5 Design Trends to Watch in Multifamily

What’s popular in apartment design this fall? From color schemes to amenities, these design approaches are making waves in the world of multifamily. Discover what’s behind each trend and how you can incorporate it into your own community.

1. Create a polished look with jewel tones

Goodbye, pastels and monochromes — hello, jewel tones. These rich colors, which derive from gemstones like ruby, emerald, amethyst, and sapphire, are setting the trend this fall.

Whether it’s on the runway or in the home, jewel tones offer a warm, sophisticated look that’s perfect for autumn and expected to stay trendy through 2025. Traditionally used to signify wealth and status, these tones can help your apartments convey a sense of luxury and refinement.

Examples of jewel tones (also known as gem tones) include dark burgundy, deep red, burnished orange, gold, deep navy blue, quartz purple, dark teal, and jade.

How to hop on the trend:

• Repaint interior common spaces, like your community room or leasing office
• Pair jewel tones with furniture and hardware with brass or gold finishes
• For model units with neutral walls, add a splash of color with rugs, throw pillows, or bedding in saturated colors
• Brighten up a dull hallway with jewel-toned doors or trim
• Make a statement with a jewel-toned accent wall for living rooms and bedrooms

2. Stay smart with connected tech

Integrated technology offers convenience and security. As smart tech continues to rise in popularity, it’s increasingly an expectation among renters, and more and more multifamily communities are making it a priority.

How to hop on the trend:

• Install smart locks on individual units for keyless entry
• Set up individual units and common spaces with smart thermostats
• Consider smart package lockers as a secure solution to help residents receive deliveries
• Set up smart lighting throughout your outdoor walkways and indoor common spaces
• Use a smart security system to monitor entrances and hallways

3. Keep it sustainable through a green approach

In 2024, multifamily operators are looking for ways to show their commitment to sustainability. A focus on green design, which minimizes impacts on the environment while improving residents’ and employees’ wellbeing, remains a hot trend.

How to hop on the trend:

• Redesign landscaping with native and low-maintenance plants
• Select furniture made from recycled materials and reclaimed wood
• Install solar panels to reduce energy costs, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and highlight your community’s commitment to the environment
• Use vegetation-rich green roofs to reduce runoff and support local birds and butterflies

For more ideas, check out 22 ways to make your community greener.

4. Use biophilic design to bring in the outdoors

Biophilic design, which promotes a natural aesthetic, isn’t just a stylistic approach. This design philosophy aims to connect people to nature through the built environment. By creating a sense of calm among your residents and employees, this nature-inspired design can reduce stress and improve overall health and wellness.

Biophilic trends this year include multisensory elements, like water features and textured décor. Also popular are earthy textures and organic materials, like wood, stone, and even paper. Indoor and outdoor plants and trees are a common feature of biophilic design.

How to hop on the trend:

• Draw back the curtains or blinds to bring in natural light and create a visual connection to the outdoors
• Incorporate indoor plants throughout common spaces
• Add tranquility to your leasing office with a moss wall
• Use a ceramic tabletop water fountain as a desk accent
• Choose furniture pieces made of wood or bamboo
• Feature paintings and photographs of seascapes, forests, or other natural landscapes
• Use wallpaper or design elements inspired by natural shapes, like leaves, branches, or waves
• Integrate organic and irregular forms, like wavy shelving, curved sofas, and rounded tables
• Use stone for outdoor elements such as benches, walkways, and firepits
• Create a rooftop green space with planters and small trees

5. Gain flexibility with multifunctional design

Apartments typically offer less space than the traditional single-family home. That’s why renters and multifamily operators alike are clamoring for flexibility and function. Flexible design — which seeks to maximize the utility of spaces, furniture, and amenities — is a perfect fit for multifamily.

This fall, look for ways to incorporate modular layouts and convertible spaces into your community and individual apartments. You can also rethink your community amenities and outdoor spaces to support varied activities and interests.

How to hop on the trend:

• Furnish your community room with modular pieces, like sectional sofas, that can be easily rearranged
• Install bookshelves that double as sliding doors and walls
• Create units with open floor plans
• Stage your model units with folding desks and extendable dining tables
• When building new units or renovating existing apartments, create built-in window seating with hidden storage
• Convert your tennis courts into temporary pickleball courts on designated days of the week
• Repurpose outdoor spaces throughout the year by adding or removing seating, canopies, and heating lamps

Looking for more tips?

Check out these resources for ideas:

• 4 Community Staging and Design Ideas
• 9 Multifamily Trends to Watch in 2024
• Curb Appeal Goes Virtual: How to Improve Your Digital Appeal
• 9 Ways to Boost Your Property’s Curb Appeal