'Not Just About The Visual': Why A Great-Looking, Revenue-Generating Interior Is A Team Effort

Rebecca Jones has dedicated her career to designing stunning and functional interiors to please residents, management and developers, generating revenue for her multifamily and hospitality clients. 

But along with her business partner, Bernard Holnaider, and their team of 26 designers and architects, the focus of RD Jones & Associates extends far beyond the physical and visual design components, Jones said.

“Good, impactful design is not just about the visual,” said Jones, founder and principal of the interior architectural design firm located in the Washington, D.C., area. “It’s a multifaceted process, and it always takes a great team working together.”

That team can include the owner or developer, architect, landscape architect, lighting designer, branding consultant and contractors.   

“We feel it’s up to us to coordinate closely with all of the stakeholders and take an active role in the overall design to ensure the client’s vision is realized,” Jones said. “We strive to apply our 40-plus years of experience and knowledge to each project through the involvement of our principals.”

Jones said RD Jones refers to this hands-on approach as its “insurance policy” because it helps it make sure the design is buildable and functional and that all of the finishes and fabrics will perform over time.

“Great design is not just about looking fabulous,” Jones said. “It is about delivering credible documentation, including complete drawings, details and accurate schedules, and thorough coordination with all the subcontractors. It’s so important that designers provide coordinated documentation to build the project and avoid unexpected cost overruns.”

RD Jones’ goal is for clients to feel confident that they have invested in an asset with long-term value, that wears well and doesn't become dated. A well-designed space should be easily maintained and still look great after a minimum of seven to 10 years of use, she said.

Much like in the hotel sector, multifamily owners should budget to make the appropriate investment in high-performance furniture, fixtures and equipment, Jones said. Otherwise, the cost and time needed to find replacements — and the negative impact of poor-quality, unmaintained goods — will threaten the owner’s bottom line, she said.

Of course, interior design doesn't stand still. It needs to accommodate its users’ changing needs and priorities. In the pandemic era, this includes providing amenities that help improve people’s experiences of work and home, Jones said.

These amenities include outdoor areas that allow people to expand their living space, get fresh air and interact with others in an open environment. Borrowing another idea from hotels, more multifamily owners also offer food and beverage options such as cocktails, coffee and small-bites service in shared areas.

A large, dedicated coworking space that includes small private rooms for Zoom calls, power connections at every seat and a hospitality bar is another amenity that can differentiate a building, she said. 

“Coworking is probably the biggest change in recent years because, previously, everybody just kind of hung out in the amenity space,” Jones said. “Today, people are spending more time working from home, but they still need to function like they’re in an office with copiers and printers. They also need space where they can have private conversations without disturbing everybody else.” 

Other amenities in today’s residential buildings include dedicated large areas to store food and package deliveries, spacious fitness rooms with great equipment and doggy daycare services.

These amenities are important as more multifamily buildings adopt elements of “hoteling,” such as concierge service, to appeal to today’s residents, Jones added.

All of the behind-the-scenes work performed by the RD Jones team might not be evident to a prospective tenant or guest viewing the finished product online. But a great-looking apartment, lobby or club lounge may help convince a prospective resident to sign a lease before ever seeing the building in person, she said.

“Great design supported with great renderings and video fly-throughs will help encourage pre-opening commitments and fast lease-up,” Jones said. “The key to resident retention is a well-designed building that supports residents with a great concierge, hospitality-rich services and the ability to make personal connections to create a sense of community.” 

Jones said interior design today needs to be Instagrammable so that residents and their visitors can post images on social media and generate free marketing for the building. 

“Before, during and after the pandemic, design has proven to be one of the most powerful tools for attracting and retaining residents,” Jones said. “A great marketing campaign showing great design that supports concierge services and makes residents’ lives easier can be the compelling factor in swaying lease or purchase decisions.”

Jones said building owners should view design as an investment for their long-term success. 

“A design that stands the test of time and is not too trendy and that is well-detailed with quality finishes and furniture will contribute to strong ROIs in the years to come,” she said.

This article was produced in collaboration between RD Jones and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.