If you build from scratch - how do you plan/start your builds? ππ©βπ§
A few questions that may help (but you can just ignore them or add others):
Do you get inspired from houses you see? β
Do you use floorplans? β
Do you plan your builds on paper beforehand? β
Do you have preferences where the rooms should be placed? β
Do you try to build in the style of the neighborhood? β
And how are your first steps? π
Yesterday I started a new wip and in general my process goes two ways:
- I build a house from an inspiration, then I build the shell first and after that I decide where and how to place the rooms. Or if it's inspired from a movie/series and I know the interior, then I (mostly) stick to it.
For example
Key House from Locke&Key
or
- I build from my imagination. Then I build from the inside out after I chose the world and the lot.
Which Sims will live there and what will they need based on their interests and hobbies?
Then I decide in which direction I place the rooms. That depends on the view and the landscape ^^
I like when they have a nice view when they are on their balconies or look out of their windows π
Or when they are gardeners, I place the kitchen near the garden, the workshop next to the yard, for example.
Since I often forget the staircase I try to place this very early. Same with the fridge and the bathroom(s) π¨βπ»
I also love to build multi purpose lots. Little neighborhoods with restaurant, gym, library, shops...
For example
Porto Azzurro π

My other builds are linked in the signature.
The Boys 2 - Therapy Game πΊ A Dramedy πΆπΌπΆπ»πΆπ½πΆπ½
The Boys π₯ Their first year - A Dramedy π
Lost In Space - A Space Opera π
The Stables - A Horse Drama
π Best of Buydebug βοΈ Short trips to the Oggiverse - Short Clips π¬ My Builds:
Houses π
Rooms π
SciFi πΎ creatively edited
Screenshots π¨
Comments
For me it's the same!
To answer for the questions:
Do you get inspired from houses you see? Yes, from movies, TV-shows etc. and from places that I've been or seen, or I google some pictures of houses in different architectural styles, to get inspiration.
Do you use floorplans? No, I don't use any floorplans. I like to plan the layout myself, and as I almost always build the exterior/the shell first, I like to then plan the layout how it best suits to the build. But I'm not against of using a floorplan, that could actually be nice to sometimes try to use a floorplan: to do things based on the plan and build from inside out, to challenge myself a bit.
But I do prefer to plan my own floorplans and to build the exterior first. So it's not easy to "step out of that path"
Do you plan your builds on paper beforehand? No
Do you have preferences where the rooms should be placed? The views -part (above) kind of answered to this question. Other things don't come to mind at the moment, what else would be...
Do you try to build in the style of the neighborhood? Usually yes, but I don't let that to limit myself if I want to build certain type of a build to a certain place. So, it depends
And how are your first steps?
I build the exterior first, and I consider the views around the lot and continue from there. I plan the layout as I go and build the exterior: where should which rooms be etc.
By the way, all your builds are wonderful @Lenny_Ogg !
I built the new house so that Ji Ho (the mermaid) has a room with view on the canal ^^'
Other thoughts I have when I build are:
Why do the curtains never snap at the same hight?
Or: Why can't we have swatches that match with objects from other packs (or sometimes even the same pack)?
For the windows it was especially hard this time. I changed their colors so often. I had a big 3tile window in the middle and 2 1tile left and right plus a door and nothing ever matched π Or the railings for staircases.
I wish we had a few wood colors that are the same in each pack for colums, spandrels, stairs, railings, doors and windows...
π Best of Buydebug βοΈ Short trips to the Oggiverse - Short Clips π¬ My Builds: Houses π Rooms π SciFi πΎ creatively edited Screenshots π¨
I feel your pain, since I recolored every nail and screw in my builds those times, and now its a pain sometimes to find the matching style with the furniture and decorations, which fits with colours too.
Do you get inspired from houses you see?
I usually inspired by a style, checking several pictures of that type. But I rarely build the same as on the picture, I rather inspired by 20-30 pictures until it starts to get along in my imagination, what and how I want to create, and changing a lot of things along the progress, so even when I use something as an inspiration, my version turns totally different, even with placing an inspiration picture beside my build, cant even tell from where I "started". I like when the architecture is compact, and has some unique details.
Do you use floorplans?
Sometimes, I used 1-2 just for a bit of guidance with the arrangement, but usually change a lot of rooms and functions, then realize, I didnt even need it the first place.
Do you plan your builds on paper beforehand?
No. When I tried to remodel a real life houseplan, I made it, but then I found it unneccessary, cause of the different proportions.
Do you have preferences where the rooms should be placed?
I plan around as it should be practical for real life, match it with sim-needs, and function the most efficient as much as possible.
