Welcome back for another installment of Featured Nook! For this edition we’ve changed things up a bit and are focusing on a solo designer rather than a venue. To coincide with this we’ve added a few different sections to our interview, and a fresh set of questions that are in line with the new theme. We hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we did!
In anticipation of this month’s piece we reached out to the incredibly talented housing designer, Faerie Peach. Currently she is on hiatus from housing commissions, but she was kind enough to agree to collaborate with us for this article. Despite being a relatively new designer in FFXIV, Peach has quickly become quite prolific in the realm of housing. If you take a quick look at her work it’s easy to see why– blurring the lines of game and reality, her flawlessly clean builds would be at home in any contemporary design magazine.
Much of her work favors fairly minimalist open concept layouts, but looks can be deceiving. To the untrained eye her builds may not look like many different components at first glance; but those familiar with existing housing items could easily tell you that the amount of small details she incorporates is astounding. Layer upon layer of these intricate touches add a massive amount of sophistication and visual interest to her designs, imparting an element of realism that is not commonly seen in the world of FFXIV.
Peach expertly utilizes existing furnishings to create fusions that seamlessly blend together and become something completely new. Many of her builds feature modern appliances and sleek furniture that would not be out of place in a trendy coffee shop or high end home. Gorgeous color palettes and exceptional pops of color tie everything together; creating an extremely cohesive visual balance while maintaining a simple elegance that does not overwhelm the openness of her designs. Sweeping vistas and lovely windowscapes with fantastically detailed layering are another hallmark of many of her builds. Not only do they add a splash of opulence to her work, but they also give an illusion of depth and natural lighting that can easily make visitors forget that they are inside the confines of a house.
The amount of creativity, consideration, and research that goes into Peach’s work is absolutely inspiring; but her interaction with fellow housing enthusiasts is equally admirable. She’s always happy to share her expertise and techniques with anyone who asks. Her Twitter has countless break-it-downs, and many players have gone on to happily implement the things they have learned from her in their own builds. In the short amount of time she’s been active in the housing world, she’s made a substantial impact and has truly been a boon to the community.
All in all it was an absolute delight to talk to Peach; we definitely recommend that you browse past her work and give her builds a visit if you have the opportunity!
Read on for our full interview, and be sure to check out the socials below!
General Information
To open each interview, we like to ask the most basic questions about our Featured Designer.
• What is your username?
Faerie Peach
• What is your physical data center, logical data center, and world?
[NA] Aether, Faerie
• How long have you been designing housing in FFXIV?
About 8 months or so! Picked up more after 6.0 released.
Housing Design
In this portion of our interview we will be talking about design both in a general sense and within the confines of FFXIV.
• Can you briefly describe your style as a designer?
Clean, modern, and realistic. My builds lean towards luxurious and contemporary, and usually feature some sort of nature within them.
• What is your favorite type of design to create?
I enjoy cafes and beach houses a lot, not sure which of the two I like more!
• Which plot size is your favorite to design and why?
L – my particular style is very slot-hungry, so the more slots, the better.
• What are some of your favorite dye colors or general color palettes to use in designs?
White with various deep blues, or gobbiebag/shale brown accented with black are my favorite palettes!
• What are some of your favorite furnishings to use in builds and why?
Hingan bookshelves, wooden staircase bookshelves, wood slat partitions, dance poles, and trick bookcases are some of my favorites. They’re like lego blocks– plain and simple furnishings that can be used in a variety of ways. I can create sofas, windows, tables, fireplaces, counters… list is almost endless! I’m including a picture from one of my builds where I stacked Hingan bookshelves to create a slatted L-shape sofa.
• What are some of your favorite in game assets from dungeons or other areas that you would like to see added to housing?
I would LOVE some white stone wallpaper and flooring– the kind you see in Limsa or Old Sharlayan would be perfect.
• If you could add three new housing items to the game what would they be and how would you use them?
Wallpaperable white rectangular partitions, wooden lofts where flooring can be added, and a plain dyeable shelf (antique shelf-sized). I think being able to vary the flooring style in a build would open a lot of creative doors, and I’m tired of lofting blank partitions to hide the bottom trim. The dyeable shelf would be the perfect aforementioned “lego block”.
• What are some of your favorite techniques to utilize or incorporate into your works?
I don’t know if I follow techniques exactly, but I look to a lot of real homes as references. I enjoy looking at a real home and puzzling out how I can recreate it in FFXIV.
• In your opinion, what are some of the most undervalued concepts when it comes to housing?
I cannot stress the importance of lighting enough. Good lighting makes a huge difference to a build’s realism and ambience. It almost brings a build to life. I’d recommend hiding lamps inside of furnishings/walls and placing lamps liberally throughout a build, and adding assorted candles to windows.
• When you look at housing as a whole, how do you define good design? Do any specific elements have to be present?
