Saraceno (Luxury Mediterranean Villa, 3 BR, 4 BA, Fully Furnished)

True luxury need not be defined. Instead, it defines itself. This dramatic, extraordinary home features striking details that begin in its extravagant columned entryway and extend throughout its majestic rooms and galleries.

Saraceno is fully furnished and decorated, and represents some of the most exquisite detail and exotic style of the Mediterranean collection.

Features:
-Unique, efficient layout with plenty of doors and windows
-Dramatic low Mediterranean-style roofs
-Fully landscaped with trees, fountains, and elegant courtyards
-Lighting and decorative plants in every room
-Safe and secure with burglar alarms, fire alarm, and phones
-Going up? No more climbing stairs--take the elevator!
-This spacious villa can comfortably house six people, with plenty of room to expand and customize
-And so much more--check it out for yourself!

This graceful villa was inspired by my Arriosa house (see the link and picture of Arriosa below). You can see that the exterior of this house is very similar to Arriosa, though on a much smaller scale! The interior design of Saraceno is completely unique, though many of the themes are similar to Arriosa's. This is the fifth house in the Mediterranean series (and there are more in the works).

Lot Size: 4x3
Fully Furnished: $324,391

Photo Album


Saraceno is a stunning blend of Old World elegance and contemporary comfort.


Unique architecture and dramatic rooflines give this amazing villa a majestic, palatial feel.


The distinctive style of this villa is further defined by the grand solana with its indoor pool and beautiful two-story windows.


The foyer of this stunning home is graced by a cupola with a soaring 30-foot ceiling.


Columned arches and polished marble floors give this villa its exotic, timeless atmosphere.


Saraceno's expansive, airy floor plan creates interesting and inviting living spaces.


Unexpected architecture and graceful details create stunning views in every direction.


An airy hall lined with sliding glass doors creates a seamless transition between the main house, the grand solana with its indoor pool, and the fresh breezes of the courtyard.


The luxurious indoor pool features plenty of sunshine and beautiful views through the majestic two-story windows of the solana.


Discover pure bliss in the elegant spa.


Relax in the comfortable sitting area and enjoy the view through the solana's expansive windows.


The formal dining room can seat up to six people, and includes a wine table and butler pantry.


Indulge your inner chef in the spacious gourmet-caliber kitchen.


This luxurious guest bath is graced with elegant columns and a splashing fountain.


No detail is too small--even this guest bath is painstakingly decorated! Saraceno offers guest bathrooms on both floors for maximum convenience.


The well-appointed study includes a large reference library and features a beautiful view of the front courtyard fountains.


Relax in the leisuire room with its state-of-the-art media center.


Enjoy a few moments of solitude in this peaceful courtyard.


The entire left wing of the house is devoted to the stunning master retreat.


The master retreat offers unparalleled comfort and striking beauty with its innovative open floor plan.


Greet each new day with a smile in the master retreat's private morning kitchen.


The master retreat offers a comfortable sitting area with bookshelves and ample light for reading.


The beautiful master bath is an irresistable escape from the rest of the world.


Enjoy a leisurely and luxurious soak in the elegant tub.


The master bath features a deluxe lighted shower for two!


The master retreat offers a private outside entrance, with an alarm for security.


Throw a perfect party every time in the spacious upstairs loft, with its DJ booth, dance floor, wet bar, pool table, and guest bathroom.


A sitting room upstairs offers a relaxing place to watch a movie or enjoy the balcony with its view of the front courtyard.


The comfortable upstairs bedrooms are large enough for a growing family.


The upstairs bedrooms offer plenty of windows to let in natural light, with curtains for privacy.


Each upstairs bedroom includes a computer desk and bookshelf, great for students or playful sims!


The luxurious upstairs bath offers all of the features that the master bath does, with plenty of room.

Floor Plans


First Floor, Right Side


First Floor, Left Side


Second Floor

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And that's only a sample of the beauty of this elegant masterpiece--you just have to see it for yourself!

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This house contains no hacks! It contains the following custom content:

A series of thirteen paintings (recolors of original Maxis paintings), created by me with SimPE:

-A Favorite Custom
-Bougainvilla
-Cattlya Orchid and Three Brazilian Hummingbirds
-Cupid With a Butterfly
-Queen Anne's Lace
-Rest
-Shirebrook
-The Favorite Poet
-The Haymaker
-The Horse Fair
-The Rapture of Psyche
-White Knites
-Work Interrupted

These thirteen paintings are included in the Saraceno Paintings zip, provided below.

Please note that if you already have the paintings set from Ferretti, you will already have a copy of some of these paintings. That's okay--the files are identical.

That's it--no other custom content!

*The house shown in the photos has the Millenium reflective floor tiles installed--these are NOT part of the downloaded version! The reason for this is that it caused my computer to run very slowly because of the overload on the graphics card (and it is a really nice card and computer). I didn't want to provide a house that might not run well for people. If you wish to install the reflective floor tiles in your own copy of the house, you may get them here:

http://www.muranomobilia.com/

**YOU WILL NEED THE CEP (Color Enabler Package), if you don't already have it installed, to use the paintings. Get it here:

http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=92541

***You don't need any stuff packs to use this house!

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Be sure to check out Arriosa, one of my most carefully crafted masterpieces! It took over two weeks of uninterrupted work, and you just have to see it to believe it! Arriosa is a luxury Spanish villa with a bold, open floor plan, elegant courtyards with refreshing views, and a dramatically landscaped pool.



Arriosa is here at last! Thank you to Delphy, Aquafina, Fresh Prince, and everyone who made this happen! Get Arriosa here:

http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=218204

Also, make sure to check out Cordillera , Montserrat, and Ferretti, three more villas available in this series. Cordillera is a featured download here at Mod the Sims 2--check it out!

http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=217261

My new series, Country Estates, is on the way! Look for it coming soon!

I will be adding to the Mediterranean collection frequently (it's my favorite style). I never consider a series finished, so you may expect to see some more Mediterranean houses in the future.

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My Policy:
Feel free to use or modify any of my house designs, but only for personal use! Please do not upload them to other sites. And please don't modify my stuff and then try to upload it as your own--I often spend days at a time working on a really big project and take great pride in my work. (My Arriosa house alone took over two weeks of uninterrupted work, and used over a hundred individual cheats!)

As for the custom paintings I have created for this house, you may use them however you like, as long as it isn't for commercial purposes, and under the condition that you give credit and a link back to my profile page here.

Thanks!

Enjoy!
Mairi

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Downloading Instructions:

To play the house as shown, with all of the custom paintings, you will need both the Saraceno II zip file, and also the Saraceno Paintings zip file. Unzip the Saraceno Paintings zip and place the items in your Downloads folder. Make sure you have the CEP (Color Enabler Package) installed (see the link above). Double-click the house file when you get it unzipped and it will install to your game for you.

That's it! Enjoy!

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Please be sure to check my profile page for any announcements about important issues or houses to be released next. Thank you!

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*This post has been updated, but only to replace the rar file with a more widely accessible zip file, as requested. The actual files are exactly the same.

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This house was featured in an official Sims 2/3 conference for EA! Check out the video here (and check out the cool sneak previews of The Sims 3 while you're at it):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX5w...from=PL&index=3