Ten Housing Tips From the Pros

Even I, of all people, can lay down some basic flooring and wallpaper in my Wizard and Pirate homes, but there's still a lot to learn for me. And whether you're a beginner or an expert, it's always cool and often educational to hear tips and tricks from other experienced house decorators. I went looking for the "pros" in Wizard and Pirate to help me - and you - with housing in both games, and I do believe I've found a couple. These guys were kind enough to share their knowledge here. Take a look!

Icy Witch:

Building Using Basic Rug Glitches

Decorating and glitching is hard work. It's difficult to get the hang of, but once you do, it makes total sense. Then you spend hours trying to get one room right, and days getting a house just right. Not to mention the time spent getting gold and furniture for your projects. That being said, in the end, it's all super worth it. To help you with decorating I am going to explain a few minor glitches that really help in everyday decorating.

Spacing is a common issue; a lot of times you want to put items closer together but can't. To fix this, put 2 small blue trim rugs together end and end so they are touching. Place an object on the end of one of the rugs, then click the rug the object is touching and move it so the object is where you want it to be. Place the rug, and then either pick up or move the opposite rug so the object is left by itself looking like it was put there naturally. In place of small blue rugs, you can also use tatami mats.

The second glitch is virtually the same, with a few minor differences. Instead of using two small blue trim rugs, or tatami mats, you take one small blue trim rug/tatami mat and one large flat object, like a flat wooden platform, large oval rug, or ornate rug. You place the rugs end to end, and move the small rug. This allows you to float things over edges, you can use it to place items in places you normally couldn't. To remove the rugs, move the smaller rug or pick it up. Just make sure before you move it that the small rug isn't touching anything except the large rug, because it will take anything it's touching with it. You'll also find you can walk on these glitches, except for a few instances, into free air which is cool. 

Hope this helps. Fair thee well, and happy decorating!

Frostcaller:

The Ghostly Rug Glitch

I call it the Ghostly Rug Glitch or Rotating Rug Glitch and it allows you to place items and furniture almost everywhere in your home. The items required for this glitch are a Small Blue Trim Rug (or Tatami Floor Mat) and a Large Watcher Rug (or any other large platform, like the Flat Wooden Platform).

Start by taking your big rug and placing it down. Now, hover your Small Blue Trim Rug over the big one, but DO NOT place it down; instead, use the scroll on your mouse to rotate both rugs and they will be "attached" (see Tip 1 picture). When your big rug or platform is where you want to place your item, right click with your mouse to cancel and the small rug will go back to your backpack. Now you can place item or furniture on top of the rug there, as long as it is big enough to fit on it (see Tip 2 picture). There's a way to place even bigger items that don't fit on a big rug, but that will be for another lesson.

The reason why I call it Ghostly Rug Glitch is because although the Large Watcher Rug appears to be where you want it, it will go back to the spot you first placed it down once you go inside your house (so long as you didn't place down the Small Blue Trim Rug on top of it).

Harmony Everhart:

Effective Use of Floated Items

Greetings from Harmony Everhart! I am so honored to share some of my favorite housing decorating tricks with you! I have enjoyed different types of carpet glitching methods for many years in Wizard101. I began with making tatami tools with crates and the duo tatami mats. I was pleased to create my dorm loft this way.

I then started learning faster and much simpler methods after I began playing Pirate101 this February. The houses in both games are breathtaking. But as we all know there are places in these houses that have very special hidden areas or spots that can shine when changed up just a little from the norm! This inspired me to start trying to get items to float in my Rake's Lagoon and Emperor's Villa.

I had many fails but through those fails I quickly learned my favorite method at this time which is useful for a hugely diverse range of decorating. I simply use a large rug placed down and hover a tatami mat to move the rug to my intended spot.

I am so excited to share a peek into a few of my eclectic homes! These have been so fun to create and I look forward to creating more as we move ahead in the new year!

Mr. Fred:

Choosing and Developing a Theme

When preparing to decorate a house, I find it very important to choose a theme. What exactly do I mean by a theme? A theme can be anything from a forest to a carnival to a workshop. It's the overall idea of an area. Typically, but not always, the theme you choose is influenced by the house it will be used in. 

You can choose a single theme for the entire house or you can have more then one theme per house. It is also fine to have a single broad theme and to break that one theme up into more manageable parts. For example, in my Sultan's Palace the overall theme is "Krokotopian." However, I divided this broad theme into three parts: a pharaoh's tomb, a Mander village, and a Krokotopian artifact museum.

Sometimes it is hard to think of a theme that you really like. You may get tired of trying to think of a theme and just start decorating. Even if the house is beautifully designed, if it lacks a theme, it lacks what ties the house together.

