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  1. Nintendo Switch
  2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Supported

How to make the most of your life in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

By Sam Loveridge
published 26 August 2020

Custom events, interior design tips, island ideas, and more

In Association with

(Image credit: Nintendo)
Jump to:
  • Island Events
  • Fashion
  • Home Design
  • Island Design

Starting a new life in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a seriously exciting thing, especially as there's so much freedom to create your perfect idyll. Whether you're designing your perfect home, creating an island to impress your visitors or simply looking for ways to spend more time with your friends through the medium of New Horizons, we've got some top tips and ideas to help you get started. 

From events to interior and exterior design tips, take a look below for all our various guides, and we challenge you to not be inspired by all the community creativity.

Before you get started with your new Animal Crossing life, make sure you know how to download, make, and share custom designs in New Horizons.

Island Events

How to host a pop concert in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Lights, camera, music! Spend a fun evening with your friends by hosting a pop concert on your island. Here you'll find some ideas on how to make it work, look fantastic, and even play a few minigames too. 

How to host an Animal Crossing chat show

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Have you been inspired by the likes of the Animal Talking chat show by Gary Whitta to start your own Animal Crossing show? Well, we've got all the top tips you need to create you very own, from how to create your set, good questions to ask, and even some little touches you may not have thought of. 

How to host an art exhibition in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Got tonnes of fake Animal Crossing: New Horizons art lying about? Why not turn your purchases made in error into something beautiful by starting your own island art gallery. In this guide we walk through suggestions for setting up your space, different art sources, and even a fun game to play. 

How to host a bring and buy sale in Animal Crossing

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Is it just us, or is it very easy to accumulate a lot of stuff in New Horizons? Recipe cards, clothes, furniture, wallpapers, rugs... we've got a house full of things that could easy be sold - or better, traded. Here's how to set up a bring and buy sale or a trading event with your friends. You might just find that recipe you've been looking for.

Fashion

How to start your own fashion label in New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

If you're looking to really define the theme of your island, why not start your own fashion line. It could function as island-specific merch, or as a fashion collection to share online with the community. Before you get started though, check out these top tips for creating your own fashion line in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. 

How to host a fashion show in Animal Crossing

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Okay, so you've created your fashion line, so it's time to show it off. These are some little hints to building your runway, inviting some models, creating themes and more to host your very own fashion show. Pose!

How to recreate celebrity looks in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: @weeebonics on Twitter)

Want to channel your celebrity icons in New Horizons? Well, you can thanks to the creativity of the Animal Crossing community. Whether you want Beyonce's iconic Formation dress, to look like Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga or Billie Eilish, we've got them all here complete with download codes. 

How to recreate your favourite cultural icons in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Okay, so maybe celeb looks aren't your thing... Well, how about your favourite pop culture icons? You can't say no to that, right? From Star Wars to Marvel to Disney, we've got Animal Crossing: New Horizons design codes for your favorite pop culture icons right here to get into your game.

Animal Crossing New Horizons: Fashion designs of the week

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The creativity in the Animal Crossing community is unrivalled, particularly when it comes to custom fashion designs that you can download and wear yourself on your island. Each week we bring you the top community creations to try on yourself, and, trust us,  you're going to want more custom design slots.

Home Design

How to design the perfect home in New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Here we share some top tips for creating a five-star home, both in terms of building something really stylish but also satisfying the Happy Home Academy. From what you hang on the walls and the rugs you spread on the floor, to the fittings and fixtures that really make a room, we've got hints for it all. 

Expert Feng Shui tips for furniture placement

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The art of Feng Shui in Animal Crossing can feel like a bit of a mystery, particularly when it comes to unlocking the full potential of your home. So what exactly is feng shui, and how can island dwellers make the most of it? We sat down with feng shui expert Priya Sher, in order to find out.

Top 5 summer design trends recreated in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The beauty of New Horizons is the ability to put your own stamp on your home, and there are plenty of options for recreating the big interior trends from the real world in your game. From chintz to animal print, here's how to bring a trend touch to your New Horizons home. 

10 most popular wallpaper patterns recreated in Animal Crossing

(Image credit: Nintendo)

It's funny just how much wallpaper can make and change a room in New Horizons. So why not try out these top wallpaper trends recreated in Animal Crossing to really make your home pop?

Best summer patterns recreated in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

It's totally possible to bring some of the patterns exploding in the interior design space this summer into your home in New Horizons. Thanks to furniture customisation, custom designs, and more it's easy to recreate those summer looks in your game right now. Here's how.

How to recreate the hot pink bathroom trend in New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Pink bathrooms are the hot ticket right now, so why not have a go at making your own in Animal Crossing? It's much cheaper than ripping out your actual bathroom and realising you hate it. If you want to recreate one of 2020’s hottest trends, read on for six tips that’ll help you design the perfect pink bathroom in Animal Crossing.

Top in-style home interior colour schemes recreated in Animal Crossing

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Thanks to custom designs and customisable furniture it's relatively simple to recreate the current colour scheme trends in your New Horizons homes. Here's a handy guide - and some examples - on how to do that without wasting too many precious custom design slots.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Design Codes of the Week

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Each week we bring you the most exciting custom design codes being created in the community for you to download and use in your game. From awesome panels, to inventive paths, and textiles, there's plenty to discover. 

Island Design

How to create your perfect patio in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

New Horizons is already the perfect escape from the stresses of everyday life, but why not take it to the next level with a beautifully designed patio? There are tonnes of furniture and design options to ensure that pretty much anything is possible, but where should you start when it comes to mapping out the best design? Here we break down the best decking and tiling options, outside dining offerings and garden furniture. 

How to get the most out of your garden in Animal Crossing New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Whether you want to unlock all the Animal Crossing: New Horizons flowers or simply create a nice space for your villagers to relax, there's plenty to consider when it comes to in-game gardening. So, to help you out, here is our ultimate guide to getting the most out of your garden in Animal Crossing.

GamesRadar created this content as part of paid partnership with Nintendo. The contents of this article are entirely independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of GamesRadar.

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Sam Loveridge
Sam Loveridge
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Global Editor-in-Chief, GamesRadar+

Sam Loveridge is the Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar, and joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for a decade, and for GamesRadar, she's in charge of the site's overall direction, managing the team, and making sure it's the best it can be. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. She plays across all platforms, and specializes in titles like Pokemon, Assassin's Creed, The Sims, and more. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles! In her spare time, Sam likes to live like Stardew Valley by cooking and baking, growing vegetables, and enjoying life in the countryside.

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