There was a time when students were not fussy, and they didn’t care if the walls were cream and the carpets were brown… as long as there was a pub a stones throw away, a decent size communal area fit for a party and working WIFI, everything was all good.
There’s no doubt about it, co-living in areas such as Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield and Leicester is gaining popularity. More and more student landlords are tapping into the wealth of tenants seeking good quality student accommodation in these bustling University cities with new offerings popping up in their droves around the country.
Leeds is right at the forefront of this movement and research shows that it has more student properties than anywhere in the UK. With numerous halls and student accommodation popping up all over the city, there is a total of 900 new bedrooms for students and young professionals to rent right in the centre. The city is undoubtedly one to watch if you’ve been considering growing your current HMO stock this year.
The idea of co-living hasn’t just taken off in the student accommodation market either. The concept of co-living seeks to bridge the gap between public and private uses and offers up a new opportunity to promote a community feel with both public and private areas.
Not only does this type of living help introduce a social element to the overall student experience, it also seeks to address the current housing crisis. The idea of co-living has been fully embraced by developers and student landlords for the student lets market as a first step with many students favouring the idea of living with others studying at the same University.
The perceived benefits of this include an enhanced social life, tackling loneliness and making new friends during their time at university. With this approach such a hot topic at the moment, it’s no surprise that many landlords are looking to improve their HMO stock by making their properties more attractive to student tenants before the start of the new academic year in a few months.
INTERIOR DESIGN TRENDS FOR STUDENT CO-LIVING
First impressions really do count when attracting student tenants to HMO and co-living properties. For many landlords this means refreshing the housing stock with new additions and décor designed to really make the most of the rising popularity of several students sharing the same house.
Instead of squeezing in as many student tenants as is possible to maximise profits, savvy landlords and early adopters are placing more emphasis on creating inviting social areas. We’ve seen larger multi-use spaces being created to facilitate this vital aspect of student life.
From living rooms that double up as group study spaces to kitchens with dining seating, maximising any available space to enable students to spend more time together is seen as a bonus by potential student tenants, although this does come with its own considerations.
Decoration is also important of course, so don’t underestimate the value of giving your current private student housing stock a makeover. The aim here is to help the property look fresh and visually attractive.
Good examples of this include adding pops of colour with bright paint or accessories and prints to liven up dull spaces and give the feel of stylish design without having to spend a fortune. For maximum effectiveness, you should aim to carry this approach throughout the property from the communal areas such as the kitchen and into private bedroom spaces for continuity of design. This simple tip will also give a more high-end and premium feel to the accommodation.
STORAGE AND FURNITURE
Desks are still an important feature in co-living student accommodation and shouldn’t be overlooked. Instead, look for desk and chair sets that have integrated drawers and can double up as a dressing table. This means tenants can maximise their use of space with additional storage for books and personal items.
Students are also shunning the single bed in favour of queen or double bed sizes as this is what they have become accustomed to at home, so the more home from home elements you can bring into your student accommodation the better.
Another way that student landlords can encourage the co-living feel in their HMO properties is by ensuring that there is ample seating for all members of the household pit a few extra seats for guests. This can be achieved by placing modular furniture in living areas, supplying seating cubes that can be stored away or stacked when not in use.
Practicality also has a part to play when considering interior design. Student landlords are advised to choose hardwearing and easy to clean fixtures and fittings for their student accommodation makeovers.
Therefore, choose your materials and colour schemes carefully, and you won’t need to worry that your student tenants aren’t caring for them as well as they should. If in doubt, consider marketing your student co-living space as a premium serviced accommodation with a cleaner once a week.
Here at Changing Spaces Interiors we provide 3 Student Interior Furnishing Packages for Student Landlords to revamp or add a bit of TLC to their student property. Check them out by clicking the button below and get your properties fully booked for 2023/2024 academic year!
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