Verdemar: Fierce and untamed like its people, Verdemar is a place of bold contrasts. Rowdy pirates and educated Nobles have both called it home throughout history. What may seem like an odd clash from the outside, is in truth a peaceful marriage of cultures. Indeed it is almost impossible to find a Noble family without pirace ancestors here. To this day this is a place for the adventurous and the outcasts, where the strong and the savvy earn the most respect.

Bellacorde: Class, opulence and elegance. In Bellacorde everything is romantic, beautiful… and crazy expensive. With a long history rooted in chivalry and court drama, there’s no better place to savor every aspect of the elite lifestyle. Just don’t get too carried away and end up doing something scandalous. Gossip is sharp and travels fast here, and in Bellacorde there’s no greater sin than a tainted image.

Dambele: Known for its vibrant streets, communal spaces and a strong tradition of painting and crafting, Dambele is a warm and welcoming place. Don’t be misled by its no-frills exterior: this is an extremely wealthy neighborhood…they just don’t like to flaunt it here. After all, the greatest of Dambele traditions is for everyone in its community to share with each other.

In The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy Expansion Pack, the world of Ondarion was brought to life through a collaborative effort rooted in creativity, storytelling and community.

To showcase the unique culture of each Dynasty in the kingdom of Ondarion, we partnered with four talented creators from The Sims community, Plumbob Kingdon, Eva Rotky, Emerald Stories, and Studio Gabri, inviting each of them to design original lots that help define the kingdom’s Dynasties, neighborhoods, and stories.

Each creator was given the freedom to interpret Ondarion through their own creative lens, building everything from grand palaces and noble estates to a bustling market and lived-in commoner homes. The result is a kingdom made up of distinct regions, layered storytelling, and spaces designed to spark drama, legacy, and imagination.

We sat down with each creator to talk through their inspiration, their approach to storytelling, and the craftsmanship behind their builds, to uncover the secrets hidden within Ondarion’s most illustrious lots.

Plumbob Kingdom – Roko

Roko, better known as Plumbob Kingdom, designed the Abrantes Estate as well as the Renaissance Road and La Vivace.

Based in Brasil, Roko has been playing The Sims since the original game. With a background in fashion and a love for decoration, architecture, and art, his builds are rich in detail, layered with inspiration from antique décor and vintage finds. Drawing from dark academia, Victorian, classic, and rustic influences, Roko’s spaces feel dramatic and lived-in.

❔THE SIMS TEAM: One of the design challenges for Renaissance Road was balancing an exterior that fits Bellacorde’s luxury with a more modest interior. How did you approach that contrast?

ROKO: This lot was quite challenging. I’m used to building on large lots, and having to bring all of the ideas together and concentrate them into a smaller space really pushed me out of my comfort zone. On top of that, there was the contrast between more opulent elements and more humble ones. In the end, we conveyed the idea that the more affluent pieces were Juliette’s belongings, brought with her when she left her family home to join Romeo and gradually build her dynasty.

❔THE SIMS TEAM: La Vivace is such a gorgeous social space, how did you ensure social elements were at the center of the design?

ROKO: The first thing that came to mind when I thought about this lot was that classic idea often seen in films, with a dance floor surrounded by mezzanines and, right in front of it, a grand staircase. This was the main scene I imagined everyone would want to see when bringing their Sims to the ball. For the exterior architecture, I aimed to build something characteristic of the eclectic style – a combination of renaissance, classical, neoclassical and Baroque styles with the “Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro” as a major inspiration.

❔THE SIMS TEAM: One standout feature of the Abrantes Estate is the administration room. How do you imagine this space being used in everyday storytelling?

ROKO: We know that the family’s matriarch has a great thirst for power and a constant concern with elevating her family’s prestige in society. I imagine the throne room as the place where she grants audiences to commoners, and takes the opportunity to delve into what is happening around the neighborhood. Especially when it comes to her son’s marriage, thus exercising her influence and manipulation, and further strengthening her legacy.

Eva Rotky – Eva

Eva, commonly known as Eva Rotky, designed both the Bellacorde Palace and Verdemar Palace, bringing two very different royal households to life.

