Luxury Apartments Design a Custom Bike Room for Tenants
When the management team at Weston Lakeside luxury apartments in Cary, NC decided to convert their under-utilized laundry facility into a custom bike room for their tenants, they knew they wanted to match their upscale look with a durable floor that could withstand abuse.
Tonya Hill, Raleigh interior designer and owner of Panache Details, worked with the management team at Weston Lakeside to design the new bike room.
“Since they are located so close to Umstead Park and have a lot of bicycle enthusiasts for tenants, they wanted to offer an amenity where a novice could come and ‘check out’ a bike and then more experienced riders that own their bike could come and service their gear,” Hill said.
Challenge #1: A Small Space
The biggest challenge, and one many interior designers & organizers deal with is making a small space look big. “We came up with a unique way of storing the bikes that was not only functional, but aesthetically pleasing as well,” says Hill. “We wanted the room to feel open, airy and as spacious as possible, and give the impression that you were outside, riding into a mountain landscape.”
The room has all that a Bicycle Enthusiast could need – 2 Work Repair Stands complete with tools, Bike Vending Machine for extra parts, Air Pump, plenty of helmets, iPod station, TV and even a place to recycle your used inner tubes.
Challenge #2: Dirt, Dust & Grime
Between dust, mud and asphalt, bicycles can haul in a mess. “Since we knew there would be quite a bit of foot traffic, we wanted a floor that would hold up to wear and tear, moisture, dirt and everyday abuse,” said Hill.
Chad Carlson, Regional Manager of Carolina Custom Garages in Raleigh, presented Weston Lakeside with a durable solution. “They needed a floor that was easy to clean and could withstand spills and stains without creating a slippery surface for tenants coming in from the rain,” says Carlson. “The ‘orange-peel texture’ of our flooring provides a durable surface that is safe, but still impenetrable to water.” After removing a pre-existing floor coating that was peeling and flaking, Carolina Custom Garages installed their industrial-grade epoxy floors in Sedona, one of the most popular garage floor finishes.
Weston Apartments chose Sedona for their epoxy flooring color — a blend of browns, whites and black chips that are very forgiving to dirt and dust.
“Carolina Custom Garage floors was just the perfect flooring application we needed,” remarked Hill. “We were pleased with the selection of colors and found one that suited our design plan.”
Many thanks to Panache Details and Weston Lakeside Apartments for choosing Carolina Custom Garages to collaborate on this project!
Photo credits: Panache Details; Weston Lakeside Apartments; Carolina Custom Garages
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