Preface

Hey everyone! We’re back again with “Panda Retreat Part 2”! And unlike every other Part 2 I’ve ever done, it’s actually being posted in the same month as the first part. If you missed Part 1, where I walk you through how I decorated the exterior of this challenging house, be sure and check that out first: Here! Need some help starting off so that you actually have a house to decorate? See my other post about the Treetop getaway: Here!

So, recapping a bit, today we’re going to be working with one of the rarer houses in the game: The Treetop Getaway. Not only is this house challenging to craft, but it’s also just odd tough layout wise as well. While I know that not every house has perfectly rectangular rooms (that’d be super boring anyway) this one in particular creates problems due to room shape and the unique factor that nearly every level of the home has its own exterior door.

However, this is precisely why the “Retreat” concept suits it so well. In theory, guests could use all of those doors to access the amenities on the outside. It also allows us to work with the odd room shapes and sizes, rather than against them. Let’s get into it! (and it’ll make more sense, I swear)

Ground Floor

This room is probably the most unique strangest for two reasons: its size and its shape. However, after a good long while spent dithering around about how to orient many different types of furniture…I think I even fully glitched a fireplace in… I realized that the best way to tackle this was to split this room into three different sections and use its unique elements to my advantage. This is where our retreat concept really comes into play! I decided to design a Lobby/Reception area, a main Cafe area, and a Kitchen.

Before

After

Reception Area

Every place that caters to guests needs a lobby/reception area. At first, it’s a little daunting to plot out exactly where the edges of the space would be since the room is large and open concept. However, note a helpful corner before the first window which I used to draw the “lines” of the Lobby.

Quick Tip | Defining the Lobby

• Whenever I’m trying to create a room with multiple sections to it, whether it’s open concept in the end or not, I always define the borders of each area.
• When I was creating my lobby here I decided to use Large Tree Stumps. They’re almost identical in look to Large Willow Trees, with the exception that they don’t have tops. However, in this case all a top would do is wreck the decoration of the floors above. They are the perfect height for this room! Not so high that they poke through the floor above and not too small. 
• Now, if you aren’t into the Large Willow Tree look, this would also be a great opportunity to use the Bamboo Fences from the Pandamonium Pack! (If the pack deigns to give enough to you, that is)

First up on the decorating docket was the actual reception counter! This was an easy thing to put together in a relative sense. No real glitching needed! What I find to be really adorable about this set up is that it’s close enough to the Bank that when your wizard walks up the counter they can access the Bank! (Get it? It’s as if the counter attendant is helping them with that! Just trust me, it’s cute…) Another highlight of this part of the lobby is the Lionfish swimming behind the counter. I decided to include him, in addition to the Landscape Painting, because I wanted to add just a little more visual interest to the counter area. The movement of the fish and subtle animations in the tank does exactly that.

Waiting Area

The other half of the lobby was also pretty straightforward, though it did involve a little glitching. I’m a big fan of small moving details, especially this little Bamboo Fountain! It just looks great on this side table (the Walrusk Round Table, surprisingly) and the movement adds visual interest. Adding some color to the walls on either side of the front door are Pandamonium Banners. For some reason I got like five of these… This couch from Mooshu Furniture Pack 2 is a great fit for this space! I love that it follows the angle of the wall behind it. I loved the fact that it clips with my Large Tree Stump less..but I’ve managed to get over it. The little bamboo detail also really helps to set the tone for the rest of the ground floor!

Restaurant

I am literally the biggest fan of making restaurants in this game. The next part of the ground floor is a combined restaurant and bar area for relaxing wizards! Most of this was easy to put together, though I did have to glitch the little seats closer to the tables. Something I knew right away when designing this space was that I wanted the MooShu Cooking Hearth in the center of the room. This is one of my all time favorite housing items. I just love the detailed texture on the pot itself and the super subtle animation.

Remember when I said that the bamboo on the back of the couch would set the tone for the rest of the ground floor? I love the way all the bamboo ties together in this space specifically. Both the MooShu Cooking Hearth and the Bamboo Vases from the Pandamonium Pack create this lovely leafy look (alliteration ftw! I cannot be stopped!) really lovely leafy space!

Separating the actual Restaurant seating area from the Kitchen area, is gorgeous Soji Screen Art from the Emperor’s Attic pack. There are actually two different versions of this item, but this highly detailed version is by far my favorite. I used it a couple of times throughout this house! (And that’s ok! Creating some consistency in the decor is a good thing!)

Bar

The bar was created by glitching two Arched Counters together. I’ll admit, it turned out a little bit hinky because of the way the walls are, but it’s negligible. What was really important to me was having a bar length that was proportionate to the rest of the room. The MooShu Wash Basin creates a really cute interactive element here and is just the perfect size! This allows my wizard to “work behind the bar,” whereas a larger sink would obstruct the space.