For example bathrooms - for a large home need one close to the entrance for the low need sims arriving home, another one close to the main living/kitchen area, so they don't have to spend too much time to reach it, and depends on the arrangement of the bedrooms - 1-2 common, or en suite bed/bathrooms.
I usually plan the bedrooms on the 2nd floor, maybe 1 on the first one it there's enough space.
I dont like large empty spaces, trying to minimize the "useless" corridors - trying to give as many functions as could.
For example if I place a seating area somewhere, I try to give it a function too - tv, bookcase -, cause sims wouldnt just sit here and there without any reason (except if someone is a storymaker, and they want to use it as a scene). Sometimes I add books even outdoors where I place a seating or a bench.
I dont like unneccessary large rooms, cause the sims can get tired easily to just walk around. The same reason I usually dont build on heights with a lot of stairs to reach the entrance, and also prefer to position the house at front and garden on the back side.
I always try to create player-friendly arrangement with walls and furniture. Most of my houses I created the way you could reach every usable object from one angle, or just with a little camera-move.
I also like to create homey and cozy areas, adding little "nooks" which can call "my favourite place in the house".
Added some examples about my favourite spots:
Do you try to build in the style of the neighborhood?
No. I usually build on a comfortable spot where the surrounding doesn't block the view - so in Newport -, but it depends, my previous build was built in Tartosa.
And how are your first steps?
I usually just draw the outer walls, then roof and exterior wall covers, arrange the rooms after, but its still just a main lead, cause modify the architecture and floorplan along the process as it needed for the design.
I usually spend a lot of time with finishing a build, even with just a little room I try several things until I find the best arrangement, style, furniture and color. It just gotta whisper to me at some point: "that's it" - and nobody can tell how many hours it took me.
I dont have many creations, but the few I make, I want to give my best with each and every little detail.
@imoger Oh I did enjoy the colorwheel - a lot! π©βπ¨ It was really a shock for me when they announced they ditched it for Sims 4, oh my.
But building in Sims 4 is a lot easier, quicker and more aproachable for Simmers who don't build a lot or just start.
Even though it's easier to change them I still build the roofs at the end when I won't change the rooms anymore.
It was such a hassle to change them in Sims 3, it's still in my blood, I guess ^^'
π Best of Buydebug βοΈ Short trips to the Oggiverse - Short Clips π¬ My Builds: Houses π Rooms π SciFi πΎ creatively edited Screenshots π¨
β’ Yup I often look at houses outside and in tv shows and movies and art and such
Do you use floorplans?
β’ Mostly no
because I try to get exterior right more than the scale of the building
Do you plan your builds on paper beforehand?
β’ nope cause I find it easier and faster to build in the game
than to draw or write what I am thinking anyway
Do you have preferences where the rooms should be placed?
β’ kind of
some layouts are just much easier to play in than others
so I end up using same kind of layouts a lot
Do you try to build in the style of the neighborhood?
β’ Yes I often try to come up with forever lots for my worlds
and I find it very nice when I can slot build in so well that it feels it was meant for the particular place all along
then again if I don't like theme I feel free to change it to something more fun
like for example I didn't really like modern houses in wakaba
so I decided to rather build older style japanese houses
= it still matches the world itself
but it is much more fun theme for me than what was there originally
how are your first steps? π
1. Check out the world map
and think of what community lots, what families, what stories etc I want to play in the world
and which lots should be used for what to make it all fit
2. once i know how I want to use the lots and which sims will live where and whatever
I start searching for building exterior for whichever lot I'm doing
from my saved pictures and google and whatnot
3. build the exterior of building (using doors and windows as scale)
and maybe landscape and add outdoor lights
I just want the exterior ready
so if I take screenshots on other lots or whatever
there is no random construction sites at the back
4.get distracted and then procrastinate building the interior forever
or get the interior built starting with stairs and walls and such
maybe making some alterations if I need to fit more rooms or whatever
5. whichever room really
although I often start with easier rooms
like toilet or bedroom or hallways to just get started
often struggle with kitchen/living/dining area the most
as my build either feels too dang big or too dang small
6. playtest and make mini changes and possibly curse myself for using wall height 2 or 3
which just always looks so bad inside and good outside and drives me crazy
π‘ Gallery π Stories π World Project π₯ MOD/CC Free
Sometimes they inspire me to start a new build, but I've never tried to recreate a house I've seen in real life for some reason.
Do you use floorplans?
I use them mainly for exteriors. Figuring out the shape of exteriors is my weak point; I think the ones I do myself are too boxy or basic, although a couple of them turned out better than I thought they would. I'm also not great at terrain. I actually end up using other people's shells a lot for these reasons. For interiors, I may start out with a floorplan, but most of the time I end up changing the layout at least a bit.
