced the building’s design or function.

Describe preservation efforts; are there plaques, restored areas, or visible signs of aging?

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light-yaers · 9 months

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tangerine. | part one [carmen berzatto x reader]

Fic Masterpost | AO3

Carmen shows up at your diner after five years, and everything comes flooding back like it was only yesterday.

Warnings: swearing, angst, mature themes [discussions about drugs, workplace abuse, family problems]

Word count: 5.2k

PART ONE

“What is the point of this entire trip if you’re not going to tell me the restaurants in advance?” Sydney whittled off, trying to keep up with the storming legs of her partner. “Carmen, are you even listening to me, right now?”

“Of course, I’m listening,” he said, peering back at her as his legs kept up their pace.

He slalomed through people on the sidewalk of 8th Street and St. Marks Place, with Syd close on his tail. She didn’t know these streets like he did. His prior positions in the city were prestigious, ranging from sous chef roles all over the damn city, before he finally made chef de cuisine at Union Square Cafe. As the time had passed, understanding came with it, but she still wouldn’t ever wrap her head around him leaving NY for The Beef.

She knew Michael meant a lot to him, to the family, but dropping it all for a sandwich shop in Chicago would always be something she’d secretly question. Syd tried not to think about it too much; the fear of him leaving, or bailing, and the like; because at the end of the day she’d bled herself dry for this.

A restaurant. A place. Somewhere her dad used to love, and would love after the renovation. The Beef was gone, it was true, but in its place would be The Bear. The product of all of Carmen’s and her hard work.

Syd sped up to a jog, until she finally wrapped her fingers around Carmen’s forearm. She tugged him back, and used it as an opportunity to catch her breath. “You’re not listening. I don’t even know where we’re fucking going, Carm.”

He gently tugged his arm from her grasp. “This is a last minute addition,” he said, before he placed his hands on his hips. “I just wanted to get it over with. Sorry for rushing.”

Sydney nodded at him, listening. “Okay. So, let me in, dude. Tell me about this place so I’m less confused, and you’re less… whatever the fuck this is,” she said, gesturing to his erratic behaviour.

Carmen shuffled on the sidewalk, peering around at shop fronts, and the abundance of restaurants that lined up outside Tompkins Square Park. This was an area he knew like the back of his hand, but one he hadn’t visited since long before he’d left New York.

“The first place I ever worked in the city. It’s not fine dining, or Michelin starred, or any of that shit,” he started, and despite the abrupt way Syd’s eyes widened from annoyance, she still let him continue. “The vibe of it, though,” he said, and chuckled the words out of his mouth in surprise. “Just, come on.” He gently placed a hand on Syd’s shoulder, leading her forward so they were on the same page.

From the outside, Lucky Strike Diner didn’t look like anything special. It was a small unit, placed betwixt two taller apartment buildings, to the North of Tompkins Square Park. Syd looked up at it, grimacing slightly, but she tried to keep an open mind. She’d been around her fair share back alley barbeques and hidden gems to know you should never judge a book by its cover.

When she glanced over to Carmen, he looked practically childlike. There was a glint in his eyes that she hadn’t seen since they’d first decided to bin off The Beef and bring in The Bear That wonder, that craving for something new, and excitement of something unknown. Nostalgia danced over every feature of his face, and she watched as he sucked in a sharp breath, before entering the diner.

Inside, the decor was minimalist, but homely. Black and white photos lined the walls, pictures of families, of friends, of celebrations. Cream and red colours graced the walls, and the booths looked comforting and inviting. Despite the drab appearance outside, inside was bustling. Practically every table was full, and the old style bar was inviting. Through the kitchen window, sparks and fire shot up whenever something burned, or flambed, on the grill.

This vibe, the one Carmen had mentioned; Sydney felt it all immediately. That warmth, like you were stepping into a family function instead of something elitist. Businessmen sat with their laptops, next to mothers with their babies, and grandfathers on their own. This was a place for everyone, and that was clear to see.

As servers scattered over the busy restaurant floor, one of them stuck out to Sydney. You scuttled, slaloming through tables with ease, as you made your way to the host stand by the door.

Saturday rushes were always hardcore, but you’d grown accustomed to them. You grabbed two menus before you even looked the two new customers in the eye, and let out a simple “Welcome to Lucky Strike Diner, table for two–?”

You stopped when your brain finally computed his face; a face you hadn’t seen in a long time. Carmen Berzatto was standing in your fucking restaurant. “Carmy.” His name slipped out easily, and along with it came a sickly feeling in your gut.

He cleared his throat. “Table for two, yes. Please.”

You glanced at the second member of his party, quickly, and shot her a smile. You didn’t particularly have anything to smile about, but it wasn’t her fault that she’d just been planted into the middle of this inevitable shitstorm. That smile disappeared instantly, as soon as you looked back at Carmen.

“Great,” you said plainly. Even disappearing assholes like Carmen wouldn’t stop you from being professional and civil at work. You loved this place too much, had been here too long, to do that. “This way, please.”

You steamed forward as you picked out a table in the corner, furthest away from the host stand. You didn’t want him in the middle of the room, where he could easily find you in the crowd of servers. Why he was here and what he was doing didn’t cross your mind until you seated them, dropping the menus down on their respective settings.

Carmen scooted his chair in, and peered up at you. “It’s been a long time–”

“So, have you guys ever been here before?” you cut over him, and mostly looked at his partner. She shot you a clearly awkward smile, but nevertheless shook her head politely. Carmen stayed silent, and bit upon his tongue. “Okay, so I’ll lay down the lingo for you,” you said, as you quickly went through the menu with her. “You need anything, just wave one of us down and we’ll be happy to help, all good?”

“Yeah, thank you,” Sydney said with a smile, before she looked over at Carmen. That smile quickly turned to a small frown.

“Fantastic,” you said. “Can I get you guys some drinks to start?”

“Um, I’ll take the lemonade, thanks,” Sydney ordered, as she attempted to hold this entire interaction together by the skin of her teeth.

“Great choice, it was made fresh this morning like always.” You turned to Carmen. “And for you, sir?”

A vein had popped out on Carmen’s forehead very noticeably. It was one that Sydney knew well, when he was either under insane amounts of stress in the kitchen, or fighting against the urge to yell. Maybe both meant the same thing, but still– she could see from a mile off that this was not the way he’d wanted this reunion to go.

“Surprise me,” he said, as he looked up and caught your eye.

You clenched your jaw. “I’m no good at surprises, so I’ll just bring you some tap water until you decide,” you said, trying and failing to keep things light. “I’ll be back with those drinks in just a few minutes.” You went to leave quickly.

“Hey, just–” Carmen reached out for you as fast as he could, but as his fingers grazed your wrist, you managed to snap your arm away from him just in time. He gave up when disappeared through the doors to the back, and dropped himself back into his chair.

Sydney leant forward immediately. “Okay, dude. What the fuck was that?”

“It’s nothing,” Carmen said bluntly.

Sydney started laughing breathily. “Yeah, sure, that was nothing. Don’t test me, Carm.”

“I– fuck,” he spluttered. “Just pick your fucking food, please.”

Sydney was a pro at telling Carmen to calm the fuck down, but this interaction had her stumped for a solution. “What do you recommend?” she said, switching her tune.

