In The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack, we explore the world of Ravenwood, where the lines between the living and the dead blur in the most enchanting way.

Ravenwood’s three neighborhoods take inspiration from real-world locations in addition to original elements for a truly unique world where Sims and Ghosts alike call home. To build on these inspirations and fill the world with a variety of unique residential and community lots, we worked with four talented builders from The Sims community: Create4Sims, Kate Emerald, Simsphony, and Sofythesim. 

The serene countryside of Whispering Glen is influenced by the natural beauty of the Balkan region, while Crow’s Crossing takes cues from Romanian medieval towns for its eerie ambiance. In Mourningvale, more fantastical elements were incorporated to give the afterlife neighborhood its distinctive intrigue. To learn more about how this world of Ghosts & Grimterns came to take shape, we sat down with our talented creators to hear what they had to say about the experience.

Create4Sims - Alexandra

Create4Sims, otherwise known as Alexandra, built the cemetery lot, Eternal Hollow, and two residential lots: The Marigold Chateau, and Moppy Manor.

As a Simmer and cat lover living in Romania, The Sims is her safe space to retreat to after a long day at work as a physiotherapist. Alexandra has been playing The Sims 4 since 2020, and recently started streaming on Twitch to share her passion for building live, in addition to sharing her beautiful designs on social media! Building in The Sims 4 is her favorite way to relax the mind and body, and we were so pleased for the opportunity to collaborate with Alexandra and take inspiration from the beauty, aesthetics, and architectural style of her home.

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: This pack will be making its debut just in time for ‘Spooky Season’ (‘Spookoo Sweezosin’ in Simlish, if you’re interested). Do you have a favorite Fall/Autumnal/Halloween tradition?

ALEXANDRA: Halloween isn’t traditionally celebrated here in Romania, but in recent years, we’ve been inspired by other countries to embrace spooky parties, costumes, and scary activities. While I enjoy the vibe and aesthetics of Halloween, for me, autumn will always be about the harvest season. Since childhood, I’ve loved working the land and gathering crops at the end of the year.

From September to November, there's always something to harvest here—from juicy fruits like apples, pears, plums, and grapes to a variety of vegetables that we preserve for winter. What makes me happiest is the way families come together during this season, working side by side to gather the harvest that provides us with natural, homegrown products throughout the winter.

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: We love that! Was there anything from the new pack objects you knew you had to include in one of your builds?

ALEXANDRA: From the moment I saw the sketches of some exterior building items, I knew I had to use them. I'm referring to the wooden columns, friezes, fences, new wallpapers, and the new chest. I incorporated these items into two of my builds: the Marigold Chateau and the cemetery, Eternal Hollow.

Traditional Romanian houses hold a special place in my heart—not just because I grew up in one, but also because of the charm and peace that these deeply meaningful traditions bring. The shapes and patterns on the façades and columns, made from solid wood, symbolize strength. The carvings vary from region to region, adding unique character to each home.

I'm particularly proud of the old traditional architectural elements in these builds, such as the wooden chest, a common feature in many homes and the perfect place to store a dowry. In churches and other buildings, friezes play a crucial role in supporting the roofs while also enhancing the exterior's beauty, especially on taller structures where the intricate wood detailing captures everyone's attention.

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: When designing something for activities like holding a funeral or visiting crypts in the Eternal Hollow lot, what kind of things do you take into account that might be different from the way you would approach building a residential home?

ALEXANDRA: Firstly, there’s the exterior landscaping. It's clear that a community build, where Sims gather and spend time, will have a different aesthetic compared to a residential house. The grass, flowers, and bushes are arranged to clearly indicate that the space is public rather than residential.

Secondly, I consider the space for activities. In a residential house, outdoor activities are typically kept in the backyard for privacy. However, in community builds, it’s important to include activity spaces throughout the area, such as benches, lunch tables, playgrounds for kids, and walkways. This ensures that the space is functional and inviting for all kinds of activities.

Kate Emerald - Kate

Kate created three residential lots: Teardrop Cottage, Crow’s Perch, and the Old Ravenwood Estate.

