To coincide with The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature, we got an opportunity to pose some questions to Sims Creator and Interior Designer, Eva Rotky.
Eva loves creating old builds packed full of character, and her popular builds include a British manor and New York City-style townhouses. She specialises in warm, cosy spaces with calming interiors that are interesting to look at, by making them textured and layered.
We were keen to get her thoughts on the new Enchanted by Nature expansion pack, which immerses you in nature and introduces you to fairies, and how her career as an Interior Designer shapes the way she plays The Sims 4. Here’s what she had to say.
Were you a Sims fan before you made interior design a career? And was that love of the game what inspired you to take that career path?
I have been a Sims fan ever since I was a child – I started playing The Sims 1 together with my neighbour and we would share the gameplay between us! The Sims was actually part of the reason why I made the career change into interior design: during lockdown I picked up The Sims 4 again (like so many people!) and decided to start my YouTube channel where I showcased my builds. I enjoyed being creative with my Sims builds so much that it made me realise my true calling as an Interior Designer! So I have The Sims to thank for that!
How does your experience as an interior designer shape your creations in The Sims?
I think I think and work a lot more realistically ever since I’ve been working in interior design – it is so easy to forget practicalities and real-life concerns in the game as they don’t matter as much. I also believe I have a better understanding of the layering process and the importance of including textures to create a well-designed space that doesn’t look too visually flat.
And conversely, how does your time spent in The Sims impact your professional life as an interior designer, if at all?
A lot of the skills for building in The Sims can be translated into real-life interior design but I find the biggest advantage is the fact that I can visualise a room three-dimensionally thanks to The Sims even when looking at elevations and plans. It’s super helpful to be able to see a whole space in your head while the actual house is a building site! I also think building in The Sims makes me appreciate the importance of vistas in projects and making sure to include those impactful views within my design.
Do you find it’s harder to create more fantastical designs (like those in the new expansion) because you naturally lean towards designs more grounded in reality? Or are these an opportunity to “cut loose” and unleash more creativity?
Quite the contrary, I find fantastical builds so exciting to create because I so rarely do them and because I can let my creativity run wild! There are no constrictions in the fantasy world and creating something whimsical is so much easier with all the gorgeously detailed items in The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature. Their fantasy feel really makes builds come to life! Especially exteriors for builds are so much more fun when you can be creative beyond imagination and design the most whimsical spaces!
Do you ever take inspiration from real projects you work on?
In some ways yes but also the other way around! There are so many things I’ve created in The Sims which give me inspiration for real projects.
Big spaces or small spaces: which do you enjoy designing more? Both in-game and in real life!
Medium-to-big for me (both in game and in real life)! I love creating rows of townhouses and large manors in The Sims because they also give you a lot of space to work with and design. Similarly in real life, spacious projects allow for a lot more creativity. However, sometimes a small build in The Sims is quite refreshing as it’s so much faster to complete – I usually spend months on one large build!
What are your favourite tools to use in The Sims? What gives you the best creative control?
I really love playing with half walls, foundations and roofs, as well as landscaping. Using architectural tools really helps me make every build different and small details like the right roofing or playing with foundation heights can make all the difference to a build. That’s why I love when The Sims add more and more architectural features like plants on top of roofs! And speaking of plants, one of my favourite things to do in The Sims is landscaping! I landscaped to my heart’s content for my Enchanted by Nature build as the lot needed to blend in with the surrounding nature seeing as the build was quite literally in nature! There is something so soothing about creating landscaping that feels natural and embraces the chaos and irregularity that comes with nature.
What are three things from the new DLC that you see the most potential in for creating interesting and unique designs?
I am really excited about the connection between the indoors and the outdoors. There has definitely been a move towards embracing nature more within interior design and people are wanting to be closer to it. There’s something so different about having bathroom items like the loo & bath that look like they belong outside as we’re so used to having bathrooms being private spaces. Another part I am really happy to see is the landscaping opportunities – the new wall vines are absolutely beautiful and I will definitely utilise them in so many builds from now on! And finally, having plants that aren’t purely decorative but require maintenance is such a fun aspect both from a building and a gameplay perspective. It’s great to know that there is a realistic and playable aspect to the build and I know players have been hoping for this feature for a long time!
A big thank you to Eva for taking the time to answer our questions.
The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature is available now.
