Room Reno #92: Indoor/Outdoor Space

Welcome back to Room Reno #92 here at The Sims Resource! Today we’re helping a Sim who wants to live in the ultimate indoor slash outdoor space. Let’s meet the Sim we’re helping!

Meet McKayla!

McKayla is a Sim who recently moved to sunny Oasis Springs. Since it’s a desert world with less rain and snow, she wants to take advantage of the sunshine and create a space that functions as both indoor and outdoor living. Indoor – outdoor spaces create a connection from the interior of a space to the beauty and calm of the natural world, so it’s no wonder more and more people are drawn to it! These combined spaces can be used for a variety of room types, including pretty much anything but bathrooms (though if you have an outdoor shower, you’ve basically got an indoor – outdoor bathroom!). From kitchens to living rooms, lots of living areas can benefit from a little more exposure to nature – and in The Sims, there’s no worry about bugs getting inside (an important bonus feature!). With so many options and possibilites, McKayla decided to narrow it down and chose her bedroom to become her home’s indoor – outdoor space. Let’s see what we’re working with!

The Before

This is a pretty good space, though it’s definitely a work in progress! McKayla is in the midst of having the house expanded, so a lot of the rooms are being built out from the original house. Her current room uses most of the walls of the original house’s exterior, but goes further into the interior to create more space. Thank goodness there’s no plumbing or load bearing walls to worry ab0out when you build in the game (though honestly I would probably be interested in playing that version too). The bedroom windows are the house’s original ones, and I really like the large arched design. I think it will lend a ton of natural light and also keeps some of the original home’s character without trying to change it too much.

The entrance from the hallway will let some interior light in, as they’re french doors with window panes. On the exterior wall, McKayla has installed a huge doorway of glass panes that lead to the outdoor part of the room. As stated earlier, she lives in Oasis Springs, so she luckily won’t have to worry about freezing winter weather making it impossible to enjoy her room all year round. My one real gripe with this room is that it’s a tall wall height, which I have notoriously ranked as my least favorite wall height, but I can make a sacrifice for McKayla and decorate my least favorite wall height for her. Let’s get planning!

The Planning

For the planning, this larger indoor – outdoor room was essentially broken down into two rooms to keep it simple. In some indoor – outdoor spaces, there’s less of a divide between the natural world and the indoors, so that sort of division may not be necessary, but in this home it’s definitely simpler to divide them up. Going from the largest furniture pieces first, I went with the bed in the center of the room, facing out so that McKayla can enjoy the wonderful views be in morning, noon, or night. I also gave her a desk, so she can work and also catch some glimpses of the nice view (though it’s still hidden enough that she won’t get too distracted by anything outside).

Instead of a traditional dresser, I opted for a hanging clothes rack, which allows for McKayla to put her favorite items on display as a sort of functional decorative piece (there are lots of closets throughout the home, so McKayla will store most of her clothes there). As for the outdoor sitting area, I didn’t get too detailed on the planning diagram because it’s going to be a fairly simple area with some seating for McKayla to enjoy the weather and sun. A lot of plants will help fill the outdoor space as well, since it’s a great spot for plants that need high amounts of sunlight to thrive. I might try to sneak a fancy outdoor rug out there as well to add some color and interest to what’s otherwise going to be a fairly simple space.

The After

This build turned out even better than I expected! First of all, I absolutely love the outdoor statement rug – it ties together all the colors of the room pretty perfectly. The bright orange patio chairs add pops of color to the outdoor area, so I went with a neutral white end table with an architectural base instead of something super colorful. I made sure to add some clutter (because of course) to the end table, though those sunglasses are probably pretty important in a world as sunny as Oasis Springs! I also added a lot of potted plants around the outdoor area as I thought about in the planning. The ones at the edge of the patio are actually plants placed into the base game round planters using the move objects cheat! It’s a great way to change up the plants you can display in the game.

As for the indoor space, I went with a warm neutral color palette so as to bring the eye more naturally to the outdoor area of the space. That doesn’t mean the interior is boring though! I added some metal wall racks for McKayla to display photos and trinkets above her desk, where I also added a mod-style white chair to add a bit of character. The clothing rack worked great as a way to display clothes that fit the aesthetic of the room and contributes to the cozy vibes without adding too much visual clutter.

Thanks for checking out Room Reno #92! If you liked this blog, check out Room Reno #91: Summer Bedroom or our Gilmore Girls inspired lookbook. Looking for something else? Read about summer CC looks for the whole family or check out our Spring Break trends lookbook! Have a great day 😎