A unit “kit” is the selection of fixtures, fittings, appliances, and parts selected to renovate a property’s units. It will include everything from lighting fixtures and ceiling fans to sink faucets and plumbing hardware like angle stops. A lot of multifamily and senior living properties, especially class b and c properties tend to have a pretty standard kit consisting of inoffensive brushed nickel hardware, builder grade lighting choices, white painted cabinets, and low-cost flooring. However, every once in a while we come across a kit that really wows us. Here are 5 kit selections that we hope to see again in 2023.
Dark Cabinets with Light Countertops
One of the most striking design choices we’ve seen recently is dark cabinets paired with lighter quartz countertops. Most recently, we saw this at the Senior Living Facility, Holly Creek in Centennial, CO. This class A property is currently in the process of renovating a handful of units from head to toe including new cabinet boxes, appliances, floors, baseboards, and more.
The new cabinets paired with simple white quartz countertops have helped transform these units, which were originally sporting a chestnut stain with busy brown counters straight from the early 2000s. This renovation has really helped bring life back to these kitchens and feels more modern and luxurious than before.
Black Fixtures and Hardware
While we do tend to consider brushed nickel fixtures and hardware a solid option that will not go out of style, we appreciate when designers are willing to try something unique. Riverbend apartments decided to ditch the basic nickel hardware and plumbing fixtures for bold, black faucets and pulls.
Paired with the white cabinets and vanities, this was a great selection for the recently-acquired property looking to add value and increase tenancy rates. To see this property’s full transformation, check out our Riverbend Apartments case study.
Porcelain Panels
A design choice that is starting to grow in popularity is porcelain panels. These extra large panels can give you the look of a granite or quartz slabs without the high price tag. We have seen these installed in bathrooms, kitchens, as accent walls, and fireplace surrounds. We could go on about why we’d love to see more projects incorporate porcelain panels into their kit, but we’ll let the pictures speak for themself.
Quarter Turn Angle Stops
Up to this point, we’ve talked mostly about aesthetics of a property, but that doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about the functional design aspects that go into a unit kit. If we had to pick one functional item that makes a world of difference, it would be quarter turn angle stops. Replacing these during a unit renovation will not only increase the longevity of your property’s plumbing, but could actually save your maintenance team some future headache.
We’ve seen it far too many times… A leaky sink or toilet that needs to be replaced. The maintenance crew addresses the requests only to find that they can’t shut off the water at the fixture because of a stuck or broken angle stop. Now they have to turn the water off to the whole unit or worse, an entire unit block. Replacing twist angle stops to quarter turns is near the top of our list of kit inclusions we’d like to see more of in 2023.
Flooring in Natural Colors
The final kit item that we’d love to see stick around in 2023 is natural colored flooring. Over the past 5 years, we’ve seen a boom in color options for LVT, laminate, and other manufactured floors. While there is nothing wrong with weathered grays and distressed oaks, we’d be happy to see more natural colors make a comeback.
Take a look at the floors we just installed at Holly Creek… They are a nice, warm brown that looks more natural and more inviting than some of the unusual manufactured colors we’ve seen rise in popularity over the years. The fact that these are a luxury floating plank laminate really pushes their style and quality to another level.
There is a lot that goes in selecting a kit and designing a unit that your tenants will love. Fortunately, we’ve worked on our fair share of projects. Our past experience renovating multifamily and senior living properties has set us up for success. Our team of design experts can help you with the design and planning phases of construction so you know you are getting the best selection for your needs, whether that’s the best bang for your buck or maintaining a property class. Contact us today to see how we can help.