Fantastic Furniture

Chances are, you probably have a whole lot of furniture. Beds, desks, chairs, couches/sofas, and all kinds of furnishings to keep you cosy in your home. But when you think of a Minecraft house, you might just think of a sad dirt building. Good for keeping you safe from spiders. Not so good for having friends over.

That’s what Jonathan (also known as “SnugSites”), noticed when he first began to play Minecraft, and now he runs a website called MinecraftFurniture.net, dedicated to helping players make their homes feel more welcoming!

“I noticed that generally, buildings were lacking interior style, and in most cases were just empty,” Jonathan tells me. “I knew that we had the tools and materials to create liveable spaces, so I wanted to entice players to make their builds more habitable; to shift focus from just building the "biggest thing" to creating places we could enjoy and socialise in.”

He began by fitting out his own mansion on a survival server, inspiring other players to create their own interiors. But Jonathan wanted to do more to help them get ideas for unique furniture and decoration, so he decided to create a website where anyone could get inspiration and tips.

MinecraftFurniture.net was created in 2011, and tries to show players how to “create enjoyable spaces inside their Minecraft buildings,” by “providing pictures, videos, ideas, and tips.”

I asked Jonathan what his favourite tips were, and he says that the best thing is to focus on “originality and individuality. There is no wrong or right way to create Minecraft interiors!”

But the most important thing seems to be experimentation. “Try furnishing with everything that you would need to live a comfortable and enjoyable life; including lights, plants, carpet, and entertainment. Experiment with colours and materials until you find combinations that make you feel good.”

One practical tip though, is to make sure that different rooms are separated out by walls, but make those walls two blocks thick so that you can have a different style on both sides. Take a look at your own home for ideas – your living room and bedroom probably don’t have the same kind of wallpaper. Plus, this gives you twice the amount of space to express yourself!

Jonathan has favourite website entries, which he thinks showcase creativity and resourcefulness very effectively. From a simple but smart dining chair to a clever drum kit and a sleek and stylish fireplace, they all use a variety of blocks that come together into something new. I must say though, that fire looks a bit too close to a wooden wall for my liking.

Jonathan’s developed this knowledge over a long time, working on Minecraft interior design. He used to run a creative mode server for players to experiment in, which had its own forum and design contests, and says that he wants to bring it back soon. He tells me that the competitions were always “a nurturing and creative environment with an emphasis on constructive feedback,” meaning that players could really dig into their ideas and maybe have them posted on the website later.

My favourite design is the indoor jacuzzi, especially because it’s filed under “lifestyle & office” on the website. I wish I had a hot tub in my office! It even uses Netherrack to give the impression of steam coming off the hot water.

Jonathan wants the website to keep growing, so anyone from the community can submit their ideas. And if you’re struggling to come up with something, he has one last tip to share! “We found that the best ideas come from a collaborative environment,” he says. So why not get some friends together and see what interesting interiors you can create together?

Have you built some amazing furniture in Minecraft? Show us! Email us at scoops@minecraft.net (don’t forget to attach a screenshot) and we’ll feature the best ones in a future article.