Co-living homes
Shared lounge Materials and Finishes for Co-living homes
Select materials by where they will be installed, how they are cleaned and what can be repaired when one part wears.
Explore the ideas
Compare the options
- Set the brief
- Mark high-touch, wet and impact-prone surfaces separately before picking finishes.
- Compare
- Ask suppliers for care instructions, repair options and a full sample with exposed edges and joints.
- Before buying
- Price installation, replaceable pieces and long-term maintenance alongside the initial material cost.
Worked example
A shared lounge gets daily use from children and pets, and a delicate light-colored sofa fabric shows marks quickly.
Compare removable, cleanable upholstery against a durable textured weave using supplier care guidance. Test a spare sample with the household’s actual cleaning method before ordering.
How to test it
Put the sample beside its adjoining materials and test the agreed cleaning method on a spare piece.
Apply it to this space
- Layout
- Create a social seating cluster and a separate quieter edge with a clear route between them.
- Detail
- Use movable tables, wipeable textiles and independently controlled lighting zones.
- Trade-off
- Flexible furniture serves varied groups but may be rearranged or misplaced.
- Test both group and solo seating
- Check noise spill to private rooms
The Elixir portfolio
Details worth a closer look