Originally from Austria and now based in London, Eva is an interior designer whose love of architecture and interiors was shaped in part by her love for The Sims, ultimately inspiring in her decision to transition into interior design as a career. Since 2020, Eva has been sharing her highly detailed, realistic builds that blend contemporary and vintage elements within a minimalist framework, often inspired by the historic architecture of cities like London, Paris and New York.

❔THE SIMS TEAM: What storytelling elements did you include in your builds?

EVA: Both palaces are the homes of very prestigious families who bring a lot of lore into The Sims 4 universe! I definitely wanted to ensure that the different Sims‘ personalities and traits are reflected in their palaces. For example, the Capp household is very materialistic, snobby and likes to feel exclusive which the interiors show by use of heavy gold accents and pompous, decadent furnishings as the head of the family, Tybalt, likes to flaunt his wealth. 

The household of the Verdemar Palace, Cordelia and Thiago, couldn’t be further from the Capp‘s. They are adventurous, avid collectors and love the sea. The whole colour palette of the palace is much darker and moodier with heavy accents of teal and blues to reflect the household‘s closeness to the sea. Since Cordelia is a big hoarder of treasures, I’ve included a secret room at the top of the tower filled with only the most expensive treasures!

❔THE SIMS TEAM: You built two beautiful palaces, how do they differ from one another?

EVA: Not only are the two households that live in each palace vastly different characters, but the two neighbourhoods they live in are also very distinctive areas, and both factors majorly influenced my design of the palaces. While Bellacorde is very orderly with traditional romantic elements, Verdemar is a lot more untamed and unpredictable like the sea. The Bellacorde palace therefore has a very symmetric shape with orderly landscaping: every bush and tree has its place and even the hedges of the maze are trimmed to precision! The neoclassical palace here feels very romantic with warm pastel colours, grand staircases, gorgeous wisteria, hydrangeas and luxurious decorative sculptures. 

Verdemar palace on the other hand is designed with a totally asymmetric shape in mind and it sits at the top of a hill, isolated from the town. I exaggerated the palace‘s elevation by giving the build a lot of height to make the most of the clifftop views. The palace is also adorned with highly ornate decorative elements with cooler tones of blue and teal, and plenty of weathering details to reflect the proximity to the sea. Verdemar also feels very romantic but in a more untamed way than Bellacorde with secluded spots hidden in nature which adds to the secretive nature of the neighbourhood.

❔THE SIMS TEAM: How did you integrate Secret Passageways into the palaces?

EVA: I really wanted the Secret Passageways to feel exactly that: secretive! That meant not easy to spot, not in obvious places but in handy locations for the Sims who are in the know. Since the passageways look like old grandfather clocks, they were easily disguised in grand principal rooms where most Sims would just glance to check the time.

Emerald Stories – Linda Zaranyika

Linda Zaranyika, also known as Emerald Stories, designed the Casa do Corsário and 

Fisherman’s Hut, as well as the Zanbira Market in Dambele.

Linda has been playing The Sims for more than 14 years, starting with The Sims FreePlay before falling fully in love with The Sims 3. Her creative journey led her from build tours on TikTok to full speed builds inspired by nostalgia, dreams, and carefully curated Pinterest boards. No matter the style, Linda’s goal is always the same: spaces that feel warm, safe, and genuinely lived-in.

❔THE SIMS TEAM: The Verdemar neighborhood is definitely “fierce.” How did you implement this aesthetic while keeping the commoner residence cohesive?

LINDA: There are six completely different versions of Casa do Corsário. All wildly different and complicated, but I stuck with my final design because I chose subtle chaos rather than the outright havoc I had before. There are a few brown terrain paint marks on the ground, fading out the stone; all the walls are weathered, and the charm comes from the interior. A moody, regal feel with a purposeful, muted grandeur from both the Verdmar and Dambele neighbourhoods. 

❔THE SIMS TEAM: How did you ensure the design captures the essence of a fishing hut while still providing a cozy, livable environment?