Carmen met her eye in some kind of silent apology. “Uhh, the eggs. The eggs are fantastic. And the french toast, that’s the restaurant’s best.” As the subject changed, Carmen delved into the menu alongside Syd. They talked about their menu ideas, and paralleled them with the dishes they saw here.

Maybe bringing a diner styled meal to a (soon to be) Michelin menu wasn’t so much of a bad idea. It fit the theme. The homeliness, paired with the decadence of the chaos menu they’d been discussing priorly.

In the back, you quickly punched in their drink order, before you slalomed through the kitchen. “Behind!” you yelled, as you made your way through each station. The chefs all shot you concerned looks, as it became apparent where you were heading.

“Is today really a walk-in day?” One of them, Paulie, said as you raced by. He’d known you for years now, and knew when something was fucking wrong.

“Yep!” you exclaimed back at him, tugging open the handle of the walk-in swiftly.

“What the fuck happened?” he boomed, but you slammed the door shut before you could muster up a reply.

Inside, you breathed alongside the ingredients. The vegetables, the homemade sauces, the fresh smoked salmon. It was cold, but not too cold that you couldn’t stand it. The cool air made everything feel calm, like you had somehow been transported to some Icelandic lake in the summertime. The air was crisp, and noise was muffled through the door, like the solace you felt by locking yourself in the upstairs bathroom at a house party.

Carmen Berzatto showing up out of the blue had been something you’d long stopped indulging in. He’d made himself clear, the last time you’d seen him, that he had no intention of continuing the working relationship or friendship you’d once had. It was only then that you realised how fast the time had gone.

You were twenty when you met him, the same age as each other. Both of you tried to navigate life together as you stumbled and fell, and got yourselves up again. You were on par with each other, both in intelligence and maturity. Paulie had liked Carm as soon as he’d walked through the door for his interview, and pretty soon after being hired, he’d turned Lucky Strike around like it was no skin off his back.

He was a refreshing change for the life you’d found yourself in. He’d made this place great, and you’d taught each other some life lessons. You’d always known he was destined for more, and you’d always been the first person to sing his praises.

Before his abrupt switch in personality, you’d thought fondly of your time here together. The same old grind of opening up the diner together in the morning. While he prepped for service in the kitchen, you did so on the restaurant floor. It was a collaborative effort, and without both of you together at that point in time, the diner would have gone under. That’s what made it sting even more, when you thought of your life now– you wouldn’t be in this position if he hadn’t come along. It was like rubbing extra salt in your already open wound.

You sucked in a deep, cold breath, and let it out slowly. The cold invigorated your lungs, and gave you the strength to continue with your day. Lunch service was on the brink of its lull, anyway, but having him there, sat outside, with his fucking face that he used to look at you so fondly with, you could hardly stand it.

A gentle knock sounded from the walk-in door, and you quickly wiped a few spots of sweat from your forehead. “Yeah!” you yelled.

“Come on out, sweetheart,” Paulie urged you, and you hadn’t been able to refuse him for the time you’d been working at the diner– so that wasn’t going to start now.

You pushed open the door and sealed it shut behind you, before you allowed yourself to peer up at him. He was a burly guy, but soft around the edges. You had no idea if he was in his forties or sixties, since he had one of those faces that were sort of stuck in time. He spoke like a character straight out of Taxi Driver.

“What the hell happened, huh?” he asked gently, patting you on your shoulders sturdily.

You sighed. “Carmen. He’s in the restaurant,” you said.

“Carmy’s here?” Paulie exclaimed, as he frantically looked around the kitchen. “Guys, Carmy’s here!” he yelled. A few of the chefs, who’d been employed here for time, started muttering loudly.

Paulie’s joy only made you feel worse, but you didn’t hold it against him. Carm had been a staple here all those years before, and had taught a lot of the guys all that they knew about their role. Literally. “Table twenty,” you said. “Knock yourselves out.”

Service stopped momentarily as Paulie and two other chefs made their way out to the restaurant. You stayed back, and peered through the kitchen window. Beyond the bar, you saw Paulie exclaim as Carmen stood up and shook his hand. They hugged like bears, and he introduced Sydney to them all.

Paulie’s voice was one that carried, so it was impossible not to hear every note of their conversation from where you were. “We’ll whip you up your old favourites. You still like salmon?” Paulie went on, and Carmen nodded and smiled in appreciation the entire time.

You composed yourself as best as you could, before you left the kitchen. You grabbed their drinks, already prepared, on the bar, and gently shoved yourself through to their table.

“Aye, aye, aye– we have hungry people waiting, Paulie!” you said, allowing yourself to don a small smile as you gently set down their drinks. “Come on now, back to work, chefs!”

Paulie squeezed Carmen’s shoulder, before he gestured to you. “She’s practically the boss around here now, Carmy. The big boss,” he said. Carmen gently met your eye, but you looked away as fast as you could.

“Alright, alright. Big boss says three orders of french toast on the fly, chef,” you said, grinning as Paulie held up his hands defensively.

“I’m going, I’m going,” he said, as he started treading back towards the kitchen. “Good to see you, Carmy!” he boomed.

“You too, Paulie,” Carmen said, before he awkwardly sat back down and tucked himself in.

You caught your breath again, as you cleared your throat. “So, it seems our chef has already picked your order for you. Can I get you guys anything else that he didn’t mention?”

“Uh, yeah,” Sydney said, pointing to the menu. “What is this exactly?”

You read the words just above her fingertip, and your gut dropped. Tangerine salade. You were torn between wanting to laugh maniacally, or leave and never return to the diner. Carmen’s eyes widened in realisation at Sydney’s request.

“Oh, it’s–”

“It’s–”

You and Carmen stopped talking when you heard the other start. You’d both gone to explain the dish– if it could even be called a dish. You held your breath abruptly and took a small step back. Part of you wondered if he remembered the entire meaning, but you weren’t about to explain it all in great detail. Not when it didn’t feel as special anymore.

“I’m sorry, you tell us. Please.” Carmen shut his mouth and sat back, as if he was on best behaviour.

“It’s exactly what it says,” you said. “Tangerine salad. Two fresh tangerines, cut into slices like big oranges, instead of peeled and segmented.”

Sydney smiled, amused. “Where did that come from?”

It came from Carmen. You had a habit of stealing fruit from the walk-in, when you realised you hadn’t eaten on a shift. Tangerines were always ordered, but hardly ever used, so there was always an abundance of them, destined to rot.

Carmen caught you everytime, eating them like orange slices, just so they were quicker and easier to scoff down during a rush. The juice didn’t get on your hands as much, and you enjoyed the vibrant colour they produced over the white pith that covered their segments when peeled. Carmen had taken it upon himself to add a new item during a menu refresh in the early days. Tangerine salade was born, and neither you, nor Paulie, had ever thought to get rid of it. Even after all this time.

“Why did you call it that?” you asked Carmen, gobsmacked to see it on the menu for the first time, all those years before.

“Salad didn’t sound as good as salade,” he explained.

“You chefs and your obsession with French words, huh?” you joked, as you rounded his station and dropped the menu down upon the pristine surface. “This is sweet, Carmy. Sweet, but unnecessary.”

