From pink suburban dream homes to Bob’s Burgers recreated brick-for-brick, Build Mode in The Sims has become a digital sandbox for self-expression. For players like Deligracy, Jeyjeybink and lilsimsie, a blank lot isn’t an empty space – it’s the start of something personal, playful and full of potential.
Across YouTube and Twitch, these creators are pushing the game’s design tools to their limits. Some builds reflect real-world architecture. Others draw from memory, pop culture, or from the sketchbook of their imagination. But they all create with a sense of mood and storytelling – from fairy lights strung across a tiny cottage to a killer cowplant in the garden. Through layout, lighting, colour and interior design, Simmers create spaces full of personality that even Eliza Pancakes would approve of.
Creative beginnings
Whether it’s a hover car house or a modern oasis, what gets a build going in the first place? For many Simmers, it’s about connection – to their community, to a creative impulse, or to the simple joy of shaping something from scratch. Sometimes it’s sparked by a new game update, sometimes by a personal idea or a playful constraint. And sometimes, it’s pure imagination, like a cruise ship packed with bowling alleys or a pyramid nightclub.
The appeal of Build Mode often lies in the transformation; the moment when a flat patch of grass becomes a family home, an ice princess palace, or a bakery that doubles as a bedroom. For many players, it’s the creative process itself – and the endless possibilities of every tool and tile – that keeps them coming back.
“I like to try different architectural styles to keep my builds and content fresh and interesting for myself and my audience,” says Deligracy. “I also really enjoy the challenge of trying new styles and applying them in a multitude of ways.”
“My motivation is to take my time and build alongside my community,” adds Jeyjey. “I used to rush through builds just to get into gameplay, but I realised that building is actually my favourite part – so why rush it?”
Style and self-expression
lilsimsie approaches design with an eye for both architectural realism and community trends. “I’ve always been fascinated by architecture and interior design,” she says. “Sometimes I’ll drive past a house in real life and get excited about trying to recreate it in the game.” Ahead of the release of a new fairy-themed pack, she was already building enchanted cottages and nature-inspired lots – responding to fan excitement before the content even dropped.
Whether they’re creating fairytale cottages or mid-century mansions, these creators treat building as a kind of self-portrait, a mirror to their imagination. Deligracy draws inspiration from real architecture, art, and audience suggestions. Her interiors are known for their polished, playable elegance – cohesive colour palettes, bold flourishes, and carefully placed furniture that make a room feel lived-in.
Some of her most popular builds include a luxurious renovation of the Affluista Mansion – a sleek, contemporary reworking of the classic Landgraab estate – and a vibrant mid-century split-level home soaked in pastel pink. Even in her tiny builds, the design is intentional and emotive: practical floorplans meet high-impact aesthetics.
“Interior design is consistent when your use of colour and design elements are harmonious,” Deligracy explains. “Sometimes I will pick a singular design aesthetic as a consistent theme for my whole build, or I might experiment with a fusion of styles that complement each other.”
Jeyjey’s builds often start from a different impulse – less real-world and more pop-culture love letters. She recreates iconic TV sets, movie interiors, and fictional hangouts. Yet even in these re-creations, her own style shines through. “Sometimes I use techniques without even thinking, ones that not many people know,” she says. “So, it means a lot to me that others can learn from them.”
Creative constraints
lilsimsie, like Deligracy and Jeyjey, thrives within creative constraints. “I love trying to push the game to its limits,” she says. “Depending on the challenge, it can really heavily influence the design choices I’m making because I don’t often have a lot of room to let myself be picky.”
She’s known for turning limitations into moments of playful invention – like using kitchen cabinets as a custom TV stand or scooting tables into walls to mimic headboards. “Playing the game this way definitely makes me think more creatively about how to decorate,” she adds. “And I think it teaches me things that I can apply to my more ‘normal’ builds.”
Some of the most imaginative builds don’t come from having endless options, but from being boxed in: limited budgets, tiny footprints, or awkward existing floorplans. These constraints don’t stall creativity – they kick-start it.
I tried to build a split level home in The Sims 4 by Deligracy.
“Tiny homes are always a fun challenge to try and neatly pack in all the essentials whilst still making the build look nice,” says Deligracy, who often balances practical function with aesthetic polish. “Essential objects that Sims require to fulfil needs are usually a priority – this includes items like a toilet, shower, bed etc. Once I have a floor plan that can fit all my Sim’s essential items, I can then make it aesthetically pleasing – or displeasing if that’s what I’m going for!”
Jeyjey often uses mods to stretch what’s possible. “There’s one mod I can’t live without – TwistedMexi’s T.O.O.L mod. It helps me push the limits of the game when building, allowing me to achieve things that would otherwise be impossible,” she says. “Even though there are heaps of options now with all the DLCs, modders always find a way to create something that perfectly matches whatever I’m building.”
Pop culture builds
There’s fan service and then there’s building something that makes you feel like you’re reliving your childhood. Jeyjeys’ pop-culture builds don’t just copy what’s on screen; they’re packed with moments, moods, and tiny emotional hooks that pull you back into a scene. She’s rebuilt everything from Bridgerton manors to Inside Out’s glittering emotional core, but it’s the details – the things you didn’t know you remembered – that give her builds life.
