Rental homes

Entry Materials and Finishes for Rental 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
Living room seating group with a clear approach from the front of the room
Arrival inspiration: keep the first route into the room open.

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

Rainwater and grit are routinely tracked into a townhouse entry with a pale timber floor.

Create a distinct, replaceable landing surface just inside the threshold and use a washable runner beyond it. Test the transition with wet shoes and verify the edge cannot catch a wheeled bag.

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
Use a freestanding bench or narrow console outside the door swing.
Detail
Add a washable runner and portable hooks or a coat stand.
Trade-off
Freestanding pieces are reversible but use more floor area than wall-mounted storage.
  • Check building rules for corridor items
  • Test the door and circulation with storage in place
Entry corridor leading toward a dining area beside a glass-front cabinet
Entry inspiration: a clear approach and shallow landing storage.

The Elixir portfolio

Details worth a closer look

Photographs for design inspiration
Wood display partition between an entry-side passage and living room
Entry inspiration: a permeable divider that softens direct sightlines.
Living area with a glass partition beside a television wall
Entry inspiration: glazed separation that preserves borrowed light.

Related design guides

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