Welcome to the Homes and Tomes House Rally #10 – Dedicated to the MEDIUM HOUSE!!!
I’m your host Huell Kuerden, and we’ll be looking at some houses tonight that are comfortably sized! Having a couple of extra rooms really gives you enough space to spread out and express yourself – but not so much that you feel like you’re decorating the Coliseum!
These houses are often overlooked, with people jumping straight from a 2-room to a large house, but offer quite a lot, and enough space to do a typical suburban home, with living room, kitchen, bedroom, and study (etc.).
In addition to the standard in-game 4-room houses, there are some under-used prestige homes that can be used to great effect!
As we take a look at these houses, don’t forget to reward the designers by liking creativity and/or style! Try to wait until everyone zones in to Like a house though – otherwise the house can shift in the list and make it hard to find!
Don’t forget though! It means more people will visit and enjoy someone’s hard work!
For anyone new, we’ll be visiting houses via the Housing & Leaderboards selection of the main EQ2 menu. Sometimes the numbers have shifted a little, just ask if you can’t find it!
THIS WEEK WE’LL BE LOOKING (MOSTLY) AT MEDIUM HOUSES, SO SELECT ‘MEDIUM’ IN THE LEADERBOARDS, AND THEN ‘CREATIVITY’ IN THE ATTRIBUTE AREA. This does change, but I’ll highlight it if it does
And now on to this week of Norrath’s Gold! Our first stop is…
Bathhouse and Day Spa (#1 Medium/Creativity) done using the Tower of Knowledge by Tempting
I was very impressed by the work done here. It’s always nice when you can’t easily tell what house was used, and it took me a second to see the Tower in it. By reskinning the Tower with white marble and using Grotto Columns, Tempting gives a European/Southern mansion look.
As you look around the front room, note there are signs above each door/portal telling what services are available. I also like the Poppy/Green Wisp planters and the way the pool is filled in. The raised fountain works well too. Click on the portals to move to the other levels. We’ll start with Blue.
The Blue Portal takes you to a Steam Bath! Smoking Glacial Braziers are used to give the steam effect, and there is even a small control panel over by the door! The entry area uses a Wispy Vampiric Mirror to add to the steamroom impression from the outside.
The Yellow Portal leads to a massage area. A nice tranquil relaxing area without using a lot of brac-a-brak! Again, a nice use of color in the Rose arrangement.
The Red Portal leads to the bath/showers and is very nicely done with curtains, columns and minimal reskinning. There are actually a lot of small details in the room I really liked! The towels on the table, and Naiad shower fixtures are nice touches
This is one of those houses that makes me think of all the things I could do with it! One other interesting possibility – with 4 teleport portals plus the 3 that come with the house, you could have 7 portals! Lots of possibilities.
Would make a great wizards tower – I remember in a book I read that if you can’t teleport, you don’t belong there… One issue I found though! Don’t fall off the portal platforms – there is a very nice unused room on top of the main room. If you fall there, you’re stuck – there are no exits!
Wander a couple of minutes and then we’ll proceed on…
Out next stop is:
Crystal Reef (#3 Medium/Creativity) done using the Halfpint Vale by Lazaris
I always FORGET this is a MEDIUM house! Seems like it should be a Large, but the Halfling Hole only has two rooms plus the ‘garden’.
As you zone in, just take a look around to get the lay of the land. To your left is a dock, and next to it is a teleport pad! Go to The Treehouse.
Here we have a nice little 3-room house by itself, with nice views of the island. Take a look at the three rooms, and then take the portal to the Water Closet.
This is actually directly under the treehouse! I initially thought the windows were to frosted – but then thought, no – it’s a water closet/bath. Does look keen from other places on the island too.
Walk East and visit the comfortable Halfling Hole. Now just wander around! There is stuff everywhere both on land and in the water. There is a beautifully done reef (the nicest I’ve seen) just off the coast!
We’ll stop a few minutes before we proceed!
We’ll now be looking at a conventional house! Take the Leaderboards to:
Secret Santa Lounge (#7 Medium/Creativity) done using the Halas 3-Room House v1 by Frostiliza
Yes – I know Frostfell is over (thank goodness), but this house had some really cool ideas I had to show! I use the Halas houses A LOT so I know them pretty well, and this has things I’ve never seen before!
First, the main room is very conventional – though the Gnomish clock in the skylight is a nice touch! But look closer! Look at the use of the Nektulos Pine Tree on the stair railing! Neat Idea! I thought they were wreaths!
Combined with the bows and the Vale Candelabra (the candles) it gives a great festive feeling to the place! There is also a custom fireplace in the front to block the window.
Now go left into the side room! Snowglobe-lovers should be in heaven now – what a neat look! And take a look under the stairs – the reversed manikin cloakroom is a neat idea if you have some nice cloaks to display!
Heading upstairs are – MORE SNOWGLOBES in the hallway.
But look at the bedroom. The wall freaked me out!!! What a gorgeous, bright room with floor to ceiling windows leading to a faux veranda outside. Neat use of Cloudy Tiles, and the icicles do a nice job of hiding the seams! You can go through the windows to see them more closely!
Wander, and we’ll move on in a few minutes!
Now, go to:
Underfoot Manor (#8 Medium/Creativity) done using the Freeport 4-Room House v1 by Thullen
Here is a complex little house with a subterranean theme – something that is missing from the housing in the game! I was surprised at just how well this worked, as Freeport houses can be challenging to skin!
As you zone, look straight ahead at the little pool and waterfall! Lots of crystals and mushrooms to make the underground Impression work.
Note the rock walls are done with Crafted Altars of the Tribunal, which give a different look from the usual rough stone blocks or tables!
Go left and head down the hall. To the left is a bedroom, again with a nice pool and waterfall! To the left is a sitting room. Check out some of the items – many you just don’t see much!
Now, go up the stairs and take a look at the Toxxulian Guardian – drinking from the stump! What a cool idea! I laughed 5 minutes when I saw it! Just shows you there are some amazing imaginations out there!
Wander around a bit! There is a lot to see! We’ll move on in a few minutes!
Next, head for:
Stadium of the Norrathian Hockey League (#15 Medium/Creativity) done using Personal Planetarium by Mrrshaw
OK – this is a quickie for all you sports fans – but I found a couple of things to note…
First – yes, this IS a MEDIUM house if you can believe it!
Second – It’s a great idea! I loved the skeletal Frogloks as hockey players!
And finally let’s head to:
Gnomeo and Julietta (#16 Medium/Creativity) done using Opera House by Flamesong
Here is ANOTHER grossly underused house! I really like the Neriak look, and it’s a shame more Troub-types don’t make them up a homes. Lots of vertical space for subdivision, and the rooms themselves offer many options! Take a look for a few minutes!
Feel free to ask any decorating questions you may have. We have lots of experienced decorators on the tour, and some will even give you a correct answer if you give them a doughnut! So ask away!
That’s it for tonight folks! Have a great weekend and keep working on those houses! We’ll see you in two weeks on SUNDAY at the next Rally, where we’ll examine LARGE HOUSES!
Thanks for coming along for the ride on Norrath’s Gold!
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