World of Warcraft player housing has expanded significantly with patch 12.1, The Curse of Ula'tek, introducing a massive selection of new decor, artisan rooms, and community blueprint sharing. For players diving into the feature on PC, Blizzard principal artist and lead designer Jay Huang has shared practical guidance on how to approach decorating without feeling overwhelmed by elaborate community creations.
Quick Facts
- Game: World of Warcraft
- Patch: Patch 12.1, The Curse of Ula'tek
- New Feature: Player housing decor, blueprints, and advanced building systems
- Platform: PC
Getting started as a beginner can feel intimidating when looking at advanced player creations, but Huang outlines several key strategies to make interior design approachable.
1. Start with a Reference and Scale
Even professional artists rely on reference images. Finding a specific building or vibe helps clarify what decor pieces are needed. Proportions matter—for instance, building a gnome home requires keeping items appropriately sized rather than relying on massive, open-concept gaps.
2. Break Up Open-Concept Spaces
Decorating a wide-open square room from scratch is difficult. Huang recommends picking smaller rooms to start, or using partitions, pillars, and platforms like Legos or Lincoln Logs to divide large areas into smaller niches.
3. Limit Colors and Layer Patterns
Beginners often use too many colors at once. Huang recommends sticking to a strict palette of two to four colors for a cohesive look before adding variety. Additionally, repeating elements—much like pillars in a cathedral—quickly add detail without overthinking.
4. Utilize Kitbashing and Dyes
Advanced mode allows players to turn items upside down, look at them from all angles, and embed objects within one another to repurpose their shapes. Furthermore, the dye system lets players change object colors, turning cheaper neighborhood-vendor items like doors into wall panels or stoves.