“Not true,” he countered, bashing his shoulder into yours playfully. “Now that it’s on the menu, it’s got a button on the system. Whenever you need a tangerine just punch it through, and we’ll have two of ‘em, waiting for you when you get a moment to fucking breathe.”

You felt Carmen’s stare on you at Sydney’s question, and forced yourself to suck in a breath and come back to reality. “Tangerine salad is our version of McDonalds apple slice bags. For the kids,” you lied, but nevertheless kept a smile stamped on your face. Carmen looked positively pale at your response. “They’re good fucking tangerines, though,” you added, and Sydney chuckled in surprise.

“Okay, I need to try these tangerines,” she said.

“One order of tangerine salade, on top of all the rest, sure.” You made a quick note on your order slip, even though you didn’t need to. It was just a way to avoid Carmen’s stare even further.

For the rest of the lunch rush, you pretended like he wasn’t there. You did the rounds, topping up cups of coffee, and rushing fresh dishes and dirty plates to and from the kitchen. You stayed on top of admin when you got a spare moment at the host stand, and scrolled through invoices from suppliers.

Without meaning to, you’d stayed at Lucky Strike Diner for seven years. It was life for you now. You lived a few blocks away, through the park, but having an apartment felt like a waste when you practically lived in the restaurant.

You and Carmen had talked about so much, when you’d both been confined to these walls. What lay beyond for both of you. His dream to cook in top restaurants, and eventually build his own restaurant from the ground up. You didn’t really have any dreams, just the security and stability of a good life, and good people around you, but you indulged whenever he mentioned his own place.

“Well, if you ever need a front of house manager, you know where to find me,” you joked, as you wiped down the bar at the end of the day. Carmen poked his head through the kitchen window.

“Why don’t we do it, then?” he asked abruptly. You stopped wiping the surfaces, and turned around to face him. “Open our own restaurant.”

“Oh, man, I don’t know. Money, taxes, insurance, money,” you listed off, and he tossed a wet cloth at your face. You dodged it, and watched it crash onto one of the restaurant tables. “Hey!” You turned back, shooting him an amused grin.

“You’re too much of a fucking realist,” he said, as he made his way out of the kitchen and into the restaurant.

“And you’re too much of a fucking dreamer. These things take time, Carmy.”

“I know that,” he said, as he grabbed the cloth he’d thrown. He approached the bar, and leaned over it, bridging the gap between your faces. “We could still do it, though. Have our own place. Cook our own menu.”

You smiled at his words, and rearranged the napkin holders next to him. “Can’t do that when you’re about to join the big leagues,” you said, and Carmen slid off the bar.

“You’re gonna fucking jinx it!” he wailed.

“It’s called manifesting!” you exclaimed. “You’re gonna get the fucking job, Carm.” He pulled out a chair from one of the tables and dropped into it melodramatically.

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see,” he muttered. “You think Paulie will still talk to me if I leave?”

You were the one to throw your cloth at him now, and it hit him square in his face with a slap sound. You smacked your hands over your mouth in surprise, before you tried and failed to stop chuckles from cascading out of your mouth.

“I’m sorry–” you started, rounding the bar.

Carmen slid the cloth off his face. “You’re fucking funny,” he said sarcastically.

“I’m sorry, Carmy, really,” you said through chuckles, as you dropped yourself into the chair opposite him. You took the cloth from his hands, and gently squeezed his hand in apology.

A comfortable silence, one that you’d grown accustomed to over the past eight months, descended upon the two of you. All you could hear was the playful pounding of your hearts and the soft way he breathed. It was a relaxing sound.

“You’re gonna get it,” you said again, and Carmen only had eyes for you then. “And when you do, I can’t wait to go and eat the best meal of my fucking life.”

Carmen smiled. He’d always been shy, always quiet, unless he was in the kitchen. “My brother has a restaurant, back in Chicago. When I finished culinary school, I really thought he’d let me join him, you know? It could be a family restaurant. We could run it together, or something,” he said. You hooked onto his every word. “But, he told me no. Said he didn’t want me anywhere near it, and– I don’t know. I think that’s why I came here.”

You bit your lip, inhaling his words. “Family will always be our harshest critics,” you said.

Carmen scoffed, rubbing his tired eyes with his hands. “You can fucking say that again.”

“You know, my sister lives in Chicago,” you said.

Carmen leant forward. “Really?”

You hummed. “Has for a few years now. My mom didn’t like it when she told us she was moving, but.” You shrugged. “That’s just because my mom has never lived anywhere else than here.”

“Yeah, my own wasn’t thrilled about me coming to New York, either,” Carmen said, before he huffed in dark amusement. “It’s funny. She hates us, my brother and sister and I, when we’re around, when we complain, when we do anything– but she also hates it when we all wanna get the fuck out because of it.”

You smiled at him softly, in understanding. “They fuck you up, don’t they?”

Carmen flicked his gaze over your features. “You don’t seem fucked up to me,” he said gently.

“Give it time,” you said. Smiles slowly appeared on both of your faces, until laughter trickled from your mouths like drops from a tap. “One day you’ll realise just how messed up I am,” you joked.

“Is that a challenge?” Carmen questioned.

You scoffed, and raised your hands up defensively. “Fuck no. I don’t want to tempt fate when it comes to how fucked up chefs can be.”

Carmen pointed at you abruptly, sternly, but there was amusement all over his face. “That is an untrue stereotype,” he said. “Not all of us snort coke.”

“All?” you asked.

“Well.” He leaned closer to you, stretching his arms across the table. “Not me.”

You regarded him softly. You hardly got the chance to do this during service; just look at him. Hold his gaze, feel him close. You would never admit it, but having Carmen around was a constant over the past months that comforted you. You liked having him near, liked seeing him practically everyday, and it was clear that you got on enough to talk bullshit with each other.

When you got home that evening, way past midnight, you opened up your laptop and went to the Union Square Cafe website. You hovered your mouse over the reservations tab, thinking something crazy.

Carmen hadn’t heard back from the restaurant yet, but he’d only applied as the CDC there a number of days before. You knew he was going to get it, and felt it deep within your soul. That feeling is what lead you to book yourself a solo dinner, for the first available date you could possibly find– a years’ time.

You knew that, by the time that year was up and you were sitting at your table, Carmen would be in the kitchen, cooking your meal. You didn’t tell him about it either, but kept it to yourself for the remainder of his time at the diner.

You’d been right, when within a month, he’d gone through a rigorous interview process and landed the position and USC. Paulie had faked being mad, but it was clear to see the immense admiration he had for the young Carmen Berzatto. When his last shift approached, you had secretly arranged a goodbye celebration. At the end of a long Saturday, as you and Carmen shut up the diner and headed out, you were ambushed by the servers and chefs as you tread through the park.

Drinks and laughs were shared at your apartment across the way. It was the most you’d seen Carmen socialise in the time you’d known him, but he didn’t look uncomfortable once. He knew he had a support system behind him from the diner– and from you, predominantly. When the moon shone down onto your building, you found yourself out on your fire escape with a beer bottle in your hand. You looked up at the stars, and only looked away when someone shuffled out of the window and sat next to you.

Carmen crossed his legs next to you, and gulped down his own beer contentedly. You turned to him and smiled fully, overly excited for him to start his new endeavour.

