What do I do... Need design help!

[sheepyton]

So I spent the better part of yesterday trying to figure out what I want to do with the area between my airport and resident services, and I am completely stumped. I love how my downtown is shaping up, but I really want a pathway there that lives an impression. There's a quick video of what I have going on as well as the map posted on my Twitter here. I'm generally going for a cuter aesthetic, with a big focus on flowers and tiny parks.

I know there are so many amazing designers on TBT, so maybe someone can give some advice. I'm not sure what to do here...

 

[JKDOS]

I'm one of the uncreative ones here, so I can't offer much help, but I would love to visit your island someday, because I lack the ability to place cliffs anywhere other than the north part of the map, so I'd love to see what you've done in person.

 

[Figment]

Aww, look at Tia. What a cutie.

When it comes to island entrances, I sort of adopted the policy of showcase what your island is about. For me, I have a natural/wilderness theme with some fairy tail influences. So for my entrance, I terraformed a mountain with a waterfall, surrounded by trees, piles of leaves, and some randomly placed flowers and paths to replicate the forest floor. One of the first things people will see as they enter the island is a wishing well. My hope is that people will think of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves or a similar fairy tail as they enter my island. I want people to feel like they're entering a story.

For you, since your main focus is flowers and parks, how about displaying that from the start? Really draw visitors in from the first moment they step on your island. I think that the bushes from the new update could be a good jumping off point when they are finally make their way to the game. Maybe you could set up some stalls with potted plants and other items (shovels and flower carts) like a miniature nursery?

Coincidentally, your airport placement and resident services placement are fairly similar to mine.

 

[sheepyton]

I'm one of the uncreative ones here, so I can't offer much help, but I would love to visit your island someday, because I lack the ability to place cliffs anywhere other than the north part of the map, so I'd love to see what you've done in person.

It's still very much a work in progress, and I'm likely going to be raising the whole lower right side west of the river (sorry if it sounds a bit nonsensical, it... makes sense in my brain). I took inspiration from what I saw other people do with their maps and put my own spin on it. Really, that's the best advice I can give.

Aww, look at Tia. What a cutie.

When it comes to island entrances, I sort of adopted the policy of showcase what your island is about. For me, I have a natural/wilderness theme with some fairy tail influences. So for my entrance, I terraformed a mountain with a waterfall, surrounded by trees, piles of leaves, and some randomly placed flowers and paths to replicate the forest floor. One of the first things people will see as they enter the island is a wishing well. My hope is that people will think of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves or a similar fairy tail as they enter my island. I want people to feel like they're entering a story.

For you, since your main focus is flowers and parks, how about displaying that from the start? Really draw visitors in from the first moment they step on your island. I think that the bushes from the new update could be a good jumping off point when they are finally make their way to the game. Maybe you could set up some stalls with potted plants and other items (shovels and flower carts) like a miniature nursery?

Coincidentally, your airport placement and resident services placement are fairly similar to mine.

Hmm, that might work, I think it would all depend on if I decide to dedicate that space on the lower left side to the museum, since I planned on putting my parks/nursery there. That definitely has me leaning in that direction, hmm.

Also apologies for the edit but yes Tia! I love her, she's one of my favorites. I'm a big tea and coffee girl, so I really want both her and Chai in my town. I was thrilled to get her from one of my first mystery islands.

 

[Figment]

My museum was originally in the lower left section as well. I wound up moving mine.

I don't know how solid your plans are but one idea could be to put your Nook's Cranny (or even the tailors' shop or Museum or a house) in that area and use it as a store front for the previously mentioned nursery. Leave ample space for booths and plants in front of the shop, and perhaps depending on placement, you could even have inventory (fan palms, cypress plants, other potted plants, flowers, etc.) spilling onto the beach. Something about a beach-side nursery has a quaint feel to it.

If you did that with Nook's Cranny (moving it towards the lower left), it could make it more convenient for visitors to visit the store and leave quickly if need be.

And of course this is just me bouncing off ideas. I don't know what your ultimate plans are.

 

[cicely]

My island is far from complete, but that area is designed for the purpose of welcoming and informing guests. So I put various signs, such as the directional sign DIY (which has nice customization options), a construction sign apologizing for the mess, etc. I also put a lucky cat, a fountain and a bench to observe it. The flowers and trees are kept orderly and in straight lines, which contrasts the rest of my foresty island.
Since I want it to be easy to move from the airport to the center, I just kept the land flat.

 

[sheepyton]

My museum was originally in the lower left section as well. I wound up moving mine.

I don't know how solid your plans are but one idea could be to put your Nook's Cranny (or even the tailors' shop or Museum or a house) in that area and use it as a store front for the previously mentioned nursery. Leave ample space for booths and plants in front of the shop, and perhaps depending on placement, you could even have inventory (fan palms, cypress plants, other potted plants, flowers, etc.) spilling onto the beach. Something about a beach-side nursery has a quaint feel to it.

If you did that with Nook's Cranny (moving it towards the lower left), it could make it more convenient for visitors to visit the store and leave quickly if need be.

And of course this is just me bouncing off ideas. I don't know what your ultimate plans are.

I currently have the Nooks and Able sisters on the cliffs on either side of the resident services. I actually really like the placement, so they won't be moving. I don't tend to host large shopping parties or turnip sales (my prices have been abysmal basically all the time), so I don't foresee bottle necking being an issue.

That's totally fine, it gets the creative juices flowing. I don't have a big overarching plan yet, so this actually helps make me sit down and really think about what I want the end result to be.