On the morning that Mr. Barnett came to see the model apartment, he sat down in one of the Louis XVI chairs.

WSJ: The Art of Designing Luxury Model Apartments

The 675-square-foot model apartment, with its beige carpets, white walls and galley kitchen, looks like your standard new-build condo, but for the emergency pull cords and the motion detector over the entryway.

WSJ: Senior Living It Up

For example, Rachel Lee Hovnanian's piece "LA Lights, " part of a series of full-length mirrors with a pointed sense of humor, has appeared in a model apartment used to show off the units' amenities.

WSJ: Furniture That Gets Around

When in doubt, model-apartment designers build pieces themselves.

WSJ: The Art of Designing Luxury Model Apartments