He huffed at you softly. “You didn’t have to do this, you know,” he said.

“I know,” you replied. “Doesn’t mean I didn’t want to.”

Carmen shuffled awkwardly next to you. “I know, I know, it’s just–”

“For once, you need to be okay with being the centre of attention, okay? Deal with it.” You hit back, and laughed when you saw the way his eyes widened at your tenacity. “We’re so excited for you, Carm.”

Carmen nodded, and allowed himself to accept all of your praise, just this once. “I’m excited, too,” he whispered. “I can’t believe I got it.”

“I can,” you said. “If you don’t get some type of chef award in the next year then I’ll be surprised.”

Carmen laughed. “Chef award?”

“You know, like ‘Best New Chef On The Block’, or ‘Shyest Chef In The Business’, or–”

“Enough, enough,” he let out, chuckling. You weren’t done yet, however.

“Or the James Beard award.”

He scoffed. “Bullshit.”

“It’s called mani–”

“Manifesting!” Carmen finished your sentence for you, imitating your past words. You leaned against the wall in awe at his playfulness.

“So, you do listen to me sometimes, huh?”

“I guess I do,” he said, and shot you a knowing smile. You held his gaze when he gave it to you, because it was somewhat of a rare thing.

Maybe you’d always been too out there for Carmen, but he’d learned to live alongside you despite it. You were glad about that. You enjoyed his company more than you’d ever say to his face, and despite being so happy for him to leave the diner, part of you was aching at the thought of his absence.

You flicked your gaze over his face, taking in his features. He had a strong nose, and the kind of cheekbones that they talked about in women’s magazines. His eyes, though– God, his eyes– they were so blue that they looked artificial in some lights. Like the kind of blue food colouring you put in cake icing. Alarming, but also impossible to shy away from when he was properly looking at you.

He swallowed, and his Adam’s apple shifted in his throat. “I’m gonna miss you,” he said, almost croaking out the words. Your heart melted. Your brows furrowed softly. Your chest compressed. You let out a shaking breath through your nose.

“I’m gonna miss you, too, Carmy,” you let out. It felt like the best and worst kind of goodbye.

You hadn’t thought about that day in years. The last time you had, it was after your reservation at USC the year after. Coincidentally, that was the last time you’d seen Carmen Berzatto too, until he showed up at the diner and plummeted you back to those thoughts from those previous years.

As the lunch rush died down, you wiped the bar down from lack of what else to do. In the corner, Carmen and Sydney were finishing up their meal. Sydney had made an abundance of notes in a small notebook, while Carmen talked in hushed tones and spilled all the old diner secrets. With his hands clasped on the table before him, used napkin to his left, plates practically licked clean, he turned himself around to glance around the restaurant.

You sucked in a sharp breath when his eyes hit yours. You almost froze, but remembered yourself as much as you could. You tensed, and looked away first quickly. You smacked your hands down on the counter when you looked to the kitchen, and caught Paulie’s eyes. “I’m going for a smoke!” you announced, before you slipped off your apron quickly.

“Those things will kill you!” Paulie exclaimed back, his voice booming across the restaurant floor.

“Maybe that’s the point,” you muttered to yourself, as you headed towards the back door of the diner. You slipped a cigarette between your lips on the way.

Carmen’s gaze followed you as you disappeared through the door. Sydney saw it all as she sat opposite him, and had the strangest urge to give him guidance.

“So, shall we get outta here?” she asked. Carmen’s attention was still on the door.

“Uh, yeah,” he said, but his mind was still elsewhere. “Just– give me one second,” he said, as he stood up from the table. He started towards the door, and Sydney grabbed his wrist abruptly. Carmen froze, and looked down at her.

“Don’t push her,” Sydney said suddenly. “I don’t know what shit you guys have going on, but I’m good at reading faces. Just don’t push her too hard, Carm.”

Carmen regarded her thoughtfully. He nodded. Then, he was gone.

PART TWO

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lesyasun · 2 years

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◆ 200 Essential Sims 2 Mods, Defaults and Fixes ◆

I have just reinstalled my game and currently reorganizing downloads folder. I thought that it could be helpful to share the resources that I use. If you're starting over just like me, good luck! We can do it :D

All the mods are listed in the random order. But important ones go first. I also added tiny descriptions of what each mod does. Also, let me know if you notice that some of these mods conflict. I’ll appreciate ♥

This is an endless list, so I’m hiding the part of it under the cut. I also decided to share the PDF and word version of the list for convenience. Have fun! ♥

◆ DOWNLOAD ◆

Clean UI - changes user interface to minimalistic and modern one.

Clean UI for Bodyshop - the same style interface for Bodyshop.

Bodyshop Brightening - redefines the lighting used in BodyShop. Must be put in Documents/EA Games/The sims 2/Config folder!

Minimalist Bodyshop Background - put in the Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2 folder and click F5 when you are in Bodyshop.

Minimalistic Logo Screen

No Pause Frame - removes the red frame that appears when the game is paused.

Default book covers and novel icons

Better Bubbles - replaces the default blurry low-resolution Chat, Thought and Yell Headline Bubbles with brand new high-quality textures.

Talk to Me - a speech icon replacement mod that replaces (almost) all speech icons with TS4 icons.

Camera Mod Compilation

Widescreen Camera Cas

Maxis Match Lighting Mod by Dreadpirate

Maxis Roofs Default Replacement by Curiousb4

Clean Neighbourhood Templates by Jawusa - these neighborhood templates allow to create clean custom neighborhoods with no Townies/NPCs or if you want to play in EA's neighborhoods, but without the playables.

Clean and Empty Stealth Hood Plates by Jawusa - allow to get rid of Maxis families that appear in neighbourhood's bin.

Rural Charm terrain and road default replacement by Criquette

Linden HOOD Trees Replacement

Birch HOOD Trees Replacement by Sixfootsims4

Pine HOOD Trees Replacement

Palm HOOD Trees Replacement by Anima

Redbud HOOD Tree Replacement by Suratan-zir

Ginko HOOD Tree Replacement by Suratan-zir

Lowedeus HOOD skies + by Zena-dew-drop + by iCAD + by iCAD#2 + by iCAD#3 + by iCAD#4 + by iCAD#5 + by iCAD#6 - hood sky replacement which also can be seen from the hood view. Some of them have animated clouds!

Seasons Skylines - a custom objects that adds more realistic background in a hood view

No More Bluriness by Simnopke - replaces snow and beach textures into HQ.

Moon Replacement by Simnopke

Sun Replacement by Lowedeus

Neighbourhood decorations can be placed anywhere - enables neighborhood deco to be placed on/overlapping lots

No Rocks Hood Deco Mod - gets rid of those deco rocks that serve as placeholders when using certain hood deco.

Sim Shadow Fix - fixes Sims' shadows shown as black rectangles.

ACR - makes all the romantic interactions autonomous.

Pregnancy Wear Any Outfit - allows your sims to wear any outfit instead of maternity clothes. If the outfit hasn't got a pregnancy morph, it will appear on a sim without a pregnant belly.

Community Time Project - enables the passing of time on community lots to be spent on the home lot. When your sims come home from the community lot, they won't travel back in time as in vanila game.