Do you plan your builds on paper beforehand?
Nah. Although if I'm using a floorplan as described above, I'll print it out.
Do you have preferences where the rooms should be placed?
Depends on who I'm building it for. If it's for a specific family, their needs will dictate the layout. For a 100 baby challenge, for example, the master bedroom and the infant/toddler bedroom have to be on the first floor.
Do you try to build in the style of the neighborhood?
I rarely think about what the rest of the neighbourhood looks like when I build a house. (Spoken like a true Torontonian, lol.) The exception might be when I'm building in Sulani; then I'll at least try to use architectural elements and a colour palette that suit the world because the beach is a very specific vibe.
And how are your first steps?
Most of the time I start with a shell I've downloaded from the gallery. Sometimes the exterior is finished, sometimes not. Either way, first thing I do is add or edit the interior layout to suit my needs. Then I decorate the exterior, except for lighting. Then I do the landscaping and backyard. Then I decorate the interior (except lighting), usually starting by choosing flooring throughout the house, except bathrooms. Then I do the kitchen. Then I do the rooms that are not bedrooms or bathrooms (e.g., living room, office, rec room, gym, etc.). Next is bedrooms, usually starting by choosing a bed and then letting that inform the rest of the decor. Then I do the bathrooms. Last but not least, I'll change the time of day to nighttime, and I add the exterior lighting, then the interior lighting.
Early on, I didn't always playtest my builds before uploading them to the gallery, but now I always do.
Do you get inspired from houses you see?
Yes. I get inspired from houses I see in real life and online. I get inspired by a general style or vibe or combination of things. I don't copy any actual builds.
Do you use floorplans?
No. I want my designs to fit the Sims and real floorplans arenβt optimized for the game. I keep pathing and other weird Sims stuff in mind when I do floorplans.
Do you plan your builds beforehand?
Yes. I sketch them out, but not on paper. I try to get a general sense of what I want the build to include, but I change as needed.
It ended up mostly like this with some changes to the windows:
Do you have preferences where the rooms should be placed?
Yes. I try to leverage the environment around the build, while also not creating lag or making gameplay difficult. So far, Iβve been successful β no lag or other serious problems with my builds even though they are large and it can take a bit of time for Sims to get from one side to the other.
I want the rooms to have nice views.
And for things to line up.
Do you try to build in the style of the neighborhood?
Not really, but with the Mt. Komorebi build, I added a genkan, separated toilets from baths, and generally made it feel more Japanese. I wasnβt trying to be authentic as much as I was trying to make it feel more familiar to my actual IRL surroundings.
But, most of the time, I just try to build in the style of my Sims. For example, my gaudy Sim has a gaudy office.
And how are your first steps?
I think of the style I want, look at images, sketch it out, and list features of the build and rooms I want to include. This sounds kind of serious/intense, but I do things quickly, roughly and with lots of mistakes. Then, I build the general structure.
I never consider my builds 100% finished. Iβm always willing to renovate or tweak things later. So Iβm slowly renovating parts of my Simsβ main home.
- Sometimes. There are instances when I see a feature on a house or a certain style that I fancy recreating (just been to Copenhagen and really fancy trying some of the colourful Scandi designs I saw there).
Do you use floorplans?
- I have done (especially for big manors/mansions), once or twice I've tried to follow them as closely as I can, other times I've just used them as a starting point and then changed them to make them more practical.
Do you plan your builds on paper beforehand?
- A couple times when bored at work I have scribbled something on a piece of paper and used that when I got home.
Do you have preferences where the rooms should be placed?
- Not really.
Do you try to build in the style of the neighborhood?
- Often that does dictate how my builds will end up looking, other times I just go with what I fancy.
And how are your first steps?
- I primarily got Sims4 for the building aspect and it's what I get the most enjoyment out of (have played a few characters here and there as well now and then), and I get a little thrill out of checking the gallery and seeing my work getting likes (I have the same user name there as I do here if anyone fancies having a look).
Do you get inspired from houses you see?
~Yes, occasionally-mainly bc I follow pretty nature/homes pages on instagram, haha but a majority are from my own visions and creativeness~
Do you use floorplans?
~No~
Do you plan your builds on paper beforehand?
~No, but I do lay in bed at night obsess what I want to build next or if I'm stuck on a build and the creativeness died down, I try to re-imagine what would get the juices flowing again haha~
Do you have preferences where the rooms should be placed?
~Yes, I try to always make sure the layout makes sense, what realistically would be nice in a home~
Do you try to build in the style of the neighborhood?
