Young Renters Want Highly Designed Spaces
Sure, amenities are important—but they aren’t everything. Young renters want highly designed spaces with personality.
“Color, functionality, and a social atmosphere are definitely taken into consideration and can speak volumes to younger residents when done right and with a little bit of sophistication,” Jules Escalona., art director at Straight Designs, tells GlobeSt.com. “It’s also important to implement a variety of community spaces in addition to bold and beautiful personal units and spaces. This generation is looking for more than just a place that they can rest their heads at night, but rather interested in the amenities that they spend much of their time using such as fitness centers, clubhouses for viewing parties and gatherings with friends, pool decks, etc. It’s a generation that puts emphasis on social entertainment as well.”
Art is key here, as is a cohesive style. “The younger generation loves designs that have a lot of flavor. Art plays a huge part and this can be implemented in many different ways from gallery walls showcasing an eclectic and humorous mix to vivacious wallpaper or sensual three-dimensional paneling,” adds Escalona. “You can’t get away with a collection of abstracts anymore.” Jules recently executed this concept at the ELY Springvalley Apartments in Las Vegas, incorporating patterned wallpaper, artwork and rich textiles.
This is a trend that has become ubiquitous throughout the spaces that younger generations occupy, from retail boutiques to office spaces. “Open concept workspaces are becoming less of a concept and more of a need to attract the millennial demographic,” adds Escalona. “This generation, who is always on the go, needs a well-designed place to land for either a client meeting or a place to spread their work outside of the confines of their apartment. It’s quite evident that the old 9-to-5 cubicle is transforming more into satellite mobile type of positions and they need various great amenity spaces to socialize and work within.”
High design, however, doesn’t mean an increased budget. Escalona says that creating a cohesive style could be done at the same cost as creating the less personalized style that is common of older buildings. “The implementation of unique and bold interior design does not necessarily mean that it has to be more expensive than the usual multifamily interior design styles,” he explains. “It is ultimately up to the owners and developers on how they choose to invest on renovations, but when working with a firm such as Straight Designs that focuses heavily on quality control, they are able to get the most out of their budget, while still implementing beautiful details to their property. In simpler terms, adding color, wallpaper, pattern, playful furnishings, etc. to a space doesn’t necessarily mean an increase in budget, it simply means a difference in style that is catering to a different demographic.”
At The ELY Springvalley Apartments, Straight Designs accomplished the personalized design by creating a specific renter profile to assess the potential renter’s needs. “We created a potential resident profile and generated a mood and style that would appeal to this segment,” explains Escalona. “We also took into account the functionality that this person would need from their apartment in order to live their lifestyle. The end product was an eclectic collection of furniture that provided space to work from home and entertain when friends visited. We also injected a vibrant color palette that engages with unexpected pairings of furniture and texture. A glass table with wicker chairs, sculptural brass legs supporting a walnut desktop, and a velvet blue sofa paired with two rattan accent seats just to name a few. The property has definitely become a standout and is achieving its goal of attracting the surrounding target market, as they are drawn to the lifestyle that exudes from the design.”