Simblender - can teleport sims onto your lot, set family relationships, move sims in, make townies, give skill points, set career levels and more

No Plumbobs - removes plumbobs above sims heads and in hood view above lots too.

Sims 2 Sliders - various extra sliders for Sims faces in CAS. I have most of them except for asymmetry ones.

Invisible Stop Signs – makes the stop signs in the hood view invisible

Busy Roads NH Traffic Default Replacement - replaces Maxis’ neighborhood cars

OMSPs - special tiny shelves that add extra slots for clutter

White Roof Trim Replacement

White Floor Edge

White Wall Top

Antiredundancy - spawns one NPC per type instead of 3.

No Townie Regen - doesn't allow the game to spawn new townies when you create a clean hood

Breadfruit Tree Fix - yes, it’s a very important fix that must be in top 50 :D Maxis Breadfruit Tree is broken and when the lightning strikes it, the fire effect never goes away. This is so annoyiiing.

Build/Buy Mode Enabled on Community Lots

Community Skilling - enables your sims get skill points on community lots. By default they can’t gain them.

Sleep on Community Lots

Business Runs You - it will manage the employees, making them take breaks automatically, giving them reasonable wages automatically, etc

Autoyak - adds phone options to call friends. Automatically picks and chooses existing friends and calls until relations are repaired. This mode is required for the Business mod above.

Autosoc (AL directory) - adds "automatic socializing" to your sims. Sims will automatically use (un)friendly/romantic interactions to boost their relationships quickly.

Bathroomusesyou - handles many configurations of bathroom usage.

Macrotastics - tons of shiny features for automating tedious and repetitive gameplay, including motive-maintenance, businesses, socializing, and skilling.

Lighten Up! A Mod for Brighter Computer Screens

Custom Computer Screens

Sims play Sims 4 instead of SSX

Sims 3 TV Shows default

Day Setter - allows to set any day of the week. Can be useful when you move out sims.

Painting Easels by AnoeskaB - adds new easels and canvas sizes.

Exercise Equality - a fix that makes all the exercise machine equally used when they are used autonomously.

Exercise Tweaks - fixes energy drain for some machines/activities.

Batbox - there are many fixes. But I mostly use it to fix First-Born Syndrome. It’s a bug that causes all children born to the same 2 parents to look exactly the same. Save your game. Pick "Fix..." and then "Rerandomize Sim Generator." The game will boot you out of the lot, which is why you need to save the game first. Go back to the lot and give birth.

LTW Variety - lifetime wants for careers are no longer strictly aspirationally correlated, and will instead vary by appropriate interests and personality.

Physiology Fix - fixes the broken physiology skill that makes your Sims gain body skill points instantly.

Maxis Modular Stairs Passage Fix - sims can walk under modular stairs.

No 20k Handouts - eliminates the magic 20K handout when a sim moves out or graduates from college.

No Eat Crap - Sims will talk considerably less when eating, especially if they are in a hurry (because they're tired, starving, need to pee, have more orders.

No More Leafy Plantsim Hair

No Memory Uneducated - your sims won’t get a bad memory about not going to college when they grow up into adults.

No Quitting - prevents employees from quitting just because you didn't read their mind and realize they wanted a raise. They will complain but won't actually quit.

Nossrespawn - eliminates respawning of Secret Society members.

Townie No Memory Loss - prevents the game from erasing townie's memories when you marry them or move them in to your house.

Perfect Plants - gardens & shrubs will always stay in perfect condition.

Pet Coats Enabled All Ages - kittens and Puppies with patterns! ^_^

Pets and Children Share Bed - allows Pets and Children to use the bed at the same time.

No Rod Humble - this mod will nix Rod Humble from coming to your lots, and dropping off presents filled with computers. EDIT: This mod seems to conflict with Visitor Controller. Use this one instead.

Rug Fix - allows to place Maxis rugs diagonally or off grid.

Same Sex Marriage - replaces Joined Unions with Marriage for same sex couples. Includes relevant wants, fears, and memories.

Separate Top/Bottoms for non-Everyday Clothes Mod

"Shop-at-home" Hacked Coat Hook - allows to buy clothes at home.

Gussy Up Mod - allows to change your sims and townies/NPCs appearance and clothes for each category.

Simply Leftovers - allows your sim to put away leftovers as single plates instead of a whole dish.

Slot Enable Package - enables additional slots on the Maxis counters

Smarter Ep Check - the mod itself does nothing but requires for many mods by Cyjon5.

Television Placement Mod - allows to adjust the height of TVs

Watch TV from All Chairs - allows sims to watch TV from 45 degrees angled chairs.

Townie Apartment Residents - apartment neighbors and roommates will be chosen from the townie pool rather than social groups.

Traits Project - adds extra traits to your sims. The traits are objects that must be put into your sims inventories. Some of the traits are actually not just pictures and can influence sims’ behavior.

Use Inaccessible Beds - lets your sims get into a double bed where one side is against a wall.

Centerpiece Enabler for Maxis Small Objects

Equal Genetics - changes genetic rules for eyes and hair. It allowes recessive eye/hair colours to overcome dominant ones.

No More "Dance Face" - fixes the stuck confused face animation.

Pregnancy for All Genders

Same energy gain for any bed

Smart Beds - makes sims smarter about bed usage

School Vacation Mod - kids won’t go to school in summer and winter. EDIT: Unfortunately, doesn’t work for me.

Sunbathe Anywhere

Build Sandcastles Anywhere

Visitor Controller - allows to ban or control certain sims groups on community lots

Turn On and Offs Replacement

Zodiac compatibility overhaul

Personality Please! - opens up the more extreme personality interactions and animations (usually only available to sims with 0-1 and 9-10 points in a certain personality) to more sims by changing the threshold to 0-2 and 8-10, respectively, and other fixes.

Go Steady for Adults + Last Name Dialog

Visitor Snacking Fix - visiting sims will no longer raid the fridge for snacks during parties if other food is available.

Interest Age Mod - now all sims’ interest levels are truly random and not dependent on their age stage.

University Lifetime Wants (uni_ltws) - enables University career LTWs.

Sim Transformer - turns your sim into any supernatural.

Freezer Clock - this object will allow you to stop the time in the sim world and/or freeze a sim individually in a middle of an animation sequence. Useful for portraits.

Abort Bed Making - fixes the issue where once a Sim has "Make Bed" you can't cancel it (they won't stop moving, they just have to do it).

Age Transition Teens Keep Love - stops teens from losing their crushes/loves when age transitioning to adult/YA.

Antidateflowers - resident sims no longer drop off date flowers on their own doorsteps.

Glowing Desserts Fix - baked alaska (from the base game) and crepes suzette (from Nightlife) don’t glow after you load a lot or take them out of a Sim’s inventory or a fridge.

Community Lot Arrival Delay Fix - your sims will always be the first to arrive, and other visiting sims will start to appear shortly after.

No Welcome Home Hug - prevents kids from autonomously hugging their parents when they arrive from work.

Brighter Autumn Leaves

Bring Hobby Friends From Work Fix - fixes bug that causes a sim to bring the same Hobby Friend home from work EVERY DAY for the rest of their lives.

Arms at Side poses for BodyShop - in BodyShop, the thumbnail poses show the arms at the sides, but the poses used inside BodyShop are with the hands-on-hips.

