5 top tips from World of Warcraft housing creators for making amazing masterworks

World of Warcraft housing has become an amazing spectator sport, with dozens of streamers and creators entrancing players and viewers with their amazing works of art.

With WoW's new patch 12.1 adding piles of new housing decor items, rooms, house exteriors, and tools to use them with, it felt like the perfect time to ask those artisans for a little help. Without further ado, here are five top tips from those pros about how to get started in WoW housing.

(For suggestions from World of Warcraft's own lead design and principal artist in housing, Jay Huang, see this companion story.)

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1. Don't forget to turn on the lights

(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment (design by Megan James))

(From Megan James, akaMeggoArt, streamer and host of the WoWKEA Discord server)

Megan James is the creator of one of the classic tutorials for WoW Housing, and she says one of the things new players tend to overlook is lighting.

"If it seems really dark in your house, that's because it is!" she says. "WoW houses default to being unlit, so if you place some lighting decor around it can really help you see what you're building."

2. Add clutter

(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment (design by BuildingMouse))

(From BuildingMouse, streamer and creator of housing masterworks including her kitchen tutorials playlist)

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A mathematician in real life, BuildingMouse is one of the most popular housing video creators, bringing with her an audience from her award-winning days in Elder Scrolls Online housing. She's the author of the Van Gogh painting in WoW housing that Blizzard's Jay Huang refers to in our companion story.

Her builds are particularly well-known for feeling lifelike. The secret, she says, is clutter.

"Scatter books on tables, dishes left out in the kitchen, magnets on the fridge, or pictures on the walls—it instantly makes the space feel lived-in," she says.

3. Explore the housing controls in detail before you get started

(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment/Cottage Wizard)

(From Cottage Wizard, streamer and creator of wonderful style sheets to get new players started making houses in the styles of different WoW cultures)

Cottage Wizard's background is in 3D art and digital illustration, and it shows in her cozy, detailed creations. It's much easier to build when you know all the tools you have at your disposal, she says.

"Take your time going through every nook of the housing UI. Some features may be easy to miss, such as the small button for Placed Decor that appears only in the Advanced Mode," Cottage Wizard says. "There, you can select and remove placed items from a list, which is super handy if you clipped something behind a wall or ceiling and it becomes untargetable!"

4. Give your build a storyline

(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment (design by GP@Home))

(From GP@Home, streamer and creator of huge spectacle pieces, which he gives away to all players via the 12.1 patch's new blueprints feature)

GP is the creator of some of the biggest spectacles in WoW housing. He's recreated the city of Nazjatar in miniature, made a the Blizzard World theme park, and put Cyberpunk in WoW. His suggestion is to do what he does so well in his builds: Make sure they have a narrative.

"Make sure to tell a story, to support your build's immersion," he suggests. That will also help drive a focal point for your set pieces. "Builds feel confusing with nothing guides the viewer's eye."

5. Build the big lines before starting in on the details

(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment (design by Synthex))

(From Synthex, a professional games environmental artist and level designer, whose builds have been featured in official Blizzard videos, including his rocket house.)

Synthex is a pro as well as a creator, so he brings his professional knowledge to his passion for building. It's important to get the big stuff right in a build before you start adding details, he says, and you shouldn't be afraid to delete things and start over—he does, even with his years of experience.

"Start with the big strokes, by blocking out the core shapes of a room," he says. "Try to get the overall vibe and feel established. It's really easy, and fun, to get carried away with minute details in your house that can really suck up hours. While those details are important, do them last."