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A Renter’s Guide to Apartment Floor Plans

As you begin the process of finding an apartment to rent, you’ll quickly discover that apartment floor plans are a vital resource. In combination with any available pictures or virtual tours, an apartment floor plan is often the best way to envision living in a particular residence, other than visiting it in person. Below, find an overview of the details that apartment floor plans typically include, reasons to use these plans, and common apartment floor plans that you may encounter.

What are apartment floor plans?

Typically, an apartment floor plan offers a more in-depth understanding of the apartment layout than its name or description provides. An apartment floor plan is a visual tool that essentially lets renters survey a scaled down layout of the apartment from above in order to see the number of rooms, their orientation and more. If you are wondering how to interpret the abbreviations and other symbols that often appear on floor plans, this guide from Apartment List may be a useful starting point. Some of the details commonly included in apartment floor plans are as follows:

• Room labels, shapes and measurements (especially of primary spaces like the bedrooms or living room)
• Closets and other storage spaces
• Built-in shelving or other features, as well as included appliances
• Bathroom design and included fixtures
• Entry and interior doorways (often including which way they open), stairs (if applicable), windows, and wall placement

In addition to 2D apartment floor plans that feature the kind of information provided above, 3D floor plans may also be available, like the ones at The Blonde. Like the photos and virtual tours that may accompany any apartment floor plans, colorful 3D plans further assist prospective tenants in gaining an even more realistic understanding of being in that space, often through the inclusion of arranged furniture and even decorative features.

Why analyze apartment floor plans?

As you examine apartment floor plans, you’ll start to gain greater insight into what living in that space may be like. This careful consideration may also help you answer many questions that may be on your mind, like the ones listed below:

• Is there enough living and storage space for me and my living situation now or in the near future?
• Does it have the amount of light, type of appliances or other details that are desired or required?
• Will furniture and other items fit in the space?
• Can the layout work for my lifestyle? For example, is there an outdoor space for a little garden or an area that can serve as a home office?

Especially as you start to narrow down your list of potential rentals, comparing apartment floor plans may also help you find the best value for your budget.

What are some common apartment floor plans?

You’ve probably already discovered that there are many different types of apartments. There is also substantial variation between what a type of floor plan, like a one-bedroom apartment, looks like in one location versus at another property. Below, find some of the most common apartment floor plans, as available at Live NAProperties’ locations and other apartment communities:

• Studio: As the studio layout at Seven At Broadway illustrates, studio apartments are typically characterized by their open floor plan. So, instead of a bedroom that is separated by walls from the kitchen that is partially or fully distinct from a living area, everything is located in one shared, open area. The bathroom is often the only part of a studio apartment that is enclosed with a door.
• One Bedroom: Unlike a studio apartment, a one-bedroom apartment floor plan typically includes a bedroom that’s distinct from other rooms or spaces in the apartment. As this one-bedroom plan from Centennial Station shows, the bedroom and closets in addition to the bathroom are enclosed by walls and doors.
• Two Bedroom: These apartment floor plans have two private bedrooms and one or more bathrooms. In addition to the placement of the separate bedrooms, there is also substantial variation with bathroom locations as well as the rest of the layout. Therefore, even in the same apartment community, you may be able to choose from multiple floor plans for just one type of apartment, as with the 5 different 2-bedroom loft layouts at Sycamore Place.
• Townhome (or other multi-floor design): A townhome apartment floor plan typically includes many different rooms on more than one floor like this one from Gettysburg Square. In this particular apartment community, “The Townhome” refers to a residence with 2 bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms that spans two floors. Importantly, in other locations, a penthouse or a duplex apartment might be used to refer to a residence with a similar design. Aside from different titles that may pertain to similar apartment floor plans, the same type of apartment may have many different layouts, which is why attention to the apartment floor plan details is so important. For example, at Olde Montgomery, there are multiple townhome floor plans, including plans with two bedrooms or three bedrooms and ones with two levels or three.

Are you looking to rent an apartment in the Cincinnati area? Explore the many living options available to you at LIVE NAProperties’ 10 different apartment communities. Contact our leasing experts today with any questions about our residential properties, apartment floor plans and more – we’re here to help you find your next home!