Once you pick your theme, you are ready to decorate! The theme will influence, or even determine, what housing items you will use for your housing project.

Paige Moonshade:

Creating the "Wow Factor"

What I want to talk about more is what I call Flare or the WOW factor.What this means is the first view sets the stage for any house, like in this image.

Since it's the holidays, let's talk about holiday houses. I realize not everyone has or celebrates the holidays the same. Maybe you have a fair which would need flags and food stands maybe even a carousel. Myself? I celebrate with no snow, but lots of decorations. My favorite type of holiday house has snow, decorations, and lots of items that make it pop. The finer the details, the more your house will pop, as in these images.

So take it from me, every detail count to get that flare or wow factor. You want players to come in your house on the tours of Wizard101 and go wow when they first walk in. Same goes for Pirate101 when you have pirates visiting.

Iridian Willowglen:

The "Wow Factor" in Action

My friends know that I usually decorate in the middle of the night. When inspiration strikes me, it becomes an obsession until I get it finished…often around 4 am!  I think the thing I strive for in decorating my Wizard101 houses is the “wow factor." I like the unexpected. For example, when one goes to my storm’s dorm, they see this:   The floating sand tempts the visitor to climb. And they end up here: Pass through the wall and wow! One is transported to a pier complete with restaurant, outdoor market, and loading dock for ships! Sometimes I am at the boat when people are looking around. I ask them if they went below deck on the ship. Another wow! They didn't expect that there was more after this:  But then there was this:

The glitch tip that I wish every wizard knew is how to remove connecting rugs in their glitches! It makes the glitch much more attractive (so it doesn't look like a patchwork quilt) and it saves item space for more decorating!   So often I go on the tour and run into houses with paths that look like this: This bit takes up 13 item space. With the connecting rugs (tatami) removed, it just takes up 7! It is so easy to remove them too! Here’s how it’s done: Just take out another tatami and turn it on top of the rugs to expose the connecting rugs (be sure not to place it). You will have to cancel it and get out another tatami for each rug you move. When finished moving rugs out of the way, you will end up with this:  Then you simply click on the tatami and remove it. Your glitch now looks like a mess, but all you have to do is go inside (or outside) and come back and your glitch is right where you want it without the connecting rugs! Magic! Continue removing the connecting rugs and you end up with this: So I think my best decorating tip would be add lots of details and wow your visitors!  Happy glitching and decorating, Iridian

Flash33:

Using the Environment to Your Advantage

House decorating has always been a thing that many people enjoy doing, but with so many houses and so many items to choose from, it can be pretty difficult to decide what to decorate with and even which house to decorate with your items as well. Never fear, help is here. There's one key thing to keep in mind here though; the imagination is a very powerful tool in the right hands, and that, my friends, can mean the difference between a blank house and a fantastic house instead.

Use the environments to your advantage; many houses have a wide array of places and environments to pick and choose from when wanting to decorate in a certain way, so if you try to kinda scout out the terrain there so-to-speak, then you should have an easier time in thinking of what to decorate as well there.

Companions and pets help immensely: There's so many possibilities that surround both pets and companions as well in terms of decoration. For example, the Troggy High Chief Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah is a Witchdoctor companion, so one possible way to utilize him is to put him next to a cauldron of some kind so he can work his special Troggy brand of art and magic there so-to-speak, while the Golden Stingtail pet and the companion known as Scorpius might go well with a desert wasteland themed house or area there as well.

Don't be afraid to improvise when needed: There will often come a time where the environment just won't work with you and you may just feel like just giving up on that project all together. Instead of doing that, don't; being able to improvise when things take a turn for the worst there so-to-speak is another key thing to keep in mind when it comes to decorating. Plus, if you improvise instead of giving up right then and there, then there's a pretty good chance that you will be satisfied with the results to boot, so there's that at least.

Liam:

Making Your Castle Stand Out

Making your castle stand out from the rest can seem like a difficult task as everything already seems to have been done. That doesn't mean that it isn't possible to achieve it, it just means a little extra effort is needed. I've noticed when I have made my own houses and viewed other houses that the solution to making your house unique is actually quite simple, merge your objects together to make something that hasn't been made yet. Merging objects may seem a little complicated if it is your first time approaching the idea but when broken down it is fairly simple. 

The first step is to just browse the Bazaar for about 10-15 minutes for items that will fit in with your theme/house and once you have found a few different objects you might start to see how some of them might fit together. They may fit together because of their color, shape, theme and even size which makes a massive amount of possibilities to make something totally unique. Even if you aren't too sure your items will fit together, there is no harm in experimenting and trying different things out.

