​There’s nothing more relaxing than a lazy day at the pool — floating on the surface and enjoying the sunshine or curled up under an umbrella with a stack of magazines you’ve been meaning to catch up on. Maybe add some barbecue or fruity, sparkling water — whatever suits your fancy!
                                                           
If this sounds like your summer reality, you’re not alone. But for developers and investors of multifamily communities, that perfect pool day doesn’t happen by chance — in fact, planning for it can start when most people are stashing away their swimsuits and pool towels for the fall.
                                                           
Here at Mood, our clubhouse design team knows that your community pool needs more than, well, a pool — it needs a place to gather. To unwind. Maybe to cook or dine with friends, too! Here’s a look at a few features renters love in their multifamily pool facilities, and how to make your community even more attractive.
 
Secure Amenities
 
Interestingly, one of the most popular features reported in an Apartments.com survey wasn’t actually an amenity, but a sort of safeguard. According to the site, “controlled amenity access” — think key card-enabled doors, or pools with gates — was desired by 85% of respondents. And it makes sense! Your outdoor living space should feel like an extension of your home, not something separate. Adding a level of security helps establish the space as not only safe but also a bit special.
                                               
Fitness Access
           
A fitness room or gym in your clubhouse is a natural neighbor to your multifamily pool — but it’s not the only way to embrace an active lifestyle in your community! According to the 2021 Multifamily Amenities Survey, nearly 50% of respondents were interested in walking paths as an outdoor amenity. Sidewalks alone may do the job just fine — but tree-lined paths with several points of interest (like a community garden or art installation) can make your community feel like an immersive, resort-style experience.
                                   
Foodie Fun
                                   
The popularity of a communal outdoor kitchen jumped up nearly 10 percent between 2020 and 2021, according to the same survey. When delicious smells waft from your pool deck to the rest of the property, that can serve as a sort of invitation to the community to come outside and join in the outdoor fun!
           
Cozy Up
           
Grills and fire pits remain one of the top amenities according to the survey, and it’s easy to see why! Even during the peak of summer, a toasty fire can provide much-needed comfort after a day in the water — plus, these installations are built to be gathered around, fostering community with ease.
           
Stylish Seating (& Lounging) Options
 
You know you need places for your residents to kick back and relax — but don’t feel the need to cover your entire poolscape in rows and rows of basic pool loungers. Comfy sofas with modular ottomans, hammocks, and cabanas are just a few fun ways to mix up your poolscape seating options.
 
Of course, national surveys can be super helpful when it comes to understanding trends in poolscape and clubhouse design — but when you want a closer look at your unique area’s preferences, Mood can help! Our team regularly conducts local research to gauge the most attractive amenities in your slice of the country — so you can trust that whatever we help you install (whether it’s a stylish new firepit or overhauled outdoor courtyard), it’s something that will serve you and your residents’ interests.

Back-to-school season is my absolute favorite time of year! The hope of new is in the air - and I am a sucker for hope. My kids are far from Elmer’s Glue age but every year, I find myself buying new bottles of glue, along with markers and pencil erasers and colorful pocket folders! I just love a full backpack full of spiral notebooks, even in this age of technology. I end up donating most of what I buy but the spirit of new school supplies is just as exciting as waking up on Christmas morning - wondering what is inside those beautifully wrapped packages.
 
In cities across the county, student housing properties spent most of the summer preparing for their version of back-to-school season - the return of college students. They made spaces safe, clean, and equipped for all their studying needs. Property teams make spaces fun and community driven which gives students their best shot at the quintessential “college experience.”
                                                           
If you’re in charge of updating or leasing up an on- or off-campus student housing facility, you know that you’re tasked with winning over prospective residents (and their parents, too!). A tall order but a fun one, too. Here are a few ideas inspired by student living spaces across the country!
                                                           
Fun & Fitness
                                                           
What matters most to students can vary greatly from area to area — therefore you may want to take advantage of custom-crafted Mood surveys, that can gauge interest for specific amenities in your unique location! However, there are some kinds of amenities that will tend to remain popular for students across the country — and fitness is one of them.      
Alone, But Together                          
Student life is all about flexibility — and there’s a great way to achieve this in the seating options you choose for your on- or off-campus housing facility. Modular work or study pods give students a chance to focus when it’s time to focus but can just as easily be arranged in an open setup for when it’s time to relax or catch up with friends.                         
Don’t Forget the Practical Stuff, Too                        
By the time midterms roll around, many students start to get more closely acquainted with their study spaces. But that doesn’t necessarily have to mean pulling all-nighters in the library. Here are a few features that you can build into your student housing space to ensure they can easily hit the books without even leaving the property:                                                                                                                                 
- Ample lighting and outlets! When laptops are involved, you can never have enough
- Modular seating options in community spaces                                                                  
- White boards for working out tough problems (or doodles)
                                                                                   
At Mood Interior Designs, we can’t wait to help you transform your student housing property — turning it into a place students love to return to, and parents can feel good about! This is a unique time in a person’s life — in the spirit of a hopeful new beginning, let’s make it special, starting from the place they call home.