Designing Your “Right-Sized” Home: 5 Key Considerations
As we journey through life, our needs and preferences change, underscoring the importance of designing interiors that seamlessly evolve with us. This is where the concepts of “Right-Sizing” and “Universal design” come into play.
Reshaping our home’s interior to accommodate our every need involves creating spaces that are accessible, functional, and utterly stylish for people of all ages and abilities. Using these concepts helps ensure that our home grows alongside us and thinks ahead.
In this month’s blog post, we take a look at several key considerations to take into account when applying these concepts to your home’s overall design.
Accessibility is Key
Making your space more accessible is crucial in ensuring that individuals of all ages can safely and comfortably live or interact with your space. Removing clutter and rearranging elements of your living space can help improve space usability and provide additional comfort, warmth and aesthetic appeal.
Improving accessibility can take many forms including clearing pathways, entryway modifications, or installing non-slip flooring. Gradual slopes and lever-style door handles can all enhance ease of entry and accommodate limited interactivity.
Product Showcase: Check out the iGuerburn Doorway Flip Assist Handle, which provides standing assistance & balance support: https://a.co/d/2w0WmGP.
Methodical Furniture Selection
When choosing furniture for a space you’re looking to evolve in, prioritize furniture that caters primarily to your physical capabilities and is still completely stylish.
Opt for chairs and sofas with higher seating cushions to make sitting and standing easier, while still offering adjustable support. Armrests or built-in support products can also help improve ergonomics and comfort.
Product Showcase: Check out the Able Life Universal Stand Assist for stability and balance when sitting or standing from a couch or recliner: https://a.co/d/eDSKyGV.
Room Transitions & Navigation
At the core, a well-designed room should have navigation thoughtfully planned out. Ensuring your space is safe, comfortable, and user-friendly to move through is essential in promoting independence and reducing accident risk.
Consistent flooring materials and heights create seamless transitions between spaces, which is why single-level living is popular. Low-profile thresholds and open hallways, corridors, and doorways are preferable.
Bathroom Safety and Style
Safety measures take precedence in the bathroom, with features such as stylish bars strategically placed near the toilet, shower, and bathtub. Installing a curbless or lowly-installed shower eliminates the need to step over obstacles, reducing the risk of trips or stumbles.
Contrasting colors on walls, floors, and fixtures can also help enhance visibility and aid navigation. Choose from a variety of stylish yet functional faucets with easier-level handles for grip control, making your daily routine more manageable.
Product Showcase: Check out the opove 16" Grab Bars for peace of mind when traversing through your bathroom living space: https://a.co/d/c7DF7HY
Aesthetic Appeal
A well-designed interior can instill a renewed sense of purpose, fostering a sense of belonging and positive energy within the home. While functional considerations are important, aesthetic appeal holds a significant role in the Right-Sizing process.
Thoughtful interior design elements, such as simple color palettes, elegant and contemporary furnishings, and artful décor enhance the visual appeal of the home and foster a warm and inviting atmosphere that promotes a sense of joy in one's living space.
As a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS), Hudson Blau Designs has the experience to help you make informed decisions about designing your home today and life’s next chapters.
How can we help?
- Recommend modifications and updates
- Design an elevated space that works for your specific needs and goals
- Creating barrier-free living spaces
- Provide insight on best practices
- Accommodate specific needs and requests
Image Credits:
Hudson Blau Designs
HGTV
Architectural Digest
