The Spring Edit: Rethinking Space and Circulation Patterns

I had lunch recently with two interior designer friends. Both have extensive experience remodeling houses.?We talked about?that "aha" moment when?you realize the floorplan is all wrong, but you know exactly?how to fix it. If the?kitchen moves to the other end of the home,?the client?will have easy access to an herb garden on the?new deck, the front entrance needs to be expanded to include a mud room, and so on and so forth.

Apartment renovations are different.?Even when the client?owns their unit, it often makes?sense to install new appliances and fixtures in the same footprint to take advantage of existing infrastructure. But, with the right budget and proper approvals, more extensive changes can be made to the interior architecture.?Last week I saw new?possibilities for?my own 1920s co-op when I came across photos of a?neighbor's apartment in a real estate listing.?He has reimagined his pre-war?apartment?with fewer walls and a totally?open kitchen?layout.

He's gained an island and additional square footage in the small?kitchen—but has the?character of the original dining room suffered? It's a matter of opinion and lifestyle.

In rental apartments, residents?rely on furniture, art and lighting to create appealing spaces. So do property managers who?stage model units and amenity spaces so that prospective renters can imagine themselves living in the building.

Whether you own or rent, live in apartments or manage them, take the time now to walk through?all indoor and outdoor spaces with a critical eye.?A Spring?Edit will?reveal furniture and accessories that no longer serve because the scale or style are?wrong—or they make the space feel crowded and awkward to navigate.?If you'd like to make some changes to welcome the new season,?let's schedule a?30-minute consultation?to see how a Spring Edit can help.

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