Trends for urban apartment design

Multi-Family and Apartment Investing
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Trends for urban apartment design

Robert Carpenter
Montclair, NJ · Member since 2014 · 66 posts · 6 votes

What might be some desirable  trends in urban apartment design ?  

1. Supersized living space

2. Micro sized sleeping space

3. Projector screen focal point

4. Long table w/ lots of chairs  

5. Defined entry area

6.  Built-ins galore

7. Internet / Office nook

People renting apartments in urban areas tend to be young professionals.  In New York they usually move there from other places and usually only stay   around 5 years.  They usually move several times  during  that period. 

Ideally such tenants would never have to buy a stick of furniture.  Everything would be there for them and built in to maximize space and  spaciousness.   As it is renters seem to  throw away half their stuff when they move.  Built-ins not only make for greener buildings but make life far easier for tenants. 

I believe the L shaped apartment is the best design.  A long living room area and shorter kitchen dining area wrapping around a micro sleeping area: http://bit.ly/2qG6khC

I would like to get a discussion going on apartment design.  What are your thoughts ? From a dollars and cents perspective such design would cost more upfront. The question is would tenants pay a premium to move into an apartment where its as effortless as  checking into a hotel.  The desirability factor might also work to reduce vacancies. 

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  • Colin O'Neill
    Lowell, MA · Member since 2015 · 29 posts · 14 votes
    9y
    Hi Robert, Great post! Built-ins are a very good way of maximizing space in small apartments. As a kitchen designer, I have designed built-ins for many small spaces. The use of islands or peninsulas with breakfast bars instead of kitchen tables help a small kitchen feel larger while maximizing storage without sacrificing seating. A wall of built-in bookcases or armoires with drawer storage and a Murphy bed can turn a second bedroom into a multi-purpose space like an office or playroom without sacrificing having a bed for the occasional visit from the in-laws (or outlaws, depending on your situation). And, with the exploding popularity of tiny houses, tiny apartments will only continue the trend. Cheers! Colin
    3Reply
  • Robert Carpenter
    OP
    Montclair, NJ · Member since 2014 · 66 posts · 6 votes
    9y

    Thanks Colin,

    Yeah people are accustomed to the built-in cabinetry of the kitchen but need a little prodding to see the light and realize  built-ins could replace most of their  individual pieces of furniture :)   My impression is in Europe   built-ins are pretty much made up for entire apartments.  A technician comes out and measures and then it all gets fed into CNC machines which cut everything out of sheet stock.   Its delivered  to the job site  as a flat pack and bolted  together with inserts and cam locks.

    In my mind in an ideal world  all the furniture would be so designed and integrated with the construction documents.  Revit has a way for you model these sorts of furniture assemblies and there are specialized programs like PYTHA. 

    0Reply
  • Robert Carpenter
    OP
    Montclair, NJ · Member since 2014 · 66 posts · 6 votes
    9y

    Said Oscar Wilde about American architects, "...bulk is their canon of beauty and size their standard of excellence...".   This was never truer than today where in upscale homes the master suite often has room enough for bowling alley.  But in apartments surely, practicality militates thinking compact rather than cavernous.   Why not try to pack in as much function and storage space as you can, let that drive the design ? So doing means arriving at the sort of compact master suite one might expect to  find on a yacht:

    http://bit.ly/2r5InW3

    1.  Separate doors on each side of the bed

    2. A desk area on each side

    3. Walk by rather than walk in closets

    4. A bed that just  fits the length of the space, Monticello style: http://bit.ly/2qZT1t3

    In this sort of design it's all builtin.  The tenant signs the lease and that's it.  No tying up the elevator to haul  badly made furniture either in or out.  Simplicity itself.

    0Reply
  • Robert Carpenter
    OP
    Montclair, NJ · Member since 2014 · 66 posts · 6 votes
    9y

    The alcove bed is the most space efficient for the individual. 

    http://bit.ly/2rfvp3f 

    Two such beds laid end to end permits a design of TWO separate bedrooms in just 250 sq ft.  Each can have generous closet space, a built in desk, a built in bed, and a built in storage space above the bed -  with half the space shared by each bedroom.    In this way urban residents can develop a whole new minimalist approach to urban living.  Their 'possessions' foot print can hit its theoretical minimum.

    For comparison here is a link to photos of the conventional alcove bed.

    http://bit.ly/2rVWz15

    0Reply
  • Robert Carpenter
    OP
    Montclair, NJ · Member since 2014 · 66 posts · 6 votes
    9y

    If space is tight and you want to turn one bedroom into two,  a bunk bed 'hack' might be the best solution.  This strategy puts a bunk bed in the middle of the room, then builds an S shaped partition to  separate the top bunk into one room and the bottom into another parallel room.  See:

    http://bit.ly/2tfW55h

    An attic ladder makes for a safe and stable way to get up and down from the top bunk and conveniently folds out of the way during the day. 

    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    Rental Property Investor · Belgium, WI · Member since 2015 · 53 posts · 54 votes
    9y

    extremely interesting and insightful topic. Following...

    0Reply
  • Robert Carpenter
    OP
    Montclair, NJ · Member since 2014 · 66 posts · 6 votes
    9y

    Thanks Josh.  Much more to come :)

    1Reply
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