Kitchen

Oh kitchens, how I love thee. By far my favorite thing to decorate, this kitchen was a bit of a challenge for me! As you can see in my screenshots, this is really because this is the weirdest part of the room layout. The walls here are not working with you, decorators. They are not really your friend. However, because it’s a kitchen, I think it lends itself super well to the oddness of the walls. The main nook was a prime place to put the main cooking area. If you look closely, this is almost like a kitchen with an island but condensed and vertical rather than horizontal. The MooShu Kitchen Counter, the Decorative MooShu Cabinets, the Imperial Grand Buffet, and even the Imperial Bedside Table do all the heavy lifting here and keep the kitchen as consistent as possible with the rest of the house’s decor.

As usual, the details/little items you see included in the kitchen are a mix of items from the bazaar, Crowns Shop things available for gold, and crafted items using recipes available from the real mvp Grizzleheim’s housing recipe vendor Torald Wayfinder. (I have his name memorized you guys. I literally do not have to double check at this point.) You’ll see two of my favorite food items here: The Pot of Soup (on the counter on the right) and the Breakfast Pan! (frying over the heat) (You will not, however, see a Jar of Mushrooms, because I’m not made of Nightshade you guys.)

Quick Tips | Increasing Kitchen Realism

• A big part of this is just proximity.
• Note how the book and pot of soup are near each other? You can almost infer that it’s a recipe book for the soup. Similarly the basket of eggs sits near the frying pan.
• Proximity sometimes has to be “forced” because some items don’t like to be very near other things. A prime example of this are the baskets in the pantry nook. In reality they’d be grouped together like that, so I glitch them so they sit tightly.

Contrasting the consistent decor a bit is actually the Ravenscar Yumgarten Table. However, I tried my best to glitch this so it looked more like it was part of the Treetop Getaway house itself, a natural part of the infrastructure. I know what you’re wondering “Why use this table when you’re the queen of consistency and break the clear theme?” Well friends, I had a problem and it’s that the “cooking surface” available for the MooShu theme is the Cooking Hearth. As you know, I already used as a fab centerpiece in the Restaurant space. Honestly, though, this Ravenscar table is one of the best stoves/cooking items available in the game. I love the smoke and embers that rise up from the table. It makes the magical Breakfast Pan look so perfectly placed!

Taking advantage of the next nook created by the walls, I created a pantry space. Oranate Shelves are a staple for me because they can fit so many little decor items! I aimed to have items on the shelves that fit with the restaurant setting, rather than ingredient jars better suited to a potions lab.

Second Floor

The smallest room in the house!

Before

After

We’re finally on to the second floor! Yay us! Since this house is supposed to be a retreat/spa, a natural room addition is an area to get manicures and pedicures! All the items here are working to keep consistent with some element of the decor. The plant life, as well as items from Moolinda’s Life School Furniture Pack, included in the room keeps the jungle theme consistent, while the House stage set, Birchwood Stool, and Jade Palace Bookcase bring a bit of MooShu to the room.

The addition of the House Stage Set was a later one. I had set up the room but it just wasn’t MooShu enough. Now, I know that there’s a surprise ninja that can be triggered by this housing item. However, you have to be quite close to get the prompt to hit x. So, I placed the Elephant Ear plant to discourage wizards from going inside the set and thus try to avoid giving them the ability to activate the ninja pig!

This set up was probably the trickiest part of the room because it required a bit of planning and glitching. The Primal Dye set acts as the “nail colors.” Because of its size, I placed it on the table first. I then glitched Moolinda’s Refreshing Sink up into the spot I wanted it. After all, every nail salon needs a pretty sink. Lastly, the bookcase was glitched into place to hide the edges of the sink that overhang the table.

Third Floor

This room is a little bigger than the second floor. As a result of the way that the ramps work it’s also a little less restrictive in terms of where items can be placed. I wanted to utilize the horizontal space as best I could!

Before

After

Next up: the Massage Area! Again, this is a room that this concept wouldn’t be complete without. (In my mind it’s just panda cubs walking back and forth across your back working all the knots out…) Luckily the MooShu furniture and decor really has such natural, relaxing vibes tones to it already! I wanted to give any guests getting a panda massage some privacy, and thus created the Kimono and Gong “wall”.

Bamboo comes back into play here, most obviously in the Mossy Bamboo Obelisks, as well as in the Pandamonium Banner. Also hanging on the walls, surprisingly, are two Ancient Darkmoor Tapestries. They’re actually one of the more versatile wall hangings that I’ve found! The faded markings can honestly be anything and they’re so thin and vertical that they fit on many different walls. Unsurprisingly, the ambiguously named MooShu inspired Single Bed looks perfect with this concept! This was also a great place to put the music player, providing calming notes to the whole interior of the house. (Technically it’s the MooShu Haunted theme, but it’s easily the most relaxing of all the MooShu musical tracks! Again, just trust me.)

I would have added a couple of Bamboo Vases or the Panda Chimes from the Pandamonium Pack, if I had gotten any more of them! (Honestly, just one set of chimes!)

Fourth Floor

This floor is a larger space, but is actually rather challenging because of its shape. A circular room is not your friend, decorators. It’s also by far the most elaborate space in the interior of the house. (It’s the grand finale!)