She was born and raised in Germany, and her love for The Sims began when the first game launched in 2000. Her journey as a Simmer started with a friend, spending hours together in front of the family computer, playing and building. When she started playing on her own, she quickly discovered that building was by far her biggest passion. From The Sims to The Sims 4, building has consistently been her favorite thing to do in-game. Kate is known for creating giant mansions in The Sims 4 (the bigger and fancier, the better!) which can be found as speed builds on her YouTube channel. She spreads her passion providing advice for fellow builders, and sharing her creations in The Gallery.

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: Alright, Kate, before we jump into it: Do you have a favorite Fall/Autumnal/Halloween tradition?

KATE: Fall is my favorite season, and every year, when summer slowly comes to an end and the leaves start to change color, I begin to feel excited for what's to come. I love to cozy up, light some candles, watch spooky movies, and decorate for fall and Halloween. By far, my favorite tradition is baking a pumpkin pie as soon as fall arrives. When I sit down to enjoy my first slice, I know fall is finally here, and I can truly feel it.

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: That sounds so cozy! Speaking of cozy: you built one of the starter homes for this pack: Teardrop Cottage . What were some of the challenges you faced building a starter home vs the other two large lots you worked on?

KATE: Building the starter home was by far the biggest challenge for me. I’m used to building big mansions, and with the Aether household's home and the abandoned mansion, I could do what I’m used to doing and love. The starter home was not only supposed to be smaller compared to the other two builds but also had a restricted budget. I generally think that the biggest challenge in starter builds is not running out of money so quickly. A starter home is supposed to give a Sim family a fresh start with all the items needed for their basic needs, so it’s okay if it’s a little basic. But I think most builders are used to decorating and furnishing a lot, so it’s definitely a nice challenge. It was fun to challenge myself and see what I could create within the budget restrictions. I wanted to add more pillars to the exterior, include more furniture, and do much more landscaping, but I couldn’t, which made this build more challenging compared to the others I’ve created.

❔THE SIMS TEAM: You are well-known in The Sims’ community for being comfortable working with big lots and mansions–how do you approach big builds so that they take up all the space?

KATE: I usually start a build with just one section instead of creating the whole shell and floor plan first. For example, I might build a pool in the lot's center with a patio behind it. After decorating this section, I expand the build, making it bigger and bigger to fill the space. I sometimes adjust proportions, so after adding more and more, I might notice that a taller wall height could be beneficial, or adding another floor on top. I often zoom out, look at the whole build, and see if it looks balanced and where to add or remove something. Using some space for landscaping around a build also helps, so you can easily fill the space by building a medium-sized house and then going all out with landscaping. Pools also help fill big spaces. At this point, I’m so used to working on big builds that I have a hard time building small. Whenever I start building on a small lot, I reach a point where I want to place it on a bigger lot to continue.

Simsphony - Monika

Simsphony, also known as Monika to her family and friends, built a total of three lots: The Final Draught, Club Eternity, and The Cozy Casket House.

Monika is a full-time The Sims 4 content creator on YouTube who uses her passion for creation to build beautiful and visually striking structures in-game. Her background in Applied Art and Design in Croatia, as well as her previous experience as a retro fashion model and makeup artist, contributes to her overall aesthetic and approach in architecture, colors, and working in the Create-A-Sim space. Monika started playing The Sims back in 2001 with friends, and has since grown to design not only beautiful in-game lots, but also interiors in real life! Like many of us, she has found a community and a safe escape through gaming, stating that “as a child, I often felt different, lost in my daydreams and imaginary worlds, struggling to find my place. But The Sims 4 and its community have opened so many doors for me.”

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: Monika, is there a favorite Fall/Autumnal/Halloween tradition or something you like to do to celebrate around this time of year?

SIMSPHONY: I have to admit, I'm not the best when it comes to traditions. My mood changes from year to year, and I love creating spontaneous and unique experiences. Last year, my fiancé and our friend organized a Halloween pub quiz with hidden clues and tracks for our friends. It was incredibly original and so much fun! I do celebrate a lot of birthdays during the autumn, including my own. So, we could say that my tradition is attending numerous birthday parties, eating lots of cake, and sharing gifts with loved ones!

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: We are all about making your own kinds of traditions at The Sims–these sound like fun! You built both Club Eternity and The Final Draught ; could you see yourself hanging out at IRL at either of these two locations for some of these celebrations?