Once you have all of the items you want then you can start to decorate with them using some simple rug glitches to merge them together, whether it be a more complicated creation or a very simple creation. One of the most basic yet useful glitches to become familiar with is using two small rugs to merge your objects. To do this glitch the two small rugs (e.g. Small Purple Rug/Small Blue Trim Rug/Tatami Floor Mat) are all you need along with your decorating items. Attach the two rugs together at their ends so that they can move around together, allowing you to move one of the rugs under your objects. So the next step is to place down your objects making sure that one of them is in the place you want it (Object A), then move the small rugs so that one is under the other item (Object B) so you can now move it around with the rugs. As Object B can now move with the rugs you can move it into a position where you want it to merge with Object A. You can also play around with the height when merging rugs by using crates, tables or bookshelves etc.

James:

44 of the Spiral's Rarest Furniture Items

Are you annoyed at the limited choice of housing items the spiral has to offer? Do you feel like it limits your creativity to decorate? You may be surprised to find that there's actually many housing items that very people know even exist! Looking for a nice mirror, a cool new fireplace, better rug choices, or some fancy royalty items? Then look no further! In this guide, I will highlight 44 of the rarest housing items in the spiral. There are more rare items available in the game than what I show in this guide, but I just decided to highlight some of my favorite ones. I hope you find this guide useful! Happy decorating! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me on Twitter HERE or Wizard101 Central HERE.

How the Rarity scale works:
Low - This item is fairly common, but isn't one of those items you'll see 100 of in the Bazaar.
Moderate - This item is somewhat rare, and you might have to farm the Bazaar, a boss, or something else a little while to get it.
High - This item is very rare, and you'll be really lucky to get it from the Bazaar. You'll almost certainly have to farm a long while for this item.
Extreme - There are very few copies of this item in existence. You probably won't ever find it in the Bazaar. Good luck getting it!

Something to note: Many of these rare items come from Grub Guardian maps. For a guide to what drops from where, check out a (slightly outdated but still helpful) guide HERE.

1. Overstuffed Postbox Comes from: Stoker, the final boss of Kensington Park What it could be used for: An outdoor city theme Rarity: High 2. Carved Pew Comes from: Clonky and/or Splinterbot, Kensington Park What it could be used for: A church, theatre, or large dining rooms Rarity: High 3. Wooden Mirror Comes from: Assorted Avalon enemies - Horned Brocket, Morag Bloodtine, Spriggan, Stag Charger, Strangler Goblin What it could be used for: A bathroom or bedroom Rarity: Low 4. Elephant Table Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A Zafarian themed royal kitchen or dining room Rarity: Moderate 5. Brick Fireplace Comes from: Ratchet, Kensington Park What it could be used for: A living room or lounge, especially in a Marleybonian home Rarity: High 6. Fire Hydrant Comes from: Ratchet, Kensington Park What it could be used for: An outdoor city theme Rarity: High 7. Stone Throne Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A centerpiece for Zafarian or Jungle themed ruins Rarity: High 8. Shadow Weaver Statue Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: As decoration for Zafarian or Jungle themed ruins Rarity: High 9. Windswept Tree Comes from: Koto, Cave of Solitude What it could be used for: This is a great item for any garden or landscape Rarity: Low 10. Royal Elephant Rug Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: Any royal themed room: a bedroom, throne room, dining room, etc. Rarity: High 11. Orange House Rug Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: Any royal themed room: a bedroom, throne room, dining room, etc. Rarity: High 12. Marble Bench Comes from: Hingen, Tatakai Outpost What it could be used for: This is a great item for any garden or landscape; it especially looks nice next to fountains or ponds Rarity: Moderate 13. Low Wooden Fence Comes from: Hingen, Tatakai Outpost What it could be used for: A horse stable or to give an area a "worn-out" or "slightly forgotten" look Rarity: Moderate 14. Savannah Tree Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A Zafarian or Jungle themed landscape Rarity: Low 15. Azure House Rug Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: Any royal themed room: a bedroom, throne room, dining room, etc. Rarity: High 16. Wide Orange Rug Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: Any royal themed room: a bedroom, throne room, dining room, etc. Rarity: High 17. Ivory Elephant Throne Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A royal themed throne room Rarity: High 18. Royal Foot Stool Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A royal themed throne room, bedroom, or living room Rarity: High 19.  Gold Top Column Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A royal throne room, ruins, or exterior decoration Rarity: High 20. Antique Cello Comes from: Stoker, the final boss of Kensington Park What it could be used for: A decorative item on a shelf, on a display, or in a music room Rarity: Extreme 21. Crusher's Milk Bottle (NO AUCTION) Comes from: Spike the Crusher, Big Ben (secret boss) What it could be used for: This item goes great in any kitchen on a shelf or table Rarity: High 22. Magic Orb Comes from: Malistaire the Undying, Xibalba What it could be used for: A centerpiece on a table or as decoration on a shelf or display Rarity: High 23. Faberge Egg Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: As decoration or display for any royal themed room Rarity: High Note: Because of how rare this item is, there has been some debate about whether it really exists.  It does, and it is different from the Red Faberge Egg, which also comes from Grub Guardian or can be purchased from the Arena tickets vendor.

