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Multifamily Communal Spaces: Creating A Community Place for Everyone

community spaces multifamilyMultifamily communities attract residents by offering a range of interior features in their apartment units, as well as community features that are shared between the tenants.

Community spaces may consist of a floor inside a building with designated activity areas or separate buildings spread out over large properties. Common types of communal spaces include:

  • Clubhouses
  • Pool areas
  • Fitness centers
  • Game rooms
  • Sport courts
  • Event hosting spaces

Here are several design ideas to help you create an optimal community space that is flexible to fit your residents’ needs.

Basic Room Design Features

Since there are many different types of communal rooms, the interior design can vary based on available space and the types of amenities you want to feature. You may have a simple clubhouse with an attached barbecue area, a dining space, entertainment lounge area, wet bar, or mini home movie theater area.

Some of the basic room design features can include seating areas, as well as plenty of natural and artificial lighting. You may also offer free Wi-Fi access points so that guests can stream movies, surf the web, or finish up a work project.

Including a functional kitchen/kitchenette area and public restroom and are added bonuses for your shared space. Guests will often carry snacks and drinks into communal areas. Having a place to use the lavatory or wash off hands without the need to run back to the apartment provide residents with convenience.

When creating a lavatory space, controlling water usage and diminishing waste are top priorities. Consider adding metering faucets or sensor faucets to limit water run-off. They provide the right amount of water flow for cleaning hands without worrying about tenants forgetting to turn off the faucet after use.

SCOT-ENV-01-Faucet-SLC-6000-G

The SCOT®/Metering Faucet provides adjustable water temperature control and adjustable flow time features. Tenants can push on the handle for ease of use.

Event/Function Spaces and Amenities

Having a place to host a birthday party, get-together, or even a wedding without having to travel great distances can give tenants peace of mind. You can provide tenants options to borrow or rent an assortment of foldable tables and chairs. Tenants can place the furniture in the arrangement that best suits the event. You may also have movable or retractable walls for large event hall rooms so that multiple tenants can have several concurrent events in the same day.

Consider featuring a kitchen space or meal prep area adjacent to the event space. A kitchen with refrigeration, a microwave, and a stove allows tenants to heat hot meals and keep beverages cool. Add in a kitchen sink, or double sink, so tenants can clean dishes and dirty pans so that food messes aren’t dripped on carpets leading to their apartments. High profile faucets with pull down hose features allow guests to more easily clean out large and deep pots, crockpots, and roasting pans.

Adeline-Street-ENV01-Kitchen-Faucet-SPR-3510-PD copy

The Symmons® Dia® Spring Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet provides a clean and industrial look for kitchen spaces with a pull-down hose feature to make clean up a cinch.

Features for Pool/Recreational Areas

Pool areas, fitness centers, and sports courts allow people to participate in activities and have fun. Yet after enjoying the features, residents will want to wash up or rinse off the chlorine from pool water. Having an indoor or outdoor locker room/shower area provides tenants and their guests a place to freshen up.

These rooms can feature bench seating, changing rooms, bathroom facilities, and shower areas. For durable and water-efficient shower features, consider metered shower systems. These systems have a simple profile for ease of use, temperature control, and vandal-resistance. A tenant can step in to shower quickly without running back to their apartment and then proceed on with their day.

Showeroff-ENV-01-Shower-Room-Close-Up

The Showeroff® Metering Shower System offers adjustable run time, integral service stops, and uniform showerhead designs.

Community features often are extensions of the multifamily apartment unit interior designs. You can match furnishings and finishes to give a complementary look to the common area. Focus on simplicity, ease of use, and durability when designing the communal space on your property.

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