16 Different Types of Apartments You Need to Know Before You Rent

Basement

A basement apartment is the lowest level unit within a building. They are often more affordable due to a lack of light and a less desirable location in the building, though they can be styled to look extra cozy. It may be worthwhile to check these kind of space in person to make sure there aren't any security or pest issues.

Garden

These apartments are typically located between the basement and first floor and offer small backyard areas.

"You want to allow as much in as possible while also keeping your privacy," Emma Kemper, the founder of Emma Beryl Interiors, advises. Like basement apartments, garden apartments come with pros and cons.

"Obviously having access to a private garden is a major plus; however, since they are on the ground floor or basement, they tend to lack natural light as well as attract bugs from the garden," Christina Kim, the founder of Christina Kim Interior Design, says.

Loft

Tina Ramchandani, the founder of Tina Ramchandani Creative, refers to loft apartments as "the original open concept" spaces, noting that many of these residences formerly served as warehouses.

Lofts are known for being much more spacious than studio apartments (described in further detail below) and sometimes contain a small secondary level, which is often used for sleeping. They often have high ceilings, large windows, and an open floor plan.

"The best way to approach a loft apartment is to make the sleeping space only for sleeping," Kemper says. "Design the living area to be multifunctional so that it is used most of the day and the sleeping area is only used at night."

Penthouse

The penthouse refers to the highest floor of an apartment building. Ramchandani explains how penthouses often have luxury finishes, incredible views, and their own elevator in some units.

Playing with the apartment's surroundings is extra key during the design process. "We frequently use low-profile furniture to not obstruct the view and place mirrors strategically throughout the home to double the owner's access to all of their spectacular private vistas," Cheryl Eisen, CEO of IMG Interior Marketing Group, says.

One Bedroom Apartment

One-bedroom apartments are quite common and refer to units that contain a separate living room, kitchen, and sleep space, which can be closed off fully with a door.

Junior One Bedroom Apartment

Junior one bedrooms are slightly larger than studios but are smaller than one bedrooms. They feature nooks that can be walled off to function as separate bedrooms; sometimes these areas are accessible via glass doors or only contain partial walls.

Studio

Studio apartments refer to spaces in which the living area, sleep space, and kitchen are all housed within one room.

"In a studio apartment, it’s really important to create a separation of space between the bedroom and the kitchen," Sarah Tract, the founder of Sarah Tract Interiors, says. She recommends using different area rugs to indicate separation between the living and sleeping areas.

Efficiency Apartment

An efficiency apartment is a small, open-space unit in which living, dining, kitchen, and sleeping areas are within a single room, which can be divided through styling.

Efficiency apartments are similar in structure to studios, but they are even more compact in nature, particularly in the kitchen. Prep space is extremely limited, and the kitchen may solely contain a mini fridge and no other appliances.

Therefore, efficiency apartments are ideal for short-term or business stays.

Railroad

Railroad apartments are known for being long and thin in length, similar to the structure of a train car. The rooms in this type of apartment unit all connect to one another; for example, you may need to pass directly through a kitchen or dressing area to walk from the living room or bedroom.

"Railroad apartments are great for single dwellers or couples since there is a sprawling feeling to the way these types of apartments are laid out," Kim says. "This is less practical for a roommate situation."

High Rise

High-rise apartments are generally said to be located within buildings containing nine floors or above and often have the most expensive rent in the building. They also have a lack of outdoor space and opening windows.

Low Rise

A low rise apartment is one located within a building containing no more than four or so floors. Low rise apartments are often community-oriented since they have more access to outdoor spaces like gardens and walking paths. They also are known to have more amenities and privacy.

Mid Rise

Not a high rise or a low rise, a mid-rise apartment comes in right in between, generally with five to nine floors in total. They often strike a balance between the benefits of a low rise and high rise apartment in terms of having access to amenities and a decent amount of privacy.

Walk-Up

The term "walk up" refers to an apartment that can only be accessed via a stairway; the building does not contain an elevator. Due to this factor and a lack of other building amenities such as a gym, rooftop, and the like, walk-up units are generally more affordable. Most walk-up buildings are no more than five or six floors high.

Floor Through

A floor through apartment, as the name suggests, takes up an entire floor of a building. These types of apartments are therefore quite large and seen as luxurious. You will have complete privacy since you have no neighbors and if you're on the ground floor, you may have access to a terrace or patio.

Duplex

Duplex apartments contain two levels with a staircase (or sometimes an elevator) connecting them in between. They can either be used to house one family or two separate households.

Triplex

A triplex is just like a duplex, only it combines three different units. Again, these may house three separate families or all belong to one household.