SouthPark Interiors

Interior Design Firm

The Future of Environmentally Conscious Design

Why choose Eco-conscious design?

Why Environmentally Conscious design should matter for your student or multi-family housing community

Environmentally conscious interior design has become a top concern for many commercial developers looking to give their commercial spaces a competitive edge. Working alongside builders, architects, and engineers, interior designers are becoming more diligent about selecting environmentally responsible fixtures, finishes, and amenities that are good for the earth and for the tenants and residents they serve.

But what exactly does eco-conscious design entail, and why should it matter for your student or multi-family housing community? Discover the answers to these questions and more by getting the full scoop on sustainable design below!

What is Environmentally Conscious Design?

Environmentally conscious design means different things to different people. In general, sustainable design principles tend to focus on the following:

  • Consumption of non-renewable resources
  • Use of local and authentic materials
  • Water conservation
  • Sustainable supply chains
  • Ethical production practices

In some instances, properties may wish to take their commitment to sustainability a step further by working with designers who are certified in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). However, environmentally conscious design doesn’t always mean adhering to strict sustainability standards.

“Even something as simple as incorporating plants, greenery, or moss art can be a nice ode to environmentally conscious design,” explains interior designer, Ashley Harris. “Focusing a lot on bringing the outside in and vice-versa is also a great way to blend your natural surroundings with your interior space.”

Why Does It Matter?

According to recent research, tenants are placing more and more importance on properties that are able to offer sustainably designed spaces for them to live. In fact, 52% of tenants surveyed stated they would be willing to pay 10% more in rent while 33% stated they would accept a 5% rent increase if their buildings offered eco-friendly amenities. Keeping this in mind, it’s easy to see how investing in environmentally conscious design is so important for property managers seeking to remain profitable.

Eco-Conscious Design Must Haves for Multi-Family & Student Housing Properties

If you’re planning a redesign for your multi-family or student housing property, consider incorporating some of the following must-have environmentally conscious design features:

Leafy Greens

One of the easiest ways to give your multi-family or student housing property an eco-friendly vibe is by including plenty of greenery throughout your space.

“Our team loves the use of moss art, which is why we work a lot with the Savage Way to create custom art pieces that bring the outdoors in,” says Harris. Decorating the space with plenty of plants and greenery doesn’t just communicate eco-friendliness. Studies show that the use of plants in interior design help:

  • Reduce stress and anxiety
  • Improve sleep
  • Filter your indoor air supply
  • Increase productivity
  • Fight colds and allergies

Beyond decorating with greenery, finding ways to bring the outdoors in is a great way to promote eco-conscious design. This may include interior features such as installing garage door openings or accordion doors that allow for plenty of natural light and uninterrupted access to the outdoors.

Green Transportation

Location plays a critical role in any property’s success, and it’s important to consider how your tenants gain access to the community amenities that surround your space. If your property is located right within the heart of downtown with easy access to local shopping and restaurants, this might be a great opportunity for you to encourage greener transportation methods for your residents by including a bike path on your property. On-site bike paths, storage facilities, and even repair and wash stations can be a big selling point for tenants interested in leading a greener lifestyle.

If your property is located further from town, consider catering to the eco-conscious tenant by incorporating electric vehicle charging stations in your parking garage. Alternatively, you could partner with local ride share vendors or public transportation providers to offer your residents an eco-friendlier way to travel.

Community Gardens

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, peoples’ interest in gardening soared to an all-time high with seed sales seeing a 60% increase in 2020 alone. As more residents long for the opportunity to plant their own vegetables, fruits, and flowers, it’s a good idea to consider including a community garden space for tenants.

“It could be really cool design-wise to have a rooftop garden or terrace that doubles as a community gathering space while also collecting solar power or rainwater to power the building,” Harris muses. Not only would this encourage tenants to gather outdoors and garden, but it would also position the property to potentially earn LEED certification status.

Recycled Materials

In addition to amenities, developers and property owners should also focus their efforts on selecting recycled or reclaimed materials throughout their interior design. Harris warns, however, that going this route can get expensive quick:

“A lot of times, those things cost more to the client,” she explains. “So being able to have the budget to support eco-friendlier materials is important.”

Along with choosing recycled materials, it’s also recommended that properties select fixtures and finishes from manufacturers in the United States. From a logistics standpoint, choosing materials made in the USA helps reduce shipping needs, meaning a smaller carbon footprint for your project when compared to imported materials.

<>h2>SouthPark Interiors: Your Eco-Conscious Design Partners

If you’re seeking to prioritize environmentally conscious design at your multi-family or student housing property, look no further than SouthPark Interiors for the eco-friendly design partners you need. From our LEED Gold-rated design at the Ryder on Olive to our indoor-outdoor clubhouse design at Greene Crossing, our interior design team offers personalized sustainable solutions that meet the precise needs of our diverse clientele. Begin your eco-conscious design by contacting SouthPark Interiors online today!

