Apartments are often purchased for resale. But here the question arises: what should be the design, which will appeal to a wide range of customers? In this article, we will tell you the most important thing about the universal design of the apartment.
A new building or a house with a history?
Designers have to choose completely different solutions for new buildings and for historic buildings. Some apartments, even without changing the original layout, can already be attributed to universal. But there are types of housing, which very quickly lose relevance.
For example, in the 90s the new building P-44 was quite popular, now it is obsolete.
New buildings are becoming obsolete every 10 years. In addition, their configuration is complicated by further re-planning. So, because of several loggias, the architecture of the internal space of the whole apartment breaks down. Even if they are attached to the rooms, distortion is still present.
The objects of typical development are not of high quality and are characterized by low wear resistance. Historic buildings do not have such problems because for their erection they used high-quality materials – brick, joinery, cement. An investment in such an apartment, even a small one, may turn out to be much more profitable. While housing in a new building runs the risk of losing its liquidity, for example, due to unsuccessful planning.
In modern homes, too many supporting walls or pylons to support the ceiling. In the old, long beams rest on bearing walls located at wide intervals from each other. Therefore, there will be no difficulties with re-planning or restoration of the original type of apartment.
Therefore, we recommend giving preference to houses with a history, rather than fashionable new buildings.
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The layout decides everything
When choosing an apartment, you need to pay special attention to the evaluation of the layout. At the same time, you can immediately determine the prospects and opportunities for redevelopment, decide on the demolition of excess walls.
A flat of the correct geometric shape, rectangular or square, is much easier to change.
The bet must be made for universality and convenience. Immediately determine which rooms you will use together with family members, and which ones need to be isolated from each other. Divide the common space into zones, and separate the rooms only if absolutely necessary, for example, for organizing bedrooms.
If the layout and the number of bearing walls are not lucky, it is better to contact specialists who will help solve these problems and avoid new ones.
Take, for example, a wide opening. Difficulties often arise with its location. People do not know how and relative to what room it needs to be placed. A universal solution, in this case, is the enfilade: some rooms will be closed, others – on the contrary. If you arrange the rooms in the right order (living room, dining room, study, bedroom), there will be no problems with isolation.
Do not be afraid of installing additional doors. Now, this principle is a little forgotten. If you cut through the second door in the room, the new tenants will have the opportunity to give her a new appointment. For example, the first owners used the door to the corridor and used the room as a dining room. The following owners can close this door and disguise it with a cupboard or chest of drawers. And by opening another exit, leading, for example, to the bedroom, they transform the former dining room into an office.
Basic Errors In The Layout
If you need to keep the liquidity of an apartment so that future generations of your family can comfortably live in it, as well as absolutely foreign buyers, you should adhere to a number of rules:
- Do not follow the trendy trends that can quickly lose relevance. For example, combine the kitchen with the living room.
- Do not use distorted planning solutions, where one outweighs the other. For example, apartments without rooms. This solution is suitable only for a specific person and a certain lifestyle. Planning an apartment as a hostel is also not worth it.
- It is not necessary to develop a plan for the needs of a single family: to make additional bathrooms, cloakrooms, laundry rooms. Let there be as many rooms as planned.
In old houses, the universal division was originally laid, for example, a large room with three windows – a living room, small rooms – children’s or cloakrooms. It is better not to violate this order.
Suitable finishing materials
Finishing materials in a universal apartment must be, first, durable, and secondly, do not lose relevance for many years. An example is a tile in the form of six or octahedrons. Parquet tree or deck laying, too, will not cause questions.
But the fashionable finishing material in a couple of years will be of no use to anyone. Then the finish will not just lose its relevance. It will be obvious that the apartment used the trend of “such and such” year.
If you look at wallpaper, then a restrained strip or implicit arabesques may not become obsolete for centuries. These are examples of timeless classics.
Another unbeatable option is stucco molding. Contrary to misconceptions, it is not always a style marker. It can be supplemented, restored. Such an element will last a very long time. But even if you are against stucco, do not leave the angle between the ceiling and the wall open. This causes psychological discomfort. In extreme cases, you can use a wide profile without drawings.
In historical apartments are often found fragments of old parquet, stucco molding. They can be restored or restored to order. This will increase the value of the apartment several times.
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Is furniture important for creating a universal design?
The main feature of liquid housing is the possibility of making changes. For example, if the previous owner leaves, he takes with his furniture, accessories, that is all the mobile elements. That’s them and you can choose to your taste, even the most extravagant.
Caution should be shown only in relation to built-in furniture. Here it is necessary to ensure restraint and, if possible, substitutability. So, the doors of the built-in closet are worth making standard sizes, so that the new owner does not have to be wasted on the services of joiners when replacing them.
Thus, the principle of universality extends to everything that cannot be removed without dismantling.
