The SL Enquirer: i-r room

People come to the Virtual World of Second Life for many and varied reasons. Some come for companionship; to make friends, or to meet that special someone. Others come to explore, dance, or to chill out while they listen to live or recorded music in their genre of choice.

Ikon Room is here for the sheer exhilaration of experiencing and embracing fully the creative process, and he has introduced, through his business model, a way that untold numbers of people can do likewise.

I managed to catch up to Ikon Room one afternoon while he was working on his inworld office spaces, and he graciously agreed to tell me (and our 70,000 viewers) how dreams can become reality in SecondLife.

Josh (Thomas1 Bellic) JB: Soooo Ikon. Thank you for agreeing to chat with me. I know how terribly busy you are, so let's just start at the beginning….What is Ikon Room all about?

Ikon Room (IR): Ikon Room is a small real estate business in second life that has as its main focus not only on renting out and selling land but also on stimulating people to be creative in decorating the dwellings we sell inworld via our monthly contest. And with that, give exposure to their artwork to inspire others that are yet uncomfortable with their decorating or building skills. In short, my personal focus is to contribute to a world where people are feeling inspired by what others create and then feel less hesitant to create things themselves. In this case, due to my Ikon Room project I-R. World, a dwelling.

JB: Interesting Name. “Ikonroom” How did you come up with that, and does it have any special significance?

IR: Ikon Room is the name "Moor Noki" reversed. Moor Noki is my artist name in real life. On this artist's name, I am a singer/songwriter/producer. I reversed it as it now sounds like icon. I want us all to be icons! In this case in decorating rooms, given my business in SL. For promotional reasons you'll find Moor Noki's music played on all the lands we rent or sell and you will notice some billboards that state that. Clicking the boards will give you a notecard with all the stores you can buy my music or listen to it for free. Obviously, after the land is sold or rented out the owner can change the stream.

JB: From RL New Age musician to SL Real Estate Mogul. You seem like quite the Renaissance Man

IR: I would not call myself a New Age Musician in RL. The music I create comes in many different styles which are in line with my personality. Making music, writing lyrics, and producing them was therapy to me and in that light it has become more of a diary, which is authentic and personal to the bone, so to say. It's me and at the same time, it isn't me any longer. I'm never my last second but it's good to reflect on the past every now and then. Some check their diary for that, and I check my music for that. I don't shy away from the roller coasters life has put me on, nor do I shy away from addressing issues that we all have to deal with one way or another. Yet often the majority of us are not comfortable enough to speak about it due to shame, guilt, status, culture, and so forth.

JB:Tell me about your properties. How big are your lots, and where are they located?

IR: Currently, since I've only just started, I rent out 1024 sqm plots as they fit the rooms I have created for the monthly contest I hold at i-r.world. That being said, renters and buyers can obviously rent or buy larger plots, I will simply fuse those lands. At the moment they are located on the mainland and come in general moderate maturity ratings. Adult land for rent will follow later on. The plots come with 350 prims and cost L$425 per week. You can also buy the piece of land for L$3000 per 1024 sqm. If you buy more than one parcel at the same time and they are attached (can be joined), prices can be negotiated.

JB: So then, what are you all about? What is the message you are trying to convey here? And what does “Telling in the Dwelling” mean?

IR: It's "A Telling in the Dwelling". When I visit a person's house I step into their story. I step into the past that they live in now. The way they decorate their home is who they have become and currently are. it's their telling in their dwelling. Compare it with how we dress. When we meet someone, we automatically scan them on how they appear, and based on that, we already have a quick idea if we understand this person (read “can connect”) well enough to continue a positive relationship. We are all inspired by others on how we dress – either like it or not. If we like it, we want to create the same but with our own personal touch to it. It's precisely what 'A Telling In The Dwelling" is about. To be inspired, to channel that into your own creativity and make your own telling in the dwelling.

JB: I understand you offer rooms for 1L. What are those for, and how might people get those?

IR: The rooms I sell are obviously on my marketplace store for anyone to buy. That being said. They are nothing more than 4 prim boxes. No windows and no doors only floor, wall, and ceiling texture. The main purpose is for people to buy and decorate them. After they've done so they can participate in i-r.world's monthly contest. We will pick 3 winners each month and each of them will get L$500 as a reward. On top of that, the winners will have visibility on our website and inworld with their names attached to it for 3 months. All participants will get the money they paid for their room on MP refunded.

JB: I see you are promoting something called “I-R.World - The Dwelling Contest”. Tell me more about that, please?

IR: Certainly. Let me share what it says on our website, https://www.i-r.world.

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Monthly Contest!

Find a room at our MP place! - Marketplace Store Ikon Room

Decorate it with a max of 100 prims

We will pick 3 winners at the end of each month and they get each L$500,-

We will refund the L$1,- to those that bought a room on MP and are participating in the contest.

All participants can turn in their applications at contest@i-r.world

Include a screenshot of your dwelling and a landmark. The new competition starts on the 1st of each month! We will come by and visit your land personally to check out the dwelling you've created/furnished/decorated. Winners get placement on this website and in the I-R. World office and a free photograph of your dwelling c/m/t

For more information contact Ikon. resident inworld at “I-R.World HQ

Happy telling in your dwelling!!!

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JB: Selling rooms for 1L? How can you hope to make much money that way?

IR: I'm not interested in making money per se. If anything, I'm interested in breaking even. Though I'm absolutely not allergic to financial tips, support, or donations. lol

JB: If people rent or buy one of your lots, are they required to build a 1L room on it, or are they free to add their own houses?

IR: When people rent from us they are allowed to do with it and on it whatever they like. Mainland has an SL covenant (which is usually none when fully rented by i-r.world. We do have our own covenant for those that rent with us.

JB: Where do you hope to go with this project? Do you have plans for expansion? Do you envision entire regions of 1L rooms?

IR: Obviously I look forward to expanding my business and there are already a few new ideas in the making that are not yet ready for publicity. One step at a time is my motto. All at its own time and place.

In previous endeavors, I was eager and wanted too much at once which made the project fail. I've learned my lesson from that.