There’s more to choosing between a vintage or modern apartment than considering the age.
Do you prefer hardwood floors to carpeting? Your wide couch might fit better in a big vintage living room, but will it fit through the narrow doorway?
Rental agents, designers and others we talked with gave a rundown of some of the characteristics of the two styles of apartments-and living.
In general, newer apartments will have:
– Carpeting;
– Horizontal windows;
– Modernized kitchens with newer cabinets and appliances and ample counter;
– Bathrooms with vanities and newer fixtures, and bathtubs with sliding glass doors;
– Elevators;
– A laundry room on the premises;
– A boxy architectural layout;
– Central air conditioning;
– Indoor and/or outdoor parking;
– A greater number of electrical outlets and better wiring than vintage units;
– More amenities in the building, such as exercise facilities, a receiving room, a sundeck, a doorman.
Older rental buildings are more likely to feature:
– High ceilings and distinctive moldings;
– Hardwood floors;
– Radiator heat;
– Vertically shaped windows;
– Built-in bookshelves, cabinets;
– Back porches;
– Narrow doorways;
– Older appliances in the kitchen;
– Little or no parking on the premises;
– More square footage for the money.
