So I'm sitting here building a mansion, in game of course, and then in struck me: "WHAT DO I PUT IN THIS HOUSE?!"

I'm sure I'm not the only one whose had this before, so I thought I'd ask you guys, what do you put in your homes? Do you put an arcade, bowling alley, etc?

I try to avoid placing anything like that in my simmies homes because then they would have no reason to go to town and have fun. For me, it get's boring that way. I do place a pool, a hot tub, hobbie items and definitely a large study for all the collectibles and for the shelfs and chests to store them in + the gem cutter machine, of course.

Aside from usual stuff, depends on what skills they focus on. Chess for a logic guy and guitar (or other instruments now that I have LN) and usually a computer for my writer. If I opt for slightly more expensive furniture at first, the computer is the first thing to be bought. I don't incredibly large stuff into my homes cause I dislike large homes, they generally end up feeling too large and having pointless space in it.

I mostly do this cause I am too lazy to put a library, pool, art gallery, etc, into my town. Just community lots.

C-A

If you don't know what to put in your house it's too big

For a really nice, high end home, I always add a home gym in a dedicated room, with an attached bathroom so stinky sims don't have to wander around to clean up after a workout, the sauna thing in it's own room sometimes with the massage table (made to look like a sauna with proper wood paneling and benches), and lots of parking spaces for the car collection. An entertainment room in the basement (where I usually put the gym and sauna, as well as my underground parking for all the cars) with gaming stuff like a pool table, ping pong table, maybe the basketball machine game, the whack a mole, and some other assorted gaming stuff. And at least one professional bar, so they can learn to mix a proper drink.

Outdoors always get a pool and a hot tub, along with a BBQ area and outdoor dining, which they will inevitably autonomously use only when it's raining, and then bitch about it. And frequently, at least a small to medium fenced garden. And yes, I have a tuning mod to keep the zombies from eating the plants, but I got in the habit of always fencing in my gardens back with Pets, when the horses took a liking to the fruit trees.

I usually furnish it with... furnishings.

Mmmm well I don't build and then decide what goes where, I make those decisions as I am building in an attempt to create some form of natural flow for the house.

A mansion is not a problem my Sims ever face. However, as far as things for them to use, a computer is first, so that my Sim can "Chat With..." and not get busted for being out after curfew. After than, I'd add things that they can do together with visitors -- in their socioeconomic class that would be sprinklers, chess, and someday foosball. I agree with the earlier comment that you need to keep them socializing so they don't just stay home & play with their toys, no matter how plain or fancy those are.

My houses are often pretty bare when it comes to "actual" items. If they can afford it I always decorate and make it look nice (rugs, paintings, etc) but, as others have said, I don't keep a lot of fun stuff at home that would just occupy their time and prevent them from leaving the house and meeting people. I usually don't even use bookcases except as decoration; skilling is more efficient at the library anyway. So my houses are basically model homes :P

That's...a hard question for me to answer.

There are basically two ways my homes go. One, I start with something basic and it expands and is decorated as things go and things are needed. The other is to build fully planned and kitted homes where everything is planned out on paper. I've been doing the first in my reboot of my Scumthorpe related family and had done the latter in the original with a fully equipped manor house. Still it really depends on the story I am doing with my sims and it can go anywhere in between those two extremes.

I totally agree on that. I decide what customers I have for this house, are they partyanimals perhaps I like those, and if I'm gonna use CC and from where. Then I use a lot of space on the architecture itself, create nice outdoor space perhaps secluded and as eskie say with the objects I use.

Of course, but I am not the type to go for big houses, anyway. Also, I never see the point of giving my sims a mansion, considering that by the time they can afford one without cheats, they are maxed out on half a dozen of skills. So I would see no point in "filling up" the empty space with stuff like a home gym or spa.

C-A

What about just having a lazy life?

A lot of plants

Dunno. I just don't see the point of giving my sims a large mansion. My houses generally lack landscaping a lot of the time, too, because I don't go much for landscaping. It either gets in my way of watching them or just serves no point. Guess I'm a minimalist builder.

C-A

I'm a minimalist who loves lazy living. If I have a bed and heating my next requirement would be a computer, when that's done the only thing I need is a jacuzzi

Stuff. I put stuff in my homes.

lol me too, and a toilet.

Honestly my sims houses get stuff depending on the sim. If they like chess they get a table but if they like gardening I'll fill their houses with plants.

I'm generally the same, they get what they need for their jobs, traits, etc., but I don't think I've ever even played on anything larger than 30x30 since I'm sure my laptop would implode.

Besides the usual furnishing, I rarely do anything with my houses, mainly because my computer is weird about TS3 and will randomly freak out if I make a wrong move with the camera.

If I have a witch in the house, I build him/her a "witching room" complete with alchemy equipment, a moon dial, the Soothsayer's Crystal Ball, a magic mirror, Bonehilda's coffin, and a broom rack.

I don't build mansions. Too much for my simmies. I like to start them out really poor and struggling and make them work for their money. I'll add to their homes as their income gets higher and get it to the point of luxurious but never a mansion. If my sims get that rich, I usually end up tearing down their original house and building a bigger one to accommodate all the things they need and what they've amassed. ~~shrugs~~

I guess you're on the right track when you said you've put in bowling lanes, arcade - basically a games room. Don't forget walk in closets and full sized dressing rooms - his and hers while you're at it. Heck you can probably do a his and hers ensuite adjoining those fully realized dressing rooms too. Don't forget the office, library, music room, living room, dining, kitchen, fully stocked pantry, fully stocked wine cellar... errrmmm.. nectar cellar I mean, That's about all I can think of to put in that huge space right now. Good luck !!! Post some piccies if you ever finish it

you have to put objects based on sims's skills and personality

http://www.exoticelements3.org/search/label/Stove

I put this stove in..... it recolors nicely, is self cleaning, never burns food, has the "fast learning" moodlet, and fits with most decor styles

Everything else is subject to change depending on the story I'm telling in my tiny head about my tiny person.

Toilet paper rolls, shelves, fake vents, that outdoor air conditioning unit, rain gutter drainy things outside, rugs. I tend to just put the essential then add things according to personality and traits of sims.

I would rather have a toilet