Home Sweet Home
Open floor plans and flexible spaces attract young residents to the Ellington in Washington, D.C.
Developed by Donatelli & Klein and managed by Bozzuto Management Co.
PERSONAL TOUCH: Gen Yers are all about individuality, so they want spaces they can personalize and call their own. The Ellington offers moveable track lighting fixtures in the kitchen/living area so renters can decide where to put their kitchen table, escaping the traditional tyranny of having to place it directly underneath the usual stationary lighting fixture. Another customizing suggestion: Paint one accent wall in a color of the renter’s choice.
CHOICE FLOORS: For even more personalization, developers experiment with hard-finished flooring surfaces and then let residents choose their own carpet tiles from a palette of options.
SMALL WONDER: The 20-something crowd is willing to sacrifice space for a stellar urban location near restaurants, shopping, a night life, and even their jobs. So developers are offering smaller sized units–such as the approximately 500-square-foot units at the Ellington. The 9- to 10-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows help make the space feel larger. Having plenty of two-bedroom units is crucial; many young residents will lower their rents by doubling up.
OPEN UP: An open floor plan (where a kitchen opens to a living room area) makes the room multifunctional and provides a perfect atmosphere for this social demographic to entertain and hang out with friends. For ultimate flexibility, some developers even consider using sliding partition walls or pivoting walls instead of a solid wall to separate the bedroom from the living room. Sounds like the perfect setup for a big move-in bash.