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Scholar
Original Poster
#1 Old 27th Oct 2017 at 8:54 PM Last edited by Fergus' Mind : 10th Nov 2017 at 7:21 PM.
Default TS3 - Fifty Shades of Grey Stone: Colour Choices for a Not-So-Stately Home
So, after a recent Pilgrimage to Derbyshire and the Peak District I've found myself very much smitten by a style of architecture I previously hadn't cared much for; English Baroque and Palladian Revival. So I've been working on a house to reflect this new found interest, a house that is largely influenced by my visits to Lyme Park (National Trust) and Calke Abbey "The Un-Stately Home" (National Trust), there also influences from visits to Kedleston Hall (National Trust) and also Chatsworth House and Sutton Scarsdale (English Heritage). But the main problem that is holding me back at this point in time is colour, as usual, although this time it's the colour of the stonework for the exterior. The appearance of the stonework varies across the properties and neither of them translates well into the game, particularly where the weather and pollution stain the facades. So rather than battling with the game any further to recreate the staining and variation I'm trying to make the facade largely one tone of grey, the trouble is which? Lyme Park mostly has a blueish/greenish tinge in whereas Calke Abbey has a distinctly richer yellow tinge.
I started off with a very pale pinkish/blueish grey:



And then tried adding more yellow to the mix:



Before ending up with a mix of the two:



I think the first example is too pale, the second too yellow and the third seems a happy medium, but I'd really appreciate some other opinions. I may still try some other variations if I get the time.
I then have the unresolved issues of what I'm doing with the balustrade along the top, whether to use the cornices on the flanking wings (right side of first picture) of stick to fences (left side and subsequent pictures), and then whether to go with blind arches (right side of first picture) or arched windows (left hand side of pictures) on the ground floor?
And then there's the other small issue of whether to complete the pediment (as seen in the second picture) or leave it without the bottom (as seen in the first and third pictures)?

But that's only one side of the story...



I'm very much inspired by Lyme Park's Jacobean origins and the courtyard design that it and Calke Abbey both feature, this set me on the idea of building a house that displays a slightly different time period around each side of its courtyard. This in turn means that I need more variety in the stonework/colour to reflect different periods of alterations. The yellow on the Baroque/Palladian front certainly doesn't translate well to the stone of the Elizabethan/Jacobean front.

I then have the joy of deciding whether to furnish it fully of maybe divide it into apartments that make it more playable and significantly cheaper.
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Alchemist
#2 Old 30th Oct 2017 at 9:46 PM
My normal approach to these kind of situations, is choosing the healthy middle option(s). If that doesn't work I try a brighter or darker shade.

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Top Secret Researcher
#3 Old 31st Oct 2017 at 5:32 AM
I like the warmth that the yellow adds. I have to agree with Johnny, the middle version is a lovely compromise.

I love the idea of apartments, since we have very little in the way of period buildings, now renovated and divided into apartments, as it would likely be if it wasn't an historic site or owned by someone with VERY deep pockets.

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dodgy builder
#4 Old 31st Oct 2017 at 1:38 PM
I would focus on making grey look nice. I would do that with 2 complementary greys. Like choose a color from one of the houses in Photoshop or something, and then select the opposite on the colorwheel for some details on the facade. They might appear the same, but will still introduce more life to the building. You might for instance like to have a slightly darker grey on the low ground floor of the house, while the upper part is more delicate and lighter. That gives you a chance to use the complementary in a slightly lighter shade and the opposite in a darker shade. Then you can use other opposites for the windows etc. It gives a grey house more life.

I sit on my laptop atm, I really have to be on my stationary with a spyder adjusted screen, to give your picture any real chance.
Scholar
Original Poster
#5 Old 3rd Nov 2017 at 4:52 PM Last edited by Fergus' Mind : 4th Nov 2017 at 11:26 AM.
Quote: Originally posted by Volvenom
I would focus on making grey look nice. I would do that with 2 complementary greys. Like choose a color from one of the houses in Photoshop or something, and then select the opposite on the colorwheel for some details on the facade. They might appear the same, but will still introduce more life to the building. You might for instance like to have a slightly darker grey on the low ground floor of the house, while the upper part is more delicate and lighter. That gives you a chance to use the complementary in a slightly lighter shade and the opposite in a darker shade. Then you can use other opposites for the windows etc. It gives a grey house more life.

Thanks! Yeah, making the grey less monotone is something I really need to work on.
I've experimented doing that with some variations of the third option/middling colour. I then took a leap of faith and tried to make it more blueish as seen on Lyme Park. I'm quite liking this variation, although it would mean fiddling about with the colour of the stone on the other sides and in the courtyard.



One thing I'm finding is that the colour schemes look good in the sunshine but then look horrific in the shade. I'm not too sure what to think about that occurrence, other than tweaking the colours for each side. Although I think the blue shade actually turns out alright in the shade?



Quote: Originally posted by attuned
I love the idea of apartments, since we have very little in the way of period buildings, now renovated and divided into apartments, as it would likely be if it wasn't an historic site or owned by someone with VERY deep pockets.

I was thinking less along the lines of modern apartments and more along the lines of state apartments where you could pretend your sims occupy a suite of private rooms as well as having access to the grander rooms and maybe the kitchens where you can have a live-in butler to do their cooking.
Quote: Originally posted by Johnny_Bravo
My normal approach to these kind of situations, is choosing the healthy middle option(s). If that doesn't work I try a brighter or darker shade.

Yeah, I really like the middle ground.
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dodgy builder
#6 Old 3rd Nov 2017 at 6:00 PM
On this phone it looks to me like the left color is fine, but the middle and right one needs to be darker?
Scholar
Original Poster
#7 Old 10th Nov 2017 at 7:20 PM
I think I've finally found a combination that's dark enough and translates well across both Baroque facades.



Although I think the columns ought to be a touch lighter and a touch yellower?
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Instructor
#8 Old 14th Nov 2017 at 8:17 AM
Gorgeous Fergus. Now if only Sims 3 lighting wasn't so flat!

Well that's what happens when you're on your own and you're alright at letting nice things go
 
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