How to Promote Local Businesses & Artists in Your Community

Local Art is Emerging

How do you integrate local artists into your student housing & multi-family properties

Creating a sense of community within your multi-family housing property is paramount to its success. One of the best ways to establish a sense of belonging for your residents is by promoting local businesses and artists within the community at large. While the amenities you offer at your property are important, it’s equally important to let your residents know that by living here, they’re closer to all the places they love the most!

Why Promote Off-Site Amenities at Your Multi-Family Community?

It might seem counterproductive to some developers and property managers to promote off-site services and amenities surrounding their apartment complexes. You’ve already invested so much into an on-site gym and spa — why drive your residents into the arms of the Planet Fitness down the street? But according to Apartment Guide, “neighborhood” was listed as the second-most important thing that renters look for when searching for a place to live.

It’s important for developers and property managers to understand that they need to be strategic in the types of local businesses and services they choose to promote. Stocking up on fliers for the local gym when you have your own to offer isn’t exactly the best partnership to forge. However, you might want to think about ways to promote local, healthy eateries for the fitness buffs in your community to enjoy. This way, you aren’t driving away residents from the spaces you worked hard to create for them while simultaneously offering them a way to broaden and strengthen their sense of community.

What Types of Off-Site Amenities Should a Multi-Family Property Promote?

As we mentioned before, developers and property managers should be strategic about which businesses they choose to promote. The following are just some of the types of businesses that multi-family housing properties might want to consider advertising within their communities:

Restaurants & Bars

Promoting local restaurants, breweries, and bars is a great way to showcase the abundance of worthwhile amenities right in your residents’ backyard. Many tenants look for properties that are close to grocery stores and restaurants, with residents often willing to pay more or overlook missing on-site amenities if the rental is located in a great neighborhood.

Art & Culture

In a survey by NMHC/Kingsley Apartment Renter Preferences Report, 60% of renters say their living space is tied to their identity. This is why it’s critical for apartment complexes to highlight amenities that reflect their residents’ preferences and values. For example, decorating your interior space with local artwork and promoting the artist’s gallery is a great way to attract and retain residents longing for a creative community. Maybe your community is filled with hobby gardeners; if that’s the case, consider promoting the local farmer’s market. By finding ways to connect with your community’s cultural values, you’ll be better able to retain residents.

Transportation & Tourism

Restaurants and community events are great, but sometimes all a resident wants to do is get out of town. Support your community’s thirst for adventure by showing them the way to easily accessible transportation and tourist destinations. While residents value close proximity to work, they may be willing to live further away from the city if they know they have easy access to a bus route or nearby train.

3 Clever Ways to Support Local Businesses at Your Multi-Family Community

There are plenty of ways in which multi-family housing developers and managers can partner with local businesses and artists to promote their surrounding communities. The following are just some of the things you can do at your apartment complex to “support local”:

Resident Events

Consider partnering with a local business on the next community event within your complex. Whether it’s having a local restaurant cater your community luncheon or hosting a yoga class with a local instructor, resident events are a great way to promote local offerings from the convenience and comfort of your community. When you do host a resident event with a local business, be sure to credit them appropriately either on the invitation or by making a sign to list the business’ information.

Welcome Bags

Welcome the newest members of your community by putting together a gift bag filled with all your favorite local goodies. This could be as personal as a goodie bag stuffed with local baked goods and artisanal snacks or as casual as a gift card to the nearest coffee shop. Not only does this show your newest community members how much you care, but those you help support will be appreciative of the added business.

Lobby Kiosks

Another great way to promote local businesses is by offering your residents a place where they can peruse pamphlets, brochures, and menus from the places that surround them. Adding a lobby kiosk with local information is a great way to keep your community abreast of what’s happening in the area and the amenities that are available.

Multi-Family Explosion: Standing Out in a Crowded Market

Markets are crowded

How to make your multi-family property stand out

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the multi-family housing market has seen tremendous growth compared to nonresidential construction in 2021. By 2022, this growth is expected to soar even higher, with market returns returning to pre-pandemic levels. As more competition enters the space, multi-family property developers and managers need to be strategic about how they attract and retain residents. One of the best ways to ensure a strong return on your multi-family housing investment is by incorporating the right interior design cues and amenities into your space.

The Rise of Multi-Family Housing

According to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau, the multi-family housing sector outperformed the single-family sector at the beginning of August 2021. Here in our own backyard, , Charlotte’s multi-family housing sector was among the top markets in the U.S. for apartment construction, seeing 6,603 apartment construction starts in 2020 alone.

Perhaps what’s most interesting about the multi-family housing explosion is the fact that high-income households are driving most of the growth in renters. The unprecedented growth in demand from these renters has made a direct impact on how developers plan for construction, with many opting to build more expensive, luxurious apartments for their clientele.

Carefully Curated Multi-Family Interior Design

By bringing in an interior designer during the early stages of construction, developers immediately gain a unique advantage over their competition. High-income residents expect more from their living experiences, demanding higher-quality finishes, furnishings, and architectural intrigue. According to Sheena Brittingham, principal of Vida Design, “There is a strong desire for quality and artistry in finishes, lighting, furniture, and art that is hyperlocal to the neighborhood.”