SIMSPHONY: I can totally see myself hanging out in The Final Draught. Here in Croatia, we often visit places like that on weekends to spend time with friends and family and enjoy nature. The view from the terrace, overlooking the lake and waterfall, is so serene and I like spending time close to the water. In real life, I love pubs and rustic bars—they always seem to have a soul, and I wanted that to be reflected in my bar as well. I’m also a huge fan of natural landscapes, so countryside builds are my favorite both to create in The Sims and to experience in real life. A lovely walk over the hills followed by a cold drink and interesting conversations in a local pub—who wouldn’t enjoy that?

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: When building a starter home, there are a lot of additional challenges like cost and performance to build a lot that will function for a wide variety of players. What were some of your tactics for creating The Cozy Casket House to reduce overall the cost?

SIMSPHONY: That’s a tough question. It was really about finding the right balance for the build. I reduced the space to avoid having too many empty areas inside or bare walls outside. Creating a cozy atmosphere is always my top priority. I aimed for just the right amount of windows and columns to showcase the new features and let in light without overcrowding the design. I wanted a bit of clutter in every room but also needed to save some Simoleons for new furniture, so I used just one or two decorations per room to maximize their impact. For instance, I sometimes found one type of decoration more crucial than others, which influenced my choices for each room. Since this was my second starter home ever, I had to be extra careful, especially given my tendency to go all out with my builds.

sofythesim / Sofy

Sofy, known fittingly as sofythesim, created three lots: Specter Family Manor, Mourning Mist Manor, and HeadlessQuarters.

Sofy, who was born and raised in Sweden, can still vividly remember the excitement of turning 10 when The Sims 2 had just come out, and was so eager to know if it would be amongst her birthday gifts that she found her hidden presents to take an early peek! Fast forward to today, she has been making and sharing builds on social media since 2020. When she’s not lost in the world of The Sims, you can find her cooking for friends, planning fun events, traveling, working out, or scrolling endlessly through TikTok.

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: Alright Sofy, what does the Fall/Autumnal/Halloween season look like for you, and do you have any traditions or celebrations that you look forward to around this time?

SOFY: Halloween is my jam! I absolutely love dressing up and getting creative with costumes. This year, I’m probably going as a “party animal“. But beyond the spooky fun, I also adore the cozy side of fall. There’s nothing better than curling up in a blanket, watching a movie, cooking a heart-warming meal, and lighting candles as the leaves change outside.

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: Occupied lots like the Specter Family Manor often come with a detailed backstory. How do you incorporate a storytelling element into your builds?

SOFY: I have such fond memories of playing with the Specter household in The Sims 2, so being a part of bringing their story to life in this build and The Sims 4 universe was a dream come true. It was crucial for me to include a graveyard and a secret, sketchy basement–after all, there's that long-standing rumor that Olive Specter might have had a hand in her husbands' mysterious demises…

I also sprinkled in a few nods to the Grim Reaper in Nyon’s room. I can’t wait to see how the community plays out the story on this lot!

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: When designing the office that would be part of the Grim career, HeadlessQuarters , what sort of inspiration did you draw from? What did you imagine Grim doing there?

SOFY: For Grim’s Office, I envisioned it as a typical, soul-crushing corporate space – but with a dark twist, fitting for the afterlife. I started with brainstorming what an afterlife office might look like, which led to some interesting ideas. The dark color scheme, combined with eerie green and purple lighting, gives the space a ghostly vibe. And I loved adding little touches like the “Employee of the Month“ paintings and placing Grim’s desk on an elevated platform – because of course, Grim has to look down on his underlings! It was such a blast to design this lot.

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: Is there anything you might say to aspiring builders or new players of The Sims 4 ?

ALEXANDRA: To every The Sims 4 player, I’d like to say that building homes has always been my passion, and I know many of you share that same love. The game may have its limitations, but I believe it's our personal touches that make our builds unique and captivating. I strive to create homes that are not only beautiful but also full of life—homes that inspire others to unleash their creativity and create something truly special. I encourage everyone not to keep their passion to themselves but to proudly share what they love creating in The Sims . With the creativity each of us possesses, I believe it’s hard to ever get bored in this game.

