Common apartment styles found in New York City

There are several different things that people consider when apartment hunting. Some of which include price, layout, location, fees, space, etc. However, there’s less talk about the variety of apartment styles that exist throughout NYC. Whether you’re looking to downsize, upgrade from your current place, or just want to find more permanent housing; there is an apartment-style out there that will fit your needs perfectly.

Because there are so many options to choose from when looking for rooms to rent in NYC, it’s understandable that the selection process can be tricky. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of apartment styles to explore, so that you can be sure you’re making the best decision.

Floor-through apartment

A floor-through apartment takes up either the whole floor of a building or runs from the front to the back of the building. Apartments like this are more common in brownstones but have recently begun being built in more new developments as well. The advantage of this apartment style is that they are more private and very spacious.

Railroad apartment

In a railroad apartment, all the rooms are lined up, so you have to walk through one room to get to another. This is similar to how subway cars are set up (hence the name, railroad apartment). Typically, the bathroom, kitchen, and living room, are in the middle, and bedrooms are either in the front or back, to make them more private. Railroad apartments are usually found in much older (and smaller) buildings. 

Garden apartment

Quite simply, a garden apartment is described as an apartment that is on the first level or ground floor of an apartment complex; and has direct access to an outdoor space. Garden apartments are popular in neighborhoods like Bed-Stuy, Harlem, and Park slope, and tend to be one-bedrooms.

Loft apartment

A loft apartment has an open layout, with high ceilings. Typically, the only separated spaces that have doors in a loft are bathrooms. Other characteristics may include things like large windows, support beams, and exposed bricks. Loft apartments were previously used as industrial spaces (for making clothing, furniture, etc). Now, they are mostly found in commercial buildings that have undergone renovation.

Micro apartment

When the minimum square footage on apartments was no longer 400 square feet, micro-apartments were created. A micro-apartment can be anywhere from 260-360 square feet. Usually found in more densely populated areas of New York City (where rent is higher for smaller spaces), micro-apartments include sitting, sleeping, bathroom, and kitchen space, all in one area.

Studio apartment

Similar to a loft, a studio apartment has an open floor plan and is usually around 400 feet or larger. There are a few variations to studio apartments such as separate/open kitchen, alcove studio (L partition/nook for a bed), and a convertible studio (that is spacious enough that one could build a wall to create a completely separate bedroom space).

True one bedroom

A true one-bedroom must have at least two distinctly separate rooms, with a door that divides the living room from the bedroom. To qualify as an actual bedroom, the measurements need to be at least 8 feet tall by 8 feet wide and have a window.

Walk-up apartment

A walk-up apartment is rather self-explanatory. It describes an apartment that is only accessible by stairs (no elevator). These apartment buildings usually have fewer units, and never exceed six floors. Although they are more affordable, they may garner less interest due to the fact that there is no elevator.

Duplex

A duplex is characterized as being a multi-family home with two units (in one building). Duplex apartments have separate entrances, as well as an upstairs and downstairs. The two units in the building are usually very similar in style, size, and layout.

Triplex

A triplex is just like a duplex, except there are three units in the building instead of two. They also have separate entrances and are similar in style, size, and layout.

High-Rise

A high-rise apartment is located in a building with 12 or more floors. It's likely that this type of apartment has access to at least one elevator (or multiple in some cases).

Mid-Rise

Similar to high-rise, the only difference is that mid-rise apartments are located in a building that has 5-11 floors. There should also be at least one elevator in this style of apartment.

Low-Rise

Slightly different to mid or high-rise, low-rise apartments are located in buildings with one to four floors. And it is not out of the ordinary for there to be no elevator access. At Roomrs, there are various types of apartment styles to choose from. Some units have multiple stories, outdoor space, elevator access in the building, etc. However, what all apartments do have in common are flexible lease terms, affordability, include utilities (even wifi), and come fully furnished! If all those things pique your interest, look through our available apartments, here!