So one of the good things about coming back after a hiatus is seeing so many neat changes; and some not so neat. New SL viewer aside, the world is looking great. It’s fabulous to see so many established stores have re-vamped themselves during my absence. 

One of my favourite stores that I love to have a window shop around is Mudhoney. I’ve always loved the design ethic, and always been particularly enamoured by the construction of the furnishings as well as the textures deployed. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand, million, squillion times; texture is all. (There’s just no excuse for shoddy workmanship in Second Life anymore, you can buy cheap items that deploy fantastic textures in their creation, so seeing furniture from 2006 is just not an option anymore. I’m not a design snob, but come on..it looks *shite*)
Anyway, back to Mudhoney, and I could have squeed a wee of joyous excitement wandering around the store. So many treasures popping out at me from every direction…so many pretty knick-knacks. Stunning rugs, sets that are familiar to me because I already own them, tee-hee, but also lots of shiny new things. And none more bloody beautiful than this glorious ‘Winter Living Room’.

It comprises 29 pieces of living-room happy; details that we take for granted such as cupboards opening and closing (Question: do you put anything IN your Second Life cupboards? My answer: erm..yes!) and candles that light.(You can NEVER have enough candles in Second Life. Jus’ sayin’) Touch the books or the bolster cushions for a novel to wear as you recline, and there are also menu-driven sits in the sofa, bolster, pillows and stool. I LOVE the textures on this; the woodgrain on the mirror is just sexual chocolate to me; it’s so beautiful (as is the imagery therein) I love the photo frames and the pictures they hold, I adore the branches and the light fitting and I really rate the textures deployed on the fabrics and on the books. The blind is perfect too…there’s only one thing I dislike actually, and that’s the stool.

There’s nothing wrong with it per se, it’s just me being a picky old moo because the shape reminds me of the kind of furniture you’re find across the grid in, erm, 2006 . Don’t misunderstand me; the texture on it is lovely, but I’d far rather an ickle chair or something more substantial for the price of this set, which is, wait for it…L$2100 for 197 prims of happy. This translates into (at today’s rate) $8.73 or £5.44.

Is it worth it? Well, yes because there is no doubt in my mind that this has taken hours to craft and develop, but in today’s economic climate spending over a fiver on virtual furniture is a tad beyond me, and I fear it’s going to be beyond many other patrons too. This is a shame, because it’s a super- stylish contribution to virtual home furnishing that is totally deserving of all the praise I have bestowed upon it. I just fear that at this price not many avatars are going to be able to enjoy it:(
But don’t let price put you off if you can help it, venture over to Mudhoney and see what you think. It’s definitely a beauty!