Default replacement noses for cats

Chinese&CoffeeSitDownFix - sims will now look for somewhere to sit down other than just the room they are in when eating chinese food or pizza, or drinking coffee/espresso, juice, or an instant meal.

Apartment Buttlers - butlers and nannies can now enter the apartments of the people who hired them.

Call NPCs - reverts a "fix" made in FreeTime that prevents sims from calling almost all NPCs.

Fewer Tourists - the game is hard-coded to expect 12 tourist families of 4+ members each. If it doesn't find that, it gets annoyed and pouts by not generating tourists at all.

Genie Initialization Fix - fixes a critical EA bug regarding genie creation.

No Auto Urn Cleanup - prevents sims from cleaning up urns autonomously.

No Neutral Spell Alignment Shift - neutral spells such as Cleanius Corpus and Creatum Nutrimens won't cause any alignment shift.

Plantbaby Changes - plantbabies now get only half the skills of the parent sim.

Reputation New Friend Fix - fixes a reputation rewards bug where the game overwrites a variable, potentially befriending sims like Baby New Year.

There Can Be Only One Professor - game will generate one rather than two professors for each major. Gender will be random.

Community Phonebooth Replacement

Community Lot Parties - allows you to throw any party at any time on any lot.

Dazzle No Motive Loss - this mod prevents motive loss when using Dazzle interaction it adds energy instead of subtracting it.

Desk Locator - makes your sims to put their homework on a certain desk and not drop it on the floor. + some mesh recolours.

Pregnancy Controller Fix - removes unused and excess Pregnancy Controllers from your lot. All they do is bloat your saved game files and slightly slow down your game.

Leaf Pile Fix - if you tell a Sim to rake leaves, they will stop at one pile instead of continuing with more piles if they aren't having motive failure issues. This mod fixes that.

Default Glass Doors and Windows by Slig - fixes Maxis blue glass.

Put Your Books Away - sims will not drop the books on the floor after they finish reading them.

"Talk About Hobby" Want Fix - with this mod, the Talk About Hobby want is not fulfilled when the other Sim rejects the interaction.

Toddler Pet Stroke - toddlers can now use a cute stroking interaction on pets.

First Kiss Interaction Enabled - enables first kiss to be used any time you wish as long as the relationship score is high enough between your sims.

Food Already Available - before a Sim decides to cook or take a snack autonomously, the game checks if there's food already available on the lot. If so, it prevents them from doing it.

Front Door Hack - deliverypersons should no longer be irresistably drawn to the inaccessible door of the mausoleum in the backyard when making their deliveries. Garage doors are not considered front doors regardless of level.

Blocked Doors Can Close - doors that stay open because they are blocked by objects on the same tile are able to close with this hack.

Gypsy Matchmaker Fix - allows to interact with Matchmaker on a community lot.

Mean Interactions to Any Age - enables mean interactions for teens towards adults/elders and vice versa. Now teens can argue/be argued, tease/be teased, annoy/be annoyed, gross out/be grossed out and fight with anyone older than them.

Random Stereo Station - makes newly bought stereos choose a random station when being turned on for the first time instead of always choosing salsa.

Accessible toddler high chairs - allows sims to access any high chair from left and right sides and also access diagonally placed highchairs.

Already in Crib Fix - this is for the problem of parents and nannies getting babies and toddlers out of one crib only to place them in another.

Kittens and Puppies Eyes Fix - fixes the bug when new born kittens and puppies do not use default eyes.

Children can get cereal from fridges

Timing Fix - fixes broken aging or aspiration decay or any other timed event not working in certain lots/neighborhoods.

Transparency Fix - will prevent Sims from randomly getting broken transparency.

Pie Menu Strings Text Fix - fixes broken pie menus plagued with redundant functions, grammar mistakes and missing translations.

Look at Me Now - makes your sims look straight at you. Useful for posed screenshots.

FX Cube Default Replacement - this is a small package with replacement for fx cube, that shows only in nhood decorating mode and disappear in other modes, so it’s very useful for skyboxes and skylines.

Less Square Water Lilies Default

Baby Bottles From Mini-Fridges - sims can now grab baby bottles from the University minifridge.

Listen to Music - allows your sim to listen to music from chairs/armchairs.

Ladybug Extender - now ladybug loft can protect more squares from the bugs in your garden.

Nobabyharassment - sims spend less time around toddlers/babies and don't try to bathe them for 57th time in a row10.

No Dishes in the Bathroom - sims will not autonomously wash the dishes in bathroom sinks.

No Corrupt Death - the formation of the corrupted death memory, as seen in gossip of the form "jagged lines", "tombstone", "dead Sim", is now suppressed.

No Drop Tired Baby - eliminates pointless dropping of tired babies and toddlers.

No Reassign - attempts by non-selectable sims to reassign workers are ignored. Managers and community lot owners will not be able to randomly reassign workers when not controllable.

No Road Pillows - sims may no longer hold pillowfights in the road: The target must nowbe in the same room, and a nearby bed in the room is required.

Studio Lamp - the best lighting for portraits.

Mixedup Background Rug - the plain background for portraits of your sims. Some recolours in Curiousb Colours + Aelia's Retro, Jewels and Autumn colours, Pooklet's Unnaturals + Anna's Colours + Nyren's Colours.

Basic CAS Background

Prettier Bubble Bath Texture Default

Level Numbers Added to Job Titles

Phonehack

Plant Fixes - seasonal maxis plants fixes + some texture defaults.

No More Stupid Werewolf Hair

No Maid Hair - allows female maids to spawn with a random hairstyle.

Buyable Aspiration and Career Rewards

"Select your cemetery" after sims died - fixes the bug when last sim died on apartment lot, his/her urn/tombstone is sended on random community lot.

Mirrors Go Down with Walls

“Ask Sim on Date” by Phone Want Fix - with this mod, the Ask [Sim] on Date want is not fulfilled when a Sim you ask out on date by phone rejects the invitation.

Couples Counseling Icon Fix - replaces the icon of the Learned Couples Counseling memory, which originally has broken transparency, with almost the same icon of the Reunited With [Sim] memory, which is not broken.

Crepes Suzette Fix - this mod fixes the serving plate with crepes suzette. By default, it looks empty when there’s one crepe on it, and a crepe shows up on it when it’s actually empty. Now, it looks empty if it’s empty, and a crepe shows up if there’s a crepe on it.

Exercise Bike Fix - fixes various problems with the Exerto Super Exercise Bike.

Glowing Computer Fix - turned off computers don’t glow as if they were turned on, each time you have loaded a lot, or taken them out of a Sim’s inventory.

Go Under Spiral Stairs - with this mod, Sims can go (and you can also place objects) under the highest part of newly bought spiral stairs.

Half Wall Fixes - fixes meshes of half walls' rails and posts.

Insects Sanity - a bunch of mods that make insects sensitive to weather and environment, and make insect-related interactions more reasonable.

Jump Rope Outside.

Memories About Roommates Fix

No Greetings NPCs - gypsy matchmakers (from Nightlife) and Garden Club members (from Seasons) don't come to greet your Sims and present themselves whenever you play a particular family for the first time or right after you have installed an expansion pack that introduces one of those NPCs.