“One thing I always make sure to do is add Easter eggs from the films and shows I’m recreating. Including memorable moments can spark a sense of nostalgia for people,” she says. “For example, in the Emotions Headquarters build, I included the circle of sadness that Joy drew on the ground. For Doose’s Market [from the Gilmore Girls], I filled the back wall with baskets to represent the episode where every woman in Stars Hollow had to make a food basket, and the highest bidder would have lunch with her – a scene that was especially memorable for me and many others.”
It’s fanfiction in architecture: scenes rebuilt in pixels, then offered back to players as spaces to play, film, or just feel at home in. Alongside Doose’s Market, Jeyjey’s also recreated Emily and Richard Gilmore’s mansion – complete with traditional panelling, chandeliers, and a sprawling, formal layout – and Luke’s Diner, down to the wood-panelled walls, counter stools, and chalkboard menu. These builds don’t just look right – they feel right, too, because they nail the mood as well as the look.
Building the Beetlejuice house in the Sims 4 by Jeyjeybink.
Renovation as worldbuilding
World choice matters just as much as wall placement. lilsimsie is drawn to settings that match the vibe of her builds. “Henford-On-Bagley has a special place in my heart,” she says. “I really enjoy making cottages and building farms, and this world is the perfect setting for those styles of homes.”
She’s also a champion of build features in packs like Cottage Living and Growing Together, especially for their landscaping tools and suburban-style furnishings. “Cottage Living has the best debug landscaping in the game,” she says. “And the windows and furniture pieces in Growing Together tie in really nicely to a lot of my suburban-style builds.”
Not every build begins from scratch. Sometimes the challenge is in reshaping what’s already there – reworking old lots to feel fresh, functional and new. For Deligracy, renovations are about breathing new life into tired builds while keeping just enough of their original charm.
“The best way to approach a renovation is to preserve some of the exterior shape, floor plan and original aesthetic, so that it is still somewhat recognisable – otherwise you may as well bulldoze it and start anew!” she says. Her renovations typically involve updating floor plans for playability, refreshing colour schemes, and layering in new detail that feels cohesive with the old.
It’s a form of digital restoration – less demolition, more reinvention – a way of acknowledging the game’s design history while still making space for personal expression.
Community and collaboration
lilsimsie’s celebration of Shell Challenges have become a cultural cornerstone of The Sims building community. The idea is simple: players get a bare-bones “shell” – four walls and a roof, sometimes with tricky shapes or awkward layouts – and then transform it into something new. From the shells shaped like horses to impossibly small ones, these creative constraints push Simmers to think differently and showcase their unique building styles. It’s part friendly competition, part collaborative showcase, and a way for the community to connect through shared storytelling and design expression.
“Even before I created Sims content myself, I always loved shell challenges,” she says. “It’s unusual to be constrained like this when building in The Sims, and I think the shell forces people to think outside the box a little bit more.”
She often hosts them during special events, like pack launches or charity streams. “It’s an incredible showcase of all of the talent and creativity in the Sims community – every person starting out from the exact same point, and then using it in hundreds of different ways.”
That same spirit continues in her “Touring Your Builds” videos, where she showcases fan submissions. “It’s so exciting getting to celebrate the community in this way,” she says. “But it does always leave me feeling a little bit guilty about being unable to showcase every build. The Sims community is so talented, and they’re all incredible.”
The joy of the build
At its heart, building in The Sims is about satisfaction. Not just in the finished product, but in the process itself – the quiet, steady pleasure of moving walls, adjusting windows, and finding the right plant for any corner.
“It’s such a satisfying and calming process for me, and other people enjoy watching it too,” says Jeyjey, who often streams her builds live. Her audience becomes part of the process – offering feedback, suggesting details, or just sharing the vibe. “Having that sense of community around me is a huge part of what keeps me motivated.”
Deligracy agrees that the joy is often in the detail. Even when designing with function in mind, her builds always find space for flair. “As long as you are trying new things and keeping an eye on visual harmony, you can create a unique build.”
lilsimsie has a few favourites of her own – like a massive cruise ship she built in Sulani, packed with spas, cafes, bowling alleys and theatres. “I would love to be able to see it in real life,” she says. “It’s full of things to do – I’d never get bored!”
But she’s also drawn to quieter corners. “I’d also love to visit the ‘Fairy Cottage’ I built more recently. It’s on a mountain in Henford-On-Bagley near a waterfall, and the gardens are beautiful. It’s tiny, but I think I could spend a really wonderful week there reading in the sunroom.”
I built a giant cruise ship in The Sims by lilsimsie.
Whether it’s a pastel split-level, a TV-set re-creation, or a tiny house packed with personality, these builds are more than just pretty pixels. They have a life of their own, shaped by the Sims who inhabit them and the player pulling the strings (plus the occasional ghost). Every build tells a story, sparked by personal style, creative challenges, or a sudden “motherlode” of inspiration. Pop culture tributes, wild experiments, and community-driven projects show just how far The Sims can go as a playground for design and storytelling – a space where players become architects of imagination. That’s what makes them stick: the care, the creativity, and the quiet thrill of shaping a world, tile by tile.
This article appears in ACMI Guide: The Sims, which features more interviews with the creative team behind The Sims, analysis and insights from Simmers around the world.