I usually avoid giving design advice on this blog, mostly because my partner Jon is the design expert at Adaptive. I mostly do the numbers.
That said, I thought I’d draw your attention today to a classic error that landlords make when renovating apartments.
Look at this picture:
Can you see what’s wrong?
The owner decided to use tile or some kind of laminate for the dining / kitchen area.
The effect is to make the room feel considerably smaller than it actually is, because the eye is tricked into thinking it’s divided in two.
If, instead, the owner had continued the wood floor all the way to the far wall, the space would feel huge and open.
Why do people choose to do tile dining / kitchen areas? Well, I guess there’s an argument that they hold-up better when water is spilled on them. But tenants these days tend to cook a whole lot less than before.
That said, as between getting (1) higher rents but having to refinish the floors slightly more often; and (2) getting lower rents, I’ll take 1 every time.