No University Aspiration Change - with this mod, the game doesn’t ask you if you want to change your Sim’s aspiration, right after they have finished their sophomore year.

Passers Dress Properly for Cold

Smooth Firefly Jar Light Animation

Basketball Fix - fixes the lot view of the basketball court.

Marriage Postmortem - the marriage "spouse" line is no longer automatically disconnected after death.

Functional Yoga Mat

"AnyCounter" Espresso Bar Station - invisible espresso bar counter.

In-And-Out Invisible Pool Spot - sims can dive in the pool from the floor anytime they want : no need to go all the way to the ladder or diving board to get in the pool, they can also get out without a ladder, and big dogs can swim in the pool, too.

Visitors can't take from Money Tree

Eat More Talk Less - will completely bypass the conversation if the sims is in desperation for energy, hunger, fun or bladder, or is in a bad mood. Sims with maxed social will talk less.

Better Phone Messages - replaces the pointlessly nasty telephone messages with more courteous ones. It also adds the feature that when the sim you are calling isn't home because of work or school, it will tell you when they will return.

Diagonal Easel Mod

Maxis Premade Sim Templates Hider - hides Maxis sims templates in Bodyshop and CAS.

#ts2 #the sims 2 #sims 2 #sims 2 maxis match #lesya2022ts2restart #sims 2 mods #sims 2 mods compilation

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hometoursandotherstuff · 3 months

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I have never seen a home w/so many different styles as this 1997 mansion in Olympia Fields, Illinois. 7bds, 12.5ba, $3.499M. Clearly, they couldn't settle on one house design. The once-decaying property was brought back to life by the late Rudolph Isley of the The Isley Brothers, and his wife, Elaine. Check it out.

They've tried to mix rustic lodge with very contemporary and provincial styles- looks like maybe the couple's tastes clashed and this is the architectural compromise that resulted.

It begins with a modern rustic look great room with contemporary decor. I do like the idea of a red & white color scheme. Look, even the black keys on the piano are red. (I guess money can buy anything.)

Modern office with a Baroque style desk.

This is different. The modern kitchen has a HUGE fancy French dining set for 20. Look at the size of the chandelier. The coffered ceiling is rustic. These compromises are way too much.

Log cabin style sunroom.

These rooms are too plain for such fancy furniture. It doesn't look right. Put up some wainscoting, a fireplace, something.

The primary bedroom is disappointing. Rustic fireplace, red carpet and gray furniture.

The en-suite has a modern stone / log cabin feature wall. It has such conflicting styles with starkly plain walls and floors.

This Pirates of the Caribbean pool room is amazing, though.

Look at the little shack, waterfall, and treehouse.

Love this so much. Look at the lighting, too. I would buy it for this, alone.

And, then we go to a huge brick man cave with a fireplace and kitchen area.

Then, we go to an octagonal log cabin room. They have the same Bose stereo I have, on the fireplace (haven't used it in ages b/c it plays CDs).

This is the huge bedroom of a Bulls fan with an en-suite behind an open wall.

And, here's a bedroom with a giraffe theme, but the only indication of that is some wallpaper.

And, another family room.

The home gym walled in glass.

This home disturbs me. A room that looks like a basement- no windows. One fancy bed and carpet, plus a modern side table and armoire in sterile & stark white room.

And, then it switches to retro diner in the 2nd kitchen. I do love these appliances, though. At least put up some Coca Cola signs, neon, or some retro decor.

The home theater needs some dark wallpaper and a black ceiling w/at least a popcorn machine. This home is too minimalist. I hope that a new buyer will spruce up the decor.

The carpeted garage.

Basketball court.

The lot is 3.7 acres and includes a private pond.

#mansions #houses #house tours #home tour #architecture

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dduane · 2 months

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Middle Kingdoms "Tale of the Five" Mark V covers, minimalist (type 1) group, TDIF

This is the only one of these where I'm not going to put the work under a cut, because there are going to be twelve of them before I'm done, and I don't want to bore people with the roughs in progress.

So this was the sketch for this group's Door Into Fire cover the other day...

And here's a rough example of what I was seeing in my head.

Possibly a little on the nose, but (a) I had to start somewhere, and (b) it was 1 AM when I finished work on this one and I was beyond caring. :)

The "since we're talking about doors, let's lean into that" concept is one that's appeared in previous covers on this series—both mine and other people's—but none of mine have looked this polished, because I just wasn't as good at this stuff ten years ago as I am now, and I've now got far better tools.

...Though one hilarious exception to this situation has been applied to the lettering. The extremely nice Eye Candy plugin from Exposure Software once in its much earlier versions ran on both Corel Photo Paint (my preferred design software for pushing three decades now) and Adobe's various versions of Photoshop. But for whatever reason(s), that situation came to an end. Now, I have Eye Candy for Photoshop... but I really hate Photoshop, and avoid using it whenever possible.

So in order to add some pop to the Cinzel Decorative font on this page, I had to go elsewhere... which in my case means to the little Samsung notebook computer that lives (mostly snoozing) in the front window of the living room, and is still running Windows XP. (Because of this it's never allowed to go online any more, as it can't be made secure.) I refuse to get rid of it because we've traveled too far together, and I've written too many books on it, and I love it too much. But its other chief virtue is that it will still run Corel 11 (which my newer Windows machines refuse to do). And the install of Corel PP 11 in the Samsung will still happily run the old version of Eye Candy, which has all the familiar presets that I tinkered together over years of use. I really need to sit down, eventually, and figure out how to train the current version of Eye Candy to accept the presets from the older one.

But today is not that day. Today I just plugged in the .cpt Photo Paint file and edited it to add the golden-colored effect on those letters. That was all this rough needed for me to kick it to one side and get on with thinking about the next one.

Anyway, for those interested in materials: the hand and the doorway were created using Daz Studio. The blue fire is stock art. (I do have a very nice app called Flame Painter, from Escape Motions, but I'm not yet expert enough with it to use it much in cover work.) The basic (parent) font is Cinzel, as I mentioned: both Cinzel Bold and Cinzel Decorative Bold variants are used in this cover.

There are still a number of things that can use some tweaking in this one, but as I said, this is a rough. Over the next week or so I'll get around to the other two in this set, and get a better sense whether this whole idea is workable—as if the style doesn't work well across all three covers in the trilogy, it's useless.

And now I'm going to go make some oatcakes, as @petermorwood someone seems to have eaten all the ones I made last week. :)

(cc: @mutantenfisch: Links to the print copies at Amazon are over here, if you don't feel like waiting for the new covers...)

#Middle Kingdoms #Middle Kingdoms meta #The Door Into Fire #cover design #tag to make finding these easier:#MK Mk 5 covers

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sophie-looks-at-stuff · 10 months

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Some Modern Aemond Headcanons:

Hey y'all! So the votes were pretty close, but by a slim majority it looks like one post per character was the winner! 🥳 I also just have too many ideas for certain characters! So I'm going to start with my favorite, the man, the myth the legend, Aemond himself. My internet is going to be a little spotty for the next few days, since I'm going to be moving, but stay with me! I'll get them all on here at some point :)

He has a big black/gray great dane named Vhagar. I saw someone else say he’d have a great dane, and I totally agree!