Before

After

Dressing Room

While there is a spa/pool space outside of the house, this whole top floor is intended to be the indoor spa. Outside, the tub is found behind a door, which in theory, gives any guests using the amenity some privacy. In this case, I wanted to create a dressing room for those using the indoor pool. Remember when I said I used the Soji Screen Art again? Here it is! The trick to this was placing it so that the ramp to the room wasn’t obstructed. Luckily, like the ground floor, this room also has a little nook that can be filled with furniture and decor!

I wanted the space to feel both comfortable and cozy. The soft pinks in the Dresser with Flowers, Soji Screen Art, and MooShu Floor Rug help to accomplish that tone, as well as the plush Imperial Slumber Chair. Guests using the pool would need towels, so the MooShu Towel Rack was a natural fit here. They’d also need a place to stow their gear, so I’ve provided them with both this gorgeous animated dresser and two hat stands!

Quick Tips | Dressing Room Essentials

• Towels – Find a variety of different towel racks in the Furniture Packs available for gold in the Crowns Shop!
• Clothing Storage  – Dressers and cabinets can also be found in furniture packs, as well as in the Bazaar. The Dresser with Flowers, which can be found in the Bazaar and in the Emperor’s Attic Pack, is by far my favorite because of its interactivity!
• Cozy Seating – There are so many awesome chairs available in game! Start at the Bazaar!

Upper Level

Up the ramp is this weird little ledge. It’s nigh on impossible to put furniture up here. One might be able to glitch a painting or something so that it floats, so that’s one option, but I’m all about fish in my houses! (I really just like having movement.) Given the jungle-esque part of the theme I chose to place these gorgeous Ember Parrots into this tank. While I could’ve gone with more Lion Fish, like the one I have behind reception, I wanted him to be a special, lone feature. First and foremost, they’re “rare” fish. Secondly, due to their long fins, they don’t look too great when they’re trying to swim in the same tank together. These guys, on the other hand, look great in a group and aren’t too difficult to catch! Their colors are so vibrant! Find Ember Parrots swimming in the waters of Dragonspyre.

The Bridge Nook

Ok I’ll be honest, I really didn’t know what I wanted to put here. In the end, storage for bath supplies made the most sense to me and I really wanted to use these adorable shelves from Moolinda’s Furniture Pack. Unfortunately, when glitched it becomes difficult to place items on the shelves. They’re also picky, small shelves. You also can’t work around that by pre-placing the items and then moving the shelves. Luckily, as far as visual interest goes, the shelves make up for it. Both have leaves slowly floating down from their tops and the larger of the two features animated butterflies.

The Pool

I definitely designed this as the grand finale of the house! It’s intentionally complex and meant to wow visitors.

The main feature of the room, by far, is one of my favorite glitches: floating candles. I glitched them at a variety of heights so that you feel like you’re walking through a cloud of candles. Naturally, keep on eye on placement, since you don’t want to block your or anyone else’s ability to move around. The Small Candle is sold by Neville Cobblestone in Marleybone, so they’re readily available! Tying into the MooShu theme, are floating Domed Floor Lanterns interspersed throughout. These are similarly easy to get, purchased from MooShu Housing vendor Zhi Lan.

When I originally placed the Shoshun Soaking Tub in the center of the room I immediately felt like it looked too small. Thus, the next step was figuring out how to fill the space to remedy that. My end goal was to have the Soshun Tub look like it was a platform suspended in the middle of a larger pool. The Brick Walled Pond turned out to be a great fit for the base of the structure. It’s large and rounded, working with the circular shape of the room.

The next addition was the Koi Pond. It’s not only interactive, but fits well with its brick edge mirrors that of the brick walled pond. I wanted everything to be positioned nicely in the room, but also allow the player to access the Koi Pond and trigger the jumping fish. Ornamental Step Stones, craftable with a recipe from Wul’yham, lead you to the floating tub. (This was honestly the hardest part to glitch of the entire room! In the end I sort of just accepted it wasn’t going to be perfect.)

Just One More Detail

The pool was as large as I wanted it to be, but there was still an empty space opposite it. The Indoor Shrine filled the space exactly the way I wanted it to! Helping it to blend in better and complimenting the candles in the air, I placed beeswax candles and tallow candles around the base of the shrine. This is another furniture item that has a great interactive element to it!

Conclusion

Phew! We’ve reached the end! (Technically, I was gonna post this yesterday, but then Catherine Lionflower made me research what television to get for like three hours.) Obviously, this is one of my favorite houses that I’ve decorated! It’s a great fit for the items from the Pandamonium Pack and just a fun challenge to take on in general! I really wish that the housing items from the pack were auctionable, like they have been in the past so that I could’ve used them more in the house. Regardless, I can only imagine how amazing this concept would be with permanent panda mounts roaming around outside and panda cubs both inside and outside the house.

Related posts:

Creating Your Own Treetop Panda Retreat Pt. 1 The Best Housing Recipes Outside of Time! Bubbles, Toil, Trouble, Cauldrons and Cooking Hearths The Elements of Decorating