Large-scale plan: how to know if you live in a millennial apartment

The term «millennials» was coined and popularized by William Strauss and Neil Howe, authors of several books on this subject. Have you ever wondered who these people are, what lifestyle they lead, where they live, what furniture they buy, and how they decorate their homes? We suggest exploring this together.

Millennials, or Generation Y, are people born between 1980 and 2000 who experienced the new millennium in their youth. Digital technologies have a huge impact on their lives: millennials can't imagine themselves without the Internet, social networks, and gadgets.

What kind of apartments do millennials choose?

Rental housing closer to the city center or social hubs, or near their workplace — this is what active millennials choose.

Apartment in a trendy cluster — a renovated factory or residential complex with floor-to-ceiling windows. Millennials consider this a good purchase.

Studio layout — in priority. This generation grew up watching «Friends», so the idea of placing a kitchen workspace next to the living room doesn't bother them.

How to tell if you live in a millennial apartment? A millennial apartment cannot do without a workspace

Today's generation increasingly works from home, does freelance work, and creates their own working schedules. Therefore, a home office — big or tiny — is essential.

There is a lot of mid-century modern furniture in the interior

Many of the most significant works of object design of the 20th century were created in mid-century modern style. Masterpieces by Arne Jacobsen, Gio Ponti, Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, Hans Wegner — all subjects of admiration for millennials.

Using bronze-colored decor, millennials don't stop at just a lamp

They also add lighting fixtures, hardware, accessories, and tableware to the interior.

Posters and contemporary art dominate the decor

Millennials don't particularly like classical paintings (perhaps because parents often took them to galleries). But various posters, canvas prints, photo panels, and abstract modern paintings are preferred.

Each room has at least one item from IKEA

Some millennials go even further and decorate the entire interior with items from this popular Swedish store.

A soft knitted blanket lies beautifully on the sofa, bed, armchair, or footstool

There may even be more than one!

A millennial home will always have something made of marble or its imitation

For example, a coffee table with a marble top, console table, or just a serving board.

Rose pink color is present in the interior

The term millennial pink emerged in 2016, when no one could have guessed that shades of pink would dominate not only wardrobes but also the interiors of millennials.

What is included in a millennial «smart home»?

Not every millennial has these gadgets at home, but almost all dream of them.

A smart lock that uses Bluetooth to detect when you and your smartphone leave the room and sends a notification every time the door opens. A thermostat that controls temperature, remembers your daily routine, and adjusts the climate accordingly. An LED light fixture with speakers that changes the glow color depending on the time of day. A «smart» blanket that monitors your sleep and health, controls the bed temperature, and can wake you up in the morning. Inside the electric oven there are temperature sensors, a camera, and automatic scales. Therefore, while cooking, you can get detailed information about the state of your dinner and recommendations on how to improve it. A robotic vacuum cleaner takes over the task of maintaining order and saves time on cleaning. With an automatic pet feeder, caring owners can monitor their pet's feeding schedule, adjust portion sizes, and receive notifications directly on their iPhone. A fridge that can remember the family's schedule, send emails, post photos to Instagram, come up with a menu, and send you a shopping list.

3 books about home that can be found on a millennial's bookshelf

«Hygge. The Secret of Danish Happiness» by Mike Vicking — all about the art of creating comfort, warmth, and a sense of well-being. About hygge, in one word.

«The Home, Sweet Home» by Debora Nieldman does not teach interior design but gives advice on how to create stylish and comfortable housing. A lot of atmospheric themes — for example, about hyggeators.

«The Magical Cleaning» by Marie Kondo — a book by a famous Japanese cleaning consultant. Everything about the secrets and principles of proper and fast tidying up.

Apartment styles that millennials would like

Designers transformed this studio for temporary residence into a «transformer»: it has a bedroom, two additional sleeping places on the second level, a living room with good sound insulation, a dining area, and a passage kitchen. Design: Nota Bene

This loft interior was created not in a former factory space but in a typical Stalin-era apartment. All thanks to wall cladding with brick and wooden floors. Design: ART B.O.S

In this studio apartment, the architect focused on built-in furniture based on individual sketches. The wardrobes only look ordinary: behind the facades, there is a kitchen and an organized storage system. Design: Studio Bazi

The interior of this three-bedroom apartment was decorated in pink tones, leaving part of the original developer's finishing untouched. Design: Elena Ivanova

When designing a studio for a young couple, designers drew inspiration from the atmosphere of New York and city photos from the 1980s. The result was a minimalist interior with an open relaxation zone, a bar counter on the kitchen, and a hidden door to the bathroom. Design: Crosby Studios

A single color scheme in this two-bedroom apartment visually increases the space. Only two colors were used for finishing: white and natural wood. Design: Anna Ermann

The designer wanted to create a bright but not banal interior. The desired effect was achieved through color: four textile panels by Marimekko played a key role in the decoration. Design: Irina Krascheninnikova

Functionality, comfort, a rich color palette, and minimal decor — the masculine character is evident throughout this interior. Design: S-Studio

To give a Khrushchyovka a modern look, the designer decorated the interior in Scandinavian style. Bright posters with 1960s movie posters and wooden furniture items made the setting more atmospheric. Design: Mikhail Tikhonov

The designer decorated a studio for her friend: an open layout, light walls, minimal furniture. Perfect for parties! Design: Katya Sizova