KATE:  The magic of The Sims is that you can tell your own story and use its tools as a creative outlet. You can bring your creative visions to life and do whatever you want in build mode. That's the whole fun of it, doing what you want and following your own ideas. So my advice is to have fun and embrace all the creative tools the game has to offer. Use your imagination and try to think outside the box. For me, this is where the fun truly began when I discovered build mode back then. The Sims franchise means so much to me, it has been a part of my life since childhood. Not only has it been a creative outlet, but I've also met so many amazing people through this game. Now, I've had the incredible opportunity to add builds to the game I adore so much. This game and its community are truly magical, and I encourage every new player to fully dive in and explore all its amazing aspects.

MONIKA: Don’t assume something is impossible in The Sims until you’ve tried it. When it comes to building in the game, time and patience are key. The more time you invest in building, the more tips and tricks you’ll discover. So, don’t be impatient or doubt your talent! Always think outside the box and make your game unique—your imagination is everything. Remember, there’s no “right“ way to play The Sims , so play it your way, regardless of what others might say. Also, find a creator you love and learn from them. Having a free guide can be incredibly helpful, so why not take advantage of it? And the most important thing... save your process to the library!

SOFY: My best advice is to practice, practice, practice. Don’t be afraid to experiment! Look at reference pictures for inspiration or download builds from your favorite creators and learn from them. The more you build, the better you’ll get. And most importantly, have fun with it!

❔ THE SIMS TEAM: Alright, last question for each of you. Which lot are you most proud of, and why?

ALEXANDRA: The lot I'm most proud of is the cemetery–Eternal Hollow–where I aimed to incorporate as many realistic touches as possible. The building is inspired by the wooden churches that are traditional in the northern region of Romania, known as Maramureș. I felt it was the right choice to showcase the rustic wooden style from Romania to Sims players around the world.

The shape and roofing were particularly challenging, but after many changes and hours of work, I believe it feels authentic to the source material. I did my best to balance the requirements while striving to maintain realism and a suitably gloomy atmosphere.

KATE: I am most proud of the big abandoned mansion I created, the Old Ravenwood Estate. It's a 50x50 lot, and I loved creating such a grand mansion with a majestic shape for the pack. The twist of making it look stately yet derelict was challenging and fun. I love how the shape turned out, and working on the overgrown landscaping was something fresh and new for me. It looks like a proper mansion with its best days behind it, and I love how it seems to tell a story about old, forgotten times. It's fully furnished yet pretty empty to preserve the abandoned, empty look, and this approach was also new and challenging for me. I am curious to see how players will use this lot.

MONIKA:  I’m genuinely proud of all my builds and put my best effort and heart into each one, just like every finished lot I share. However, I do have a favorite build—Club Eternity. I think it’s instantly recognizable as mine, especially from the outside. It was incredibly fun to mix different styles, colors, and lighting to create a mood that's both haunting and perfect for a party. Traditional architecture combined with dark, spooky, and fantasy elements is probably the most popular type of build on my YouTube channel, so I’m thrilled to have had the chance to create one for the game and for everyone who enjoys my builds in The Sims 4. Plus, I absolutely love the idea of a club filled with ghosts!

SOFY: While I'm really happy with how Grim's office and HeadlessQuarters turned out (it was quite the challenge!), I think my favorite has to be Mourning Mist Manor, which I built for the Izadi-Gomes household. I’m all about landscaping, so I spent a lot of time creating a lush environment and, of course, filling the place with plants. The greenhouse extension turned out beautifully, and the interior is colorful, vibrant, and brimming with greenery. It feels so alive (hehe), and that’s why it’s my favorite.

Thank you again to our wonderful Simmers Create4Sims, Kate Emerald, Simsphony and Sofythesim for spending time answering our questions and exploring the wider world of The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack. By collaborating with talented creators, we can craft more immersive worlds and tell stories that resonate with our wider playerbase. Until next time: watch out for Ghost Cowplants, best of luck on your Bucket Lists, and vadish!

The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack is available October 31, 2024 on PC via EA app™, Mac® via Origin, Epic Games Store and Steam®, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One systems