24. Spider Altar Comes from: No longer obtainable!  This was originally given out from a contest in 2012, but cannot be acquired anymore.  There are almost none of these in the game. What it could be used for: On a display table or for an umbral theme Rarity: Extreme 25. Spider Chalice Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: In an umbral or royal themed dining room or kitchen Rarity: High 26. Spider Porringer Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: As a paperweight, or as decor in an umbral themed room Rarity: High 27. Spider Table Comes from: No longer obtainable!  This was originally given out from a contest in 2012, but cannot be acquired anymore. There are almost none of these in the game. What it could be used for: On a display table or for an umbral theme Rarity: Extreme 28. Spider Vase Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: In an umbral or royal themed dining room or kitchen Rarity: High 29. Spider Vessel Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: As decor in a tomb or royal themed room Rarity: High 30. Elephant Drum Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A royal or Zafarian themed music room or drum circle Rarity: Moderate 31. Bougarabou Drum Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A Zafarian themed music room or drum circle Rarity: Moderate 32. Gold Place Setting Comes from: Crafted from Torald Wayfinder What it could be used for: A royal dining room or kitchen Rarity: Moderate 33. Primitive Snake Mask Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A display room or Zafarian themed room, such as a ruins, great room, bedroom, or study Rarity: High 34. Prized War Fan Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A display room or Zafarian themed room, such as a great room, bedroom, or study Rarity: High 35. Wide Gorilla Mask Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A display room or Zafarian themed room, such as a ruins, great room, bedroom, or study Rarity: Low 36. Witchdoctor Mask Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A display room or Zafarian themed room, such as a ruins, great room, bedroom, or study Rarity: High 37. Primitive Fern Planter Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps and as a reward from the Sword Fern plant What it could be used for: As exterior or interior decor in any room; this is great item to put in an empty corner of a room Rarity: Moderate 38. Three Drum Set Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A royal or Zafarian themed music room or drum circle Rarity: High 39. Primitive Lion Mask Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A display room or Zafarian themed room, such as a ruins, great room, bedroom, or study Rarity: High 40. Primitive Rhino Mask Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A display room or Zafarian themed room, such as a ruins, great room, bedroom, or study Rarity: High 41. Primitive Skull Mask Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A display room or Zafarian themed room, such as a ruins, great room, bedroom, or study Rarity: High 42. Primitive Zebra Mask Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A display room or Zafarian themed room, such as a ruins, great room, bedroom, or study Rarity: High 43. Rhino Relics Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A display room or Zafarian or royal themed room, such as a great room, bedroom, or study Rarity: High 44. Witchdoctor Cauldron Comes from: Various Grub Guardian maps What it could be used for: A Zafarian or jungle themed kitchen, ruins, or secret room Rarity: High

Calamity Pixieshade:

Remembering the Small Details

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got on decorating houses for Pirate101 or Wizard101 is not to forget the small details. Building a living room or sitting area is easy enough, but adding small details like a stein on a side table or an open newspaper really helps make your spaces warm and feel lived in.

For Wizard101, another way to breathe life into your rooms is using plants. Did you know that as of the 4-tower update, plants that have been placed in Second Spring now preform their elder harvest animations every few minutes (not sure of the exact timing). From using a simple clock flower as an unexpected room accent to placing a set of couch potatoes in the middle of the living room, these animated plants can add a whole bunch of character to a room or even inspire a scene. Unlike pets or mounts, plants don't move around, so it is easy to set a scene around them and you can depend on them behaving a certain way. A Fickle Pickle makes an amazing bartender since he always turns away from you and refuses to take your order.

For Pirate101, are you excited for Cabin Decorating?! I know I am! Pirate101 has provided us some really fun new room dividers and I, for one, have already been getting my hands dirty and experimenting with them. One thing to keep in mind with the dividers is that you don't have to place them along the walls. You can do as the name says and divide a room to create multiple spaces. I'm just starting to play with these and already I feel as though these remind me of the wizard's builder blocks. When placing items in both Wizard and Pirate, it is important to remember every item has a front, side, and back. Try placing an item down and walking around it. Maybe you can place item backwards and use it in a new and exciting way.

Just remember, the only opinion that matters is yours. Do you love it?

Off to Decorate!

A special thank you to all of these wonderful decorators for sharing their tips. Hopefully they'll inspire you and get your creative juices flowing. If you make something interesting, share it with us!

Thanks for reading and see you in the Spiral!