Come on In! A Look Inside Creator’s Builds for Growing Together

Our players make The Sims every day. They play to express their individualities, interests and aspirations. They inspire us to keep innovating and improving. They’re creators in every sense of the word.   

We are constantly collaborating with creators to help us bring new perspectives to The Sims. Most recently, The Sims™ 4 partnered with prominent builder and community creator Dzidziak86 (Monika) to design three lots for The Sims 4 Growing Together Expansion Pack, including the homes of the Michaelson and Robles families and a charming starter home by the name of Parkside Place.

Growing Together has a large focus on family, so we knew we wanted houses that felt like personalized, lived-in homes for the Sims who resided in them. That’s always our goal, but in this Expansion, it felt especially important to achieve given the theme. When we were figuring out who to work with on this pack, we reviewed some of Monika's prior builds on the Sims 4 Gallery. The layouts and details in her builds felt very realistic, familiar, and homey, so we knew she'd be a great fit for what we were trying to accomplish with our premade lots.

Despite this being our first time working with Monika, she built some pretty important lots for us! The Robles Family is an integral part of San Sequoia’s history and our pack’s lore, and their home needed to look built upon over time. When you look at Monika’s build for the Robles house, the outside structure shows how they’ve expanded over the years, and the inside has so much thought put into the layout—from Aurelio’s cool upstairs teen getaway to family patriarch, Ignacio Robles’ personal quarters—their home fits them.

She also built the Michaelson family home for us, which is not only in game but also was used to create the foundation for the Michaelson home we showed in the Growing Together trailer. I remember when I first saw the Michaelson lot, and that she’d included a tiny gaming room for Celeste and Christopher off their bedroom. I was blown away by how cute and personal it felt to that family. They’re also techies and into science, and the nursery she built is space-themed. She added so much personality into everything she built, and her lots helped us tell the stories we wanted players to experience. -SimGuruMorgan

Living in Poland, Monika started playing The Sims over 20 years ago when she was in high school. Since then it’s been a huge part of her life, helping her realize how much she loved expressing herself through design and leading her to work in a home decor store. 

We sat down with Monika to learn more about her creation process, the inspiration behind the lots, and what she’s most excited to explore in San Sequoia!

Can you give us some background on the three lots you created? 

I started with the Michaelson's family home. It is a traditional blue suburban house with white windows and columns. There’s a large backyard that includes splash pads and a treehouse. It’s a perfect home for a family with kids, surrounded by greenery, flowers, and a huge driveway where kids can learn to ride a bike.

I also built the Robles’ family home. This house is where traditional and modern blend together. I imagine that this house has been expanded over the years. There is a lovely sitting area under a glass roof in front of the house and plenty of space for outdoor activities in the backyard.

Finally, I made a starter home located in the park district. It’s the perfect house for a young family who just wants a quiet life.

We know you’re not supposed to pick a favorite child, but if you had to…which house are you most proud of and why?

A difficult choice, but I’m most proud of Robles' family house. It is a big and multi-generational family, so it was important for me to create a space for everyone. I got the sense that they’re really close to each other and connected to the local community around them, so there is a place where they can socialize with family and friends BUT if anyone needs time to themselves they can hide and relax.

Can you describe how you see each family using the homes? Were there certain elements you added that were specific to each family?

Both houses are created based on the rich history of each family, their character and how they like to spend time. Ignacio Robles, the head of the family, lives with his daughter and son-in-law and loves to spend time with his grandchild playing games and having fun. That’s why I made sure to fill the place with chess and puzzle decor. He also likes cooking, so his bedroom is close to the kitchen.

I knew that Celeste and Christopher Michaelson were Tech Gurus, so I created a private office space for them with computers, right next to the bedroom!

For the starter home, what kind of individuals do you see living in this home? Can you describe their dynamic?

I made this starter home for a new family with an infant; I like to think that they just started a life together. They both love art and bohemian styles and I have a feeling they might like gardening. The interiors are spacious and although they like to spend time together as a family, they often meet with friends. 

What design decisions did you make to ensure that the homes in this expansion pack felt unique and distinct from previous Sims expansion packs?

I knew this EP was perfect for me because I love to mix styles, my favorite being new-traditional homes. I love to combine new and old and I tried my best to showcase that in every house, that's what makes houses from Growing Together so different.

Did you take inspiration from real-life architecture or interior design for any of the lots in this EP, if so, which ones?

For both the Michaelson's house and the starter house, I took inspiration from authentic life architecture. I was looking for craftsman houses with a modern twist and traditional suburban houses. However, the Robles’ house is different, it was much more imaginative. I have never seen a house like that in real-life, but I knew exactly how I wanted it to look from the beginning. 

Can you walk us through the creation process for one of the lots that you made? What were some of the key considerations that went into its design? 

The most important house for me is the Robles’ house. I fell in love with the family at first sight. The house is divided into parts both old and new. The old section is where the kitchen and Ignacio's bedroom sit. It was crucial for me that he had a separate staircase and easy access to the kitchen. 

The second part is modern, it belongs to Ian and his family. Since they have a teenage son, I decided he deserved some privacy and made his bedroom upstairs. He loves music, so he can listen to it really loud. They all live together, but have found ways to create their own individualized spaces for themselves. I also wanted them to have a place for outdoor activities and I made a large patio with a glass roof in the backyard. Every part of the house is connected and reflects the character of the family.

How did you balance the desire to create beautiful visually interesting homes with the need to keep them functional for Sims gameplay?

That part was super easy. When I design a house, the most important thing for me is gameplay. I was really just doing what I always do when creating these houses. Also, the new objects are beautiful, so this made things easier.

How do you think the lots in this expansion pack will enhance players' experiences?

I hope that players will find a place where they can fully experience family life through experiences such as building a treehouse, learning how to ride a bike, playing games and just being together. I would love to know that The Sims families are growing together happily in a safe, cheerful and bright space that I created. 

Is there any type of home that you’re excited to build once you get your hands on this pack? 

Yes! I can't wait to build with the new pack. I have so many ideas and so many pictures saved. It won't be a blue suburban house, but it will be a new traditional type of home for sure. Maybe a craftsman bungalow with a modern touch. I can't wait to use the new windows and doors. 

The Sims 4 Growing Together Expansion Pack will be available for purchase beginning March 16 in The Sims 4 on PC via EA app, Mac® via Origin, Epic Games Store, Steam®, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One systems.