LINDA: Colours and textures are everything. I wanted something that had to have the air of a boat house whilst not standing out too much. Similar to the commoner house, this had to look covert, unassuming, and simple. I went with natural tones of the sea, light brown (the sand), blue (the ocean and sky), and white (the clouds). I didn’t veer too much off of the simplistic woods and stone, but I purposely steered away from metals and other harsh materials. Finally, the space had to be open, breathable and fluid. With the traditional lack of windows in boat houses, I needed the build to feel less like a confined space, but a well-thought-out conversion. This meant open access to the bedroom in the loft, entrances from the front, side, or back and being able to see into the kitchen from the living room.

❔THE SIMS TEAM: The market can definitely be a top, center space for the community! What strategies did you use to create a cohesive and inviting atmosphere that encourages community interaction throughout the market?

LINDA: I did not want there to be isolated areas, no full walls, no closed sofas and barely any doors. I wanted Sims to walk past and see the community occurring, to hear the conversations and (using imagination) to smell the food, and without barriers, this was possible. There is this fundamental connection West African homes have with the earth, and I wanted this to also be apparent in the build. The roofs cover what needs to be covered, I do not deny my Sims of the sun, and the walls are full of greenery, letting life exist within the material itself. I had a lot of fun imagining my Sims simply walking through to get to the destination quicker and being immersed for a second then moving on, monetary shelter, shade or reprieve. Either way, it isn’t obstructive, it purposefully connects, Sim to Sim, Sim to Earth and Destination to Destination.

Studio Gabri – Gabby

Gabby, known online as Studio Gabri, designed the Ye Olde Voyager, Sankofa Residence and Hardcover.

Gabby is an interior designer whose love for The Sims began with the original game and has come full circle into her real-life career. With a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and a current role as a Senior Designer, Gabby credits The Sims as a key creative influence behind her professional journey. Since launching her Sims content in late 2024, she’s become known for contemporary and modern heritage-inspired builds that treat every lot like a real-world design challenge, with the goal of inspiring and encouraging the community to “always keep going.”

❔THE SIMS TEAM: Hardcover, The Verdemar Bar used to be frequented by pirates! How did you ensure that history was reflected in the build?

GABBY: Verdemar, or as I’ve nicknamed “the old sea,” is rich in maritime history. I wanted to ensure that the bar reflected this history in both the exterior and the interior of the build. I wanted the exterior to be a nod to the old and the new, which is represented in the materials and structure. From the exterior, you will see weathered limestone and lush vegetation, deep emerald green windows and doors, along with a sleek, round glass window on the second floor that pays homage to that of modern seafaring navigation equipment. On the interior, as it was once frequented by pirates, I wanted it to feel like an opulent extension of a pirate ship through the rich wood paneled walls, flooring and ceiling, a mix of furnishings and décor. Touches of the deep emerald green, shell motifs and nautical items (scrolls, treasure chest, etc.) throughout both floors of the interior add to the maritime charm.

❔THE SIMS TEAM: The Sankofa Residence in Dambele is very luxurious! What elements of luxury did you implement in this build?

GABBY: Dambele, though known for its sense of community, is very luxurious in cultural and environmental elements. To capture the luxury and beauty of the environment and implement it into the Noble residence, I initially started with the fountains in the front of the home as a focal point and worked on the shell of the build around that! Paired with a neutral limestone, geometric tiles, and columns, I wanted the structure to have a modern, visually interesting shape that had varying heights, half walls, and Dambele-style doors and windows. Think modern opulence with West African influence! The exterior stairs seen from the second floor were also a design decision that I worked through towards the end that added texture and character to the build. 

❔THE SIMS TEAM: Hardcover is a library by day and a nightclub by night! How did you create the two very opposing ideas into one space?

GABBY: The Backroom is such a cool concept! Because a library by day and a nightclub by night are two very different social environments, I wanted to ensure that the exterior and the interior made sense together! Truthfully, I came up with several different ideas for this build because my mind went in several different directions of where I could take it, but I’m very happy with where I landed in the end! Structurally, I wanted the shape to also be characteristic of the modern architecture throughout Dambele, but also feel historic as if it has been there for a long time.

A huge thank you to Plumbob Kingdom, Eva Rotky, Emerald Stories and Studio Gabri for helping bring the kingdom of Ondarion to life. Collaborations like these allow The Sims to keep telling new stories, celebrating creativity, and building unforgettable spaces alongside our community.