Words by Beq Janus
Photos By Judith LeFevre and Beq Janus (but mostly Judy)
The Home Expo is enormous, ten sims of everything imaginable to do with home and garden. So much shopping to do…and at times the sun beats down, hordes of people throng in the sims and you are walking through treacle. Wearily, you look east and west north and south as the pathways stretch off into the distance, leading you to more temptations. But there is much more to the Expo than endless aisle after aisle of merchants. For example, In Sim 2, Prim Perfect hosts interviews with top designers, your chance to ask questions of those exhibiting here this year.
You hear music, echoing over the stores, and a quick glance at the map sends you heading to Expo 5, the entertainment sim. In Sim 5, you will find a range of events, from auctions and raffles to regular live entertainment and DJs. Once you’ve spent a while dancing or sitting and listening, refreshed and relaxed you can head south to sim #6.
In Sim #6, you can take the opportunity to improve your skills and be educated at one of the popular builders brewery training sessions. It may not make you a better person but a undoubtedly a better builder.
A full schedule is available posted around the sim, but be prompt and dress lightly, they are very popular.
One thing you never do is lose sight of the fact its an expo. Every where you look that flat plain expanse of decking and lawn stretches off to the horizon. allowing you to quickly navigate your way through the sims. Whilst most sims have a feature area, such as the colourful fantasy flora of Sim #9 shown here.
and of course many have beautiful display areas created by an individual merchant such as the samples here, a very small sample of the variety of creations from talented designers on display.
, each sim still follows the same basic layout and remains predominantly flat.
Each sim that is except Sim #7, Sim #7 is simply put, different. Nestling at the North Eastern corner of the Expo map sim #7 sponsored by Pitsch Parx’s UrbanizeD brand is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the Expo at large. It is the only one of the ten sims that has been so fully and cleverly landscaped.
Most of the landscaping has been done by Pitsch Parx the sim sponsor, and whilst still conforming to the decked criss-crossing paths of the event, the rich undulating woodlands provide a more permanent feel.
The stated aim of “offering the best canvas for all the participating designers” to display their work on was the inspiration behind the design.
“We realize that we have been lucky to have such a huge concentration of talent on this sim; we are so proud to have them on our sim.”
There is certainly no shortage of breathtaking vistas. One of the losses of the flat expo style display that you get elsewhere is atmosphere and theme. UrbanizeD have created a beautiful setting that remains cohesive as it pulls together a number of styles without them jarring awkwardly. As you walk through the sim you will come across
Close by the arrival point is POST by Van by Van Austen, built onto the hillside rising from the decked pathway POST have provided two very different but carefully constructed buildings. On the crest of the hill a small church, reminiscent of a Scottish kirk, or a nordic chapel, a carved rune stone sits just outside, reaffirming the norse influence. Inside the peeling plasterwork and beautiful painted ceiling, build upon the atmosphere of the building. A peaceful rural church? Perhaps so, but it has more to say, for behind the screens, beyond the lectern, discarded bottles lay scattered on the floor, an overturned chair alongside a faded newspaper, suggesting stories of their own.
Outside, a wooden hunting lodge in fine detail, filled with the bric-a-brac of a seasonal home. The hunter is not here at present but his presence is felt.
I spent some time just floating on the gorgeous raft provided by Lalicious Designs. A tranquil idyll away from the crowds.
The house and greenhouse nearby are beautiful also, the texture upload charges on this alone could keep Linden Lab in profit!
I am not sure how they assign designers to sims but looking at the evidence as you wander around sim #7, you would have to conclude that a minimum bar for entry was an unhealthy obsession with texturing. Every surface of these builds, across the range of designers oozes atmosphere. All the wood, so realistic you feel sure you’ll get splinters if you touch it.
There is, perhaps, no better example to close with than Rebourne by Danny Bourne.
I fell in love with the Art Nouveau inspired mansion that sits towards the north-west of the sim. The spiral staircase, its shadows cast onto bare pink plaster walls evoked in my mind visions of the Tassel house staircase of Victor Horta.
It is in the detail of the texturing and the thought process that has clearly been laboured over that the truly remarkable talent of Danny bourne is best shown.
Danny’s almost obsessive attention to detail is perhaps best demonstrated, however, in the Marrakech home displayed just north of the mansion.
Launched upon the Second Life world at the Expo this building captures the very essence of islamic architecture, the rich colours and clean proportions of the building are brought magically to life by the unbelieveable textures.
I do not think, I have ever seen a better pool than the one in Danny’s new building. The subtle use of texture on the water’s surface to create an illusion of refraction, distorting the tiled pool beneath is inspired, his use of reflection and shadow is evident in both of the builds displayed and obviously a particular passion of his.
“I can honestly say that Danny worked practically solidly on this project for three months. I think not many builders have his patience.” Remarked Suite Sella Bourne, Danny’s partner, “he often says ‘it’s sick how much time i spend on a house! ‘ “. Sick, obsessive or genius, you will have to decide for yourself by visiting the expo today before it closes. You will find the work of Danny Bourne in Sim #7 but there are a multitude of highly talented designers throughout this event spread over a ten sim canvas.
Prim Perfect 