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In the 19th century when the great waves of immigration hit the US, a new problem emerges. Houses back then were limited and became a challenge to provide accommodation for everyone, especially in major cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. To tackle this overcrowding issue, people started using every bit of space available. As a result, many buildings were built in a narrow rectangular space. And all the apartments in these buildings became extremely narrow. The layout of these apartments was like a typical passenger train car where a series of rooms was connected in a line. Thus a new style of apartment called railroad-style apartment was born. In the following sections of this article, we will discuss everything from the characteristics to the pros and cons of a railroad-style apartment.

Railroad-style apartment layout
One of the common types of railroad-style apartment

Characteristics of a railroad-style apartment

All types of railroad-style apartments have similar characteristics in their design. First off, these types of apartments are found in tenement-style buildings suitable for multi-family living. Most apartments of this nature have a narrow rectangular floor-through layout. And all the rooms in the apartment flow into one another without any hallway.

A Comfy & Cozy Railroad Apartment
A Comfy & Cozy Railroad Apartment

Many of these apartments may feature tall ceilings and have windows at the back and the front but not in the middle section of the apartment. Bedrooms are often located on the far end of the apartment for privacy purposes. The kitchen is often placed in the middle, bathrooms might be off to the side of the bedroom/s, and living spaces are usually located at the front of the apartment.

Pros and cons of a railroad-style apartment

Like every other apartment type, the railroad-style apartment has certain advantages and disadvantages when it comes to living in it. The biggest advantage of living in a railroad-style apartment is its affordability. Because of its unconventional layout, this type of apartment tends to be more affordable. Also, if you prefer living in a compact apartment where you can live efficiently, this style of apartment can be a great choice for you. Compared to other types of apartments, there is less wasted space and since there are no hallways it generally results in more usable space. For those who want to build a modern home with a minimalist interior, this type of apartment can be a great choice. It is an amazing option for the newlyweds who want to live on a budget as well.

Although there are some convincing advantages, you may want to consider the disadvantages before you go forward with any kind of decision. Because of the unconventional layout, a railroad-style apartment does not offer as much daylight. To compensate for that, in most cases, you may have to use LED or other sources of lighting. Another thing to consider is the overall ventilation of the house. Since the apartment is narrow and has no window in the middle, the air can not flow through the house properly. This can make the environment of the house unhealthy.

How to decorate a railroad-style apartment

The ideal way to decorate a railroad-style apartment is to follow the same ideology of minimalist decor style. But there are few things that you can add to increase the functionality of the house. For example, if you want to increase privacy between rooms, incorporate sliding panels, French doors, or curtains for privacy between rooms or embrace open-plan living. Also, for lack of natural light, you can resort to hanging lights with a delicate profile to create a layered and balanced lighting effect.

Railroad-style apartment
An amazingly designed railroad-style apartment

As the need for accommodation increases day by day, the overall housing situation in Dhaka is becoming more and more similar to that of 19th century New York. In effect, the railroad-style apartment is also becoming common. This article tried to give you an overall idea of what a railroad-style apartment is, its characteristics, tips to decorate them, and its advantages and disadvantages. Hope this helps you in providing the knowledge that you were seeking.

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