Multi-family units aren’t the only places that should contain cutting-edge appliances and fixtures coupled with beautiful interior design. The layout of the property as a whole should also incorporate these elements, while also including common areas and collaborative work spaces in the floorplan to accommodate for the growing work-from-home population.

Including the Right Amenities at Your Multi-Family Property

In addition to the interior design of your multi-family property, you must also consider the type of amenities your community offers. As we stated before, high-income families have higher expectations for their living environments. Some of the most important amenities that residents of this caliber look for include:

  • Expanded Fitness Centers: With the high rent they’re paying to live in your community, multi-family residents expect access to on-site fitness centers. Indoor-outdoor gyms and yoga studios have especially grown in popularity among the multi-family population.
  • Outdoor Living Areas: Hotel-quality outdoor living areas, including resort-style pools and reservable cabanas, are also a must-have for many prospective residents. Especially in warmer climates, a property without a pool is practically a death knell for communities hoping to out-shine the competition.
  • Indoor Bike Storage: As more people embrace green transportation and focus on fitness, bicycles have grown in popularity. Whether you include a designated bicycle closet in each unit or have a community storage space, it’s a good idea to include indoor bike storage as an option for your more active residents.
  • Dog Parks & Bathing: More people than ever before have furry friends living with them at home. With 95% of pet owners considering their pets as family members, it’s important for them to have access to dog parks and bathing areas so they can continue giving their pups the best life.

It’s important to do your research and tour your competitions’ properties when planning your own space. The only way to stand out from the crowd is to have a solid understanding of what voids you’re able to fill with your own community.

Stand Out from the Crowd with SouthPark Interiors

At SouthPark Interiors, our interior design team specializes in transforming multi-family properties into money-making machines. Our designers are highly skilled at identifying the unique opportunities that exist within your local market, allowing developers and property managers to thrive in ways they never anticipated. Allow our team to help you stand apart from the competition by contacting us for an interior design quote today!

The Difference Between Designing for Student Living & Multi-Family Housing

Understanding the differences

Student Housing Vs. Multifamily

Although multi-family housing and student living properties share many things in common, there are vast differences in how to approach the design for each. The way these properties are designed will ultimately dictate whether or not prospective residents will be sold on signing a lease/decide to call your site home.

It takes a knowledgeable design team to nail down the nuances that distinguish these properties from one another. By taking the time to truly assess the needs of your future residents, a thoughtful interior design team will be able to help you attract new leases with greater success!

Student Living vs. Multi-Family Housing Design

What’s the Same?

Before we dive into what makes designing these properties different, it’s important to point out the things they share in common. Both student living and multi-family housing residents have certain expectations for their living experiences, including:

  • Areas to gather as a community
  • Luxury amenities
  • Quality fixtures and materials
  • High-tech features and fast internet
  • Beautiful yet functional design

What separates the way in which these properties are designed more than anything is how each of these needs are met for the specific residents they are meant to serve.

What’s Different?

It’s important to consider who your resident will ultimately be before getting started with the interior design. The following illustrates how each of the aforementioned considerations change depending on what property type you’re designing:

Design Consideration Student Living Multi-Family Housing

Community Areas

 Computer rooms and semi-private study spaces
Student dining and event areas
Gaming and media centers
Project collaboration areas		 Reservable lounges for family events
Business centers and coworking areas
Communal kitchens
Family care spaces (i.e. daycare areas)
On-site dining options

Luxury Amenities

 Resort-style pools
Rooftop community gardens
Indoor-outdoor living spaces
On-site or in-unit laundry facilities
Full-service fitness centers
Indoor bike storage
Large mail rooms and package storage space		 “Maker spaces” featuring work benches, floor drains, or extra HVAC ventilation
Dog parks
Indoor bike storage
Resort-style pools and private cabanas
Ground-level community gardens
Large mail rooms and package storage space

Fixtures & Materials

 Walk-in closets
Private bathrooms and kitchens
Quality countertops
High-end kitchen appliances		 Master suites
Quality countertops
High-end kitchen appliances
Indoor air quality and water purification systems

Technology

 Fast internet speeds and Wi-Fi connectivity
Smart elevators		 Access to high-speed internet providers
Smart elevators
Virtual doorman systems
Automated doors

As for the interior design of your property, you’ll need to take much more into consideration when creating spaces for your ideal resident. Additionally, you’ll need to compare your property to similar properties in your market to see how you can fill voids that your competition is currently lacking. For instance, if you’re a multi-family housing property on the coast of Florida and your competition doesn’t offer private cabanas by the pool, this could be a great way to attract new residents.

Why Does It Matter?

Understanding how to cater your design to your residents is what separates successful properties from the rest. By taking the time to create a truly unique living experience that tends to the specific needs of your residents, you’ll be able to attract the right people to your community.

Interior Design Solutions for Any Living Situation

Creating spaces that speak to the residents they’re meant to serve is exactly what the SouthPark Interiors team does best. Our interior designers specialize in crafting carefully-curated living spaces for virtually every commercial living situation, including student housing, multi-family living, apartment complexes, and senior and active living communities. Contact our team to schedule a student housing or multi-family living design consultation today!