As a disclaimer– what I like in a design doesn’t necessarily mean good or bad. I value a consistent and cohesive colour palette in a build, and also symmetry and precise placement. More than anything, I value innovation. As a modern builder, it’s a huge challenge to come up with unique ways to use common furnishings. It can seem like everything has already kind of been done, but when I notice a designer continue to innovate and find new ways to use old items– that’s what I see as talent.
• What are some of the most common challenges you encounter in housing design?
Lol– definitely innovation. As it’s a skill I value highly in housing, I also strive to create something new with each build. Unfortunately, that goal often boxes me in, and I feel like I can’t release something that doesn’t have an innovative aspect to it.
• If you had any advice as an established designer to give to someone new to housing, what would it be?
Mind your lighting!!! Save several slots for lighting alone– if that means you have to sacrifice a bit of detail, it’s a worthy trade.
Showcase Build
This section of our interview focuses on a singular build in detail.
• What is the name of this build?
Santorini
• What was the inspiration or direction that you had when designing this build?
I looked at photos from several resorts in Santorini, Greece. I took note of the dominant colour scheme in each (white/blues) and wanted to implement it in my build. I was also inspired by design elements of Scholar’s Harbour, in Old Sharlayan.
• Who was this build made for?
My dear friend Camillus! Blue also happens to be his favorite colour— I’m thrilled he was pleased with the build.
• Where is this build located?
[JP] Elemental, Kujata, Empyreum, W5, P60
• Are visitors welcome to stop by and look at your design?
Yes!
• What housing size was used in this build?
Large
• How long did this build take?
It took me around 2.5 weeks, including research.
• Can you please describe the different areas & elements of this build? Feel free to be as detailed as you would like.
It’s definitely a physically small build given the plot size. The build is a luxury vacation suite, so it includes a bedroom, minibar, and living area opening onto a balcony. The main feature is the open window with an ocean view and glass roof. The balcony also features custom tiling– this build uses a total of 60 steel lockers for that tiling! A couple of features in this build were pulled right from real buildings in Santorini, including the door and wardrobe.
• Did you encounter any unique challenges during this build?
Getting started and finding inspiration is always the toughest part. I struggle especially with layout. Since my builds are heavily glitched, rooms usually cannot share walls (as stuff is sunken into walls). This challenge isn’t unique to this build though; to be honest, I struggle every time with this same issue >_<
• What was your favorite thing about this build?
The colour scheme is one of my favorite things. I used white marble for the bulk of this build, using furnishings like the House Fortemps fireplace and Amaurotine wallpaper. For furniture/flooring, I used a mix of rhotano, peacock, and seafog blue dyes.
Commission Information
This section covers pricing and general information about commissions.
• Are you currently open for commissions? If not do you have a waiting list, or will you open again in the future?
I’m current on hiatus from commissions and working sporadically on projects while I enjoy other aspects of the game.
• Which physical data centers do you accept commissions on?
North America & Oceania.
• How long have you been doing commissions?
I took my first commission back in January of 2022 I thiiiiink…
• Which plot sizes do you accept commissions for, and what is the pricing for each size?
All plot sizes are fine, though I do not offer apartment commissions. For interior only, my prices are 12M for smalls, 24M for mediums, and 36M for larges. I charge a little more if clients would also like their yards done. These prices include furnishings– I omnicraft and try to make as many furnishings as I can.
• Can you explain your terms and conditions for commissions?
In a nutshell, I thrive if given creative freedom. Glitch-heavy designs necessitate cutting off significant sections of the house. My love for cohesive colour palettes and precise positioning also limit what I’m willing to do design-wise. To be honest, I’m definitely not cut out for general housing/venue commissions! I try and market myself to gposers and other housing enthusiasts who understand the sacrifices a realistic/glitch-heavy design requires.
• Do you have any restrictions in terms of designs? For example, do you only do partial builds?
(e.g. only one floor on smalls, only 2 floors on mediums & larges, etc.)
One more only for all sizes, and often I will only use a section of the main floor on larges. This is quite the sacrifice, so I make sure clients understand how much space I’m able to keep before starting a commission.
• What is your policy on furnishings?
My prices are inclusive for the most part; the client is only responsible for premium and/or gatekept items (i.e. scrip lanterns and mogstation items).
• How long do your commissions typically take?
Oh boy. Some took a week, and some took a month. Lately, I am spending longer and longer on commissions, as I don’t stop until I am personally satisfied with my work.
• What is your favorite part about doing commissions for other players?
I love when clients actually spend time in the build!
• If you’re presently working on any commissions or have any future projects lined up, we’d love to hear about their concepts!
I have just one commission left before my break; it’s a beach house with a white/teal colour story. The client specifically requested one of my open windows for a beach view 😀
Thank You For Joining Us!
Here is one last question for our featured designer to wrap things up!
• Do you have anything you would like to say to the community?
Slow down! Housing can be such a rabbit hole sometimes, and housing tunnel vision is real. It burnt me out very quickly; I haven’t even been designing for a full year yet. Enjoy what you do, but pace yourself and make time for self-care. Also, reach out to other designers! I owe everything I have learned to the vibrant housing community, and hopefully have given back as much love as I’ve received.
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