Rather than walk across hard flooring, sit in uncomfortable straight-back chairs under dim, harsh, lighting and stare at bland, utilitarian walls typically found in many convention center meeting rooms, visitors to the 50+ Housing Council and Multifamily headquarters at the NAHB International Builders’ Show in Orlando last month gathered in comfortable and welcoming lounge areas that invited conversation and networking .

But the pleasant surroundings weren’t the only benefit of the headquarters’ transformations. The decor of each headquarters also served as a visual aid that demonstrated how public areas and sales offices can be decorated to appeal to their respective demographic group.

The makeovers were created by the design team of Kay Green, Ashley Jennings, Jerry Collin and Jennifer Bressin of the Orlando-based interior design firm Kay Green Design.

The two headquarters incorporated common elements to serve the networking needs of the respective council’s members. Each featured four or five discrete seating areas, four 5-foot dining tables with chairs, a bar and, for seminars, an audio-visual area with a big screen and seating for about 30. That, though, was where the similarities ended.

Corner chairs, bright lights and shiny accessories created a fresh vibe in the Apartment and Condo Central lounge at IBS.

“Interior merchandising can play a pivotal role in driving home and condo sales and in raising occupancy in apartment communities,” Green said. “What we hope to do is to show developers, builders and designers how to leverage the magic of model merchandising in their own communities.”

The 50+ Lifestyle Central lounge, for example, reflected what the designers called a “transitional” approach. To incorporate style elements that appeal to 50+ buyers they used warmer colors in the red, brown and gold ranges to create a more comfortable feeling.

For the Apartment and Condo Central lounge, the designers incorporated style elements — clean lines, contemporary furniture, sharp accessories and cool grays, blues, creams and silver colors — that appeal to a younger demographic.  

The designers installed trusses to hold additional lighting — red in the 50+ lounge — and curtain panels to soften the concrete walls.

Four comfy wing chairs and a coffee table helped 50+ Council members network and relax.

“For housing targeted towards 50+ buyers, it’s critical to offer at least three sources of lighting in rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom,” Green said. “We always ensure that the kitchen is equipped with can lighting in the ceiling, pendant lighting over bar-top seating and under-cabinet mounted lighting to illuminate countertop work spaces.”

To create a more vibrant and lively atmosphere in the apartment and condo lounge, the designers had the lights continually changing colors.

And, to create a more inviting, home-like ambiance, both lounges featured supplemental table lamps — and vases filled with fresh flowers.

Council members and visitors relaxing in the lounges indicated that they were delighted with the makeovers. Some were seen stopping in their tracks and staring for a few moments at the entrance before finally scouting out a comfortable chair.

The goal of the design exercise was to produce a “model home effect,” according to Bressin.

Fun and funky dice, fun colors and patterns and non-matching end tables added a bit of an edge to a comfortable corner.

“Interior design is all about emotion, and while creating good feelings in a model home or apartment creates a sale or lease, in the lounges, the decor created good feelings about the rooms and about the company that produced them.”

In addition to the lounge transformations, Kay Green Design conducted two seminars in the lounges that explained the process of merchandising a model, using the rooms as full-scale visual aids.

Company staff members also held four educational seminars at the Builders’ Show on kitchen and bath design; designing for Generations X and Y; color trends; and marketing and sales ideas.  Slide presentations from the seminars can be viewed at www.kaygreendesign.com/presentations.html.

For more information about the lounges, e-mail Jeff Jenkins at NAHB, or Ashley Jennings at Kay Green Design.