He experimented with different colors for his false eye, blue, green, maybe even the signature Targaryen lavender. But ultimately he settles with the sapphire blue stone. It’s different, and makes him feel badass, but also a little pretty :)

Mans is the embodiment of dark academia, from style to work ethic. He’d be a double major in philosophy, and history. Maybe a minor in business, just in case Aegon somehow convinces Alicent and Viserys to give him the family business instead him. He’d still be the CFO or something, but CEO does have a better ring to it…

He'd get his own apartment as soon as possible. He doesn't like having roommates all up in his business. He refused to stay in a dorm room with a total stranger, so he and Aegon teamed up for once to convince Alicent to let them do an apartment together instead. But after a year or so, Aemond needed his own space… Aegon isn’t exactly neat and tidy sometimes.

Speaking of his apartment, I think Aemond would be pretty minimalist. He doesn't super love clutter. But his office might be the one exception. Since he's a double major with a minor, he's got a lot of textbooks, and novels lying around. Unlike Helaena, he's not a collector, or a huge fan of nic nacs. But he does have his posh tea, and I think he'd have a small collection of about 3 or 4 daggers.

It would be interesting to see him with an s/o that is a collector, he'd probably end up designating a part of his house to them for all their little things. He could handle a small corner or bookshelf, but it grows on him overtime. And he gets secretly a little excited every time they bring something new home. "Hey look what I got at the antique store today!" "Add it to the shelf love :)"

Definitely a smoker. He knows it’s a bad habit, but he’s not super driven to quit either. It’s a stress reliever, and it gives him something to do while thinking. Helps him process stuff. (also it’s just kind of hot to think of Aemond with a leather coat and a cigarette, plus that motorcycle I mentioned earlier…)

Black is his favorite color/shade, at least for clothing and interior decorating. But ever since he was a kid he's had a thing for blue, a deep ocean, sapphire blue. That's probably why he settles on the blue sapphire for his eye.

Modern boyfriend Aemond would be a secret romantic I think. He didn't really have many girlfriends if any in high school. He'd have had his first kiss and all that, but they weren't really on his radar. Part of me thinks Aemond would be with someone a slightly more extroverted than himself. They would get him out of the house a little more, even if it's just to take Vhagar for a longer evening walk than usual.

I think one of his love languages would be gift giving. He can be a little closed off sometimes, so when words seem to fail him, he'd find a way through gifts. They'd range from a bouquet of your favorite flowers, to a private dinner at the nicest restaurant in town. You saw a dress, or top you liked online? It would be nicely wrapped in a box on your bed within the next couple days.

He needs someone with patience. He's insecure about his eye sometimes, (not all the time, cause I feel like he has some days where he's totally feeling it). He might take a while to let down some walls, but when he does, you can read him like a book. You see him squint a little at something his brother said? You know he's annoyed and wants to change the subject.

Looovvessss dark chocolate. More particularly though, he loves chocolate covered espresso beans. It's his snack when studying.

He runs cold, he has an extra layer with him at all times. Sometimes it's a sweater under his leather jacket, or a scarf Alicent made him tucked into his bag.

#aemond targaryen x reader #aemond imagine #aemond x you #aemond fic #modern aemond #hotd headcanon #modern hotd #aemond headcanons #modern au #headcanon #aemond x reader #aemond fanfiction #team green #hotd memes #aemond x oc #hotd season 1

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itsonlythee-sims · 5 months

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I saw this tumblr post and decided the Sims should also be able to add Holiday Decoration to their homes. This is a new low poly wall deco- a paper header tag themed on 6 different holidays hastily pinned to the wall with a matching thumbtack. Happy holidays!

More info and download after the cut.

Doing the bare minimum to decorate for the holidays. For Sims with a good sense of humor.

base game compatible

new original mesh and textures

6 swatches (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Halloween, Valentines, and New Year's Eve)

low poly - 116 polygons / 80 polygons

found under Deco > Clutter, Misc. Deco

Simlish text for maximum immersion

color tagged, style tagged for holidays, shabby

§3 simoleons

catalog search: itsonlythee minimalist meme holiday paper

Download (no ads)

➤ Simsfileshare | Mod the Sims | Cf

ToU

Fonts used: Simlish Lengiza, several Franzilla fonts

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nightcolorz · 4 months

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ARMAND IS NOT A MINIMALISM GIRLY I STG

my bad if this is an old news take I'm not sure, but I needed to get it out there regardless cuz I've got big thoughts.

So,, at least from what I've seen the perception around the state of the Dubai situation in amc iwtv is that Louis seems super miserable and "off" in the penthouse, and based on what we know of him in the books and in the show he is definitely not the type of character who would enjoy living in a sterile prison like minimalist hell, he likes coziness and warmth and humanity--which yes agreed. So the fair assumption to make is that since Louis doesn't enjoy his living situation, and he is living with a sterile off-putting ancient unknowable vampire who's cold personality aligns with the aesthetic of the penthouse, this probably means Armand is the orchestrater of this life style and is likely keeping Louis there despite his unhappiness.

I disagree!! With this!! I think assuming that Armand would hold someone prisoner is not out of line, but assuming that Armand would hold Louis prisoner in a house *like that* is just very unlike him. If Armand was the mastermind manipulator behind the penthouse prison that shit would be lavish, it'd be decked out. Louis would be so spoiled it'd be borderline ridiculous that he would ever want to leave. Armand is not beyond imprisoning his lovers, but he is beyond bad taste, and he knows home decor like a mf. His love language is essentially providing the people he loves with as much lavishness and belongings as they could possibly want until they hate him for it. Sugar daddy king. In devil's minion Daniel was arguably being kept against his will, yet he was being kept in a beautiful incredibly rich island mansion with every mortal possession he could ever want. Armand would not create the penthouse!! He would never stoop so ugly. I could only see him doing smth like this if he was furiously hateful of Louis,, like absolutely despised him, and idk about u but I do not get that vibe!! They definitely seem strained, but Armand very clearly wants Louis to be taken care of and protected.

So if armand is not designing the penthouse, who is, is the question now.. Well,, Armand may not be a character who builds a lifestyle with the intention of self restriction, dullness, and a lack of indulgence that feels prison like stale self isolating and full of agony, but you know who would? I wonder which vampire chronicles character would create a penthouse designed so that he can access as little stimulation joy or lavish possessions as possible, in the style of the monk, alongside an ethical yet plainly grotesque system of blood feeding that doesn't take human life. I wonder who would do that.. it couldn't possibly be Louis...the character who in the books denies himself new clothes or a nice house or technology because he "doesn't deserve it". Yah it's a mystery really. Lmfao.

I think Louis has built a prison of his own making bcus he sees himself as some sort of needy unhinged beast that needs to be caged in a scary under stimulating tower for the betterment of society. And Armand is assisting him begrudgingly under marriage and love obligation. The theory that the penthouse situation feels like watching a caged animal bite on its bars is one I agree with, but not for Louis, for Armand. Armand is restless bro he is on edge Louis is in his god damn self hating priestly self flagellation elementttt. They r both miserable and trapped but I think it's much more mutual then is often recognized. Throughout the season Louis is in control ASF and I don't think that was just an act. I'll see myself out now lmfao