~Yes, I always look for the best world, best lot, and best 'SAVE LOT' camera angle, to fit the style, theme, & atmosphere I'm going for~
And how are your first steps?
~To be honest, my first step is to make sure the Save Lot camera angle for the gallery looks good, as it will draw people to your builds. Before I learned this, my automatic gallery picture would be the back of a blank wall or house hahaha and no one would like it or download.
So my first steps are to make sure the set up looks great. More steps I take down the line, is to place clutter accordingly, to give a little love to every part of the home. Sometimes it can help with areas you dont have any creative-drive for...then it turns into your favorite little spot~
Do you use floorplans?
No. Most of my builds are playable and have the necessary interior for sims to survive, but the thing I'm enjoying most is designing the exterior.
Do you plan your builds on paper beforehand?
No. Always try and error.
Do you have preferences where the rooms should be placed?
No, see first answer.
And how are your first steps?
Measuring the lot and determining the center point. Checking the optical axes. And very important: where is the sun at noon to know the shadowing.
Do you try to build in the style of the neighborhood?
Usually not. But I challenge myself sometimes to (re)build a whole neighborhood.
My version of the Del Sol Valley Starlight boulevard:
Do you get inspired from houses you see?
Yes - very often!
Notre Dame de Paris:
and my Basilica St. Cordelia in Tartosa:
Ancient Tikal in Guatemala
and my Version of the Alam Museum of Archaeology in Selvadorada
Always! I've always loved set design in movies/tv, and interior design/architecture in general. I'm mostly inspired by houses or apartments that have a small and cozy vibe to them. I'm fascinated by interior design and architecture from all across the 20th century, particularly the 1900s-1920s and the 1990s.
Do you use floorplans?
Lately I have been, but I used to not. I started looking at house catalogs from the early-mid 20th century, and I like to make them to-size in game. I get them from Pinterest or from Antique Home Style. Usually I stick to simpler floorplans, but I also like challenging myself with more intricate early 20th century design elements. A couple months ago I started a historical playthrough starting in the early 1900s, and I want to build different sized houses for different socioeconomic statuses. Right now, I only have 3 houses and no public areas like libraries or stores but that's alright with me
I started my historical playthrough in a save with every lot in every world empty, it was intended for WIPs and fun room builds, but when I built a 1900's farmhouse and moved a family in, I dove headfirst and decided to make all of Henford-on-Bagley Edwardian, it's the perfect town for that. I love the idea of these houses having generations of families, or several different families, living in them, and being renovated and remodeled over time, it gives them lots of charm and rich history.
Do you plan your builds on paper beforehand?
No, I just have my reference photo on my bottom monitor and my game on my top monitor.
Do you have preferences where the rooms should be placed?
Not really, I typically follow whichever floorplan I'm using pretty closely. Most of these houses are small, and have only one bathroom and 5-8 total rooms, which was quite a luxury in the Edwardian era, and more common with newer Edwardian construction. It's a fun challenge for me to have a 3-bedroom 1-bathroom house with 7-8 Sims living in it, like my main household, the Linde family. They live in a two-story farmhouse with a total of 8 rooms that is based off of this floorplan. π
And how are your first steps?
I like to build the shell first, starting with the bottom floor if it's a two-story house. I create the outside first, and then add in the rooms. Then I do the same thing with the top floor and put in the windows, doors and roof. I'm very particular about making the house look like the photo when it comes to the windows, doors, roof and walls because that's what makes the outside of those houses look so charming to me. Furnishing is the next step, I like to go room-by-room, starting with my favorite: the kitchen! When the inside is done, I breeze through the landscaping because it's my least favorite part lol.
Sometimes. I live in a small place but there are some interesting variations of houses and other buildings that have given me ideas.
Do you use floorplans?
On occasion, especially for large manors/mansions if I see something that I fancy trying to recreate, though then I typically get to the roofing and have to rethink a lot of choices I've made, lol.
Do you plan your builds on paper beforehand?
A few times (usually if I'm incredibly bored at work).
Do you have preferences where the rooms should be placed?
Not especially, though I do tend to have living rooms at the front and kitchens at the rear, but that's not a hard and fast rule.
Do you try to build in the style of the neighborhood?
Nope, well unless I like the style (such as Windenburg).
And how are your first steps?
Sometimes I start with the outline of the building and decide what rooms will go where, and then tweak the outer walls or layout accordingly, other times I'll go in with something very specific in mind for what I want and slot pre-built rooms together. In my redevelopment of Willow Creek for a few of the houses I've set the style and tried to stick as close to that as I can, though the lack of some key items in a tagged style can make that tricky (though just before this last update I did start working with mods/cc, so that's made it a little easier).