Designing a Home You Can Live in Forever
As you age, your needs can change. What works in your home now may no longer work for you in 20 years. If you are looking to build your forever home, there are a few areas of the home that may need special consideration during the design process. Paying attention to certain details during the initial stages of the design process will ensure that you can age in place and live in your home for the rest of your life.
The Layout
The layout of a home can greatly affect your ability navigate your home successfully as you age. Many people build a two-story home and do not think about narrow upstairs hallways, stairways or bathroom locations. As you age, you may not be unable to go up and down the stairs easily. Ideally, designing a single-story home alleviates any issues with stairs and the possible inability to access other parts of the home that you may need on a daily basis. Accessibility to all parts of your home will be paramount, and installing wide doors, or sticking to an open-concept design without narrow hallways ensures that you will be able to maneuver a walker or wheelchair in the future should you need one.
Small considerations to your layout design that may prove beneficial later in life are taller countertops to avoid having to bend, night lights that are automatic to help you navigate your home in the dark, strategically placed water controls as well as grab-handles in the tub and shower areas, and lever-type knobs on all of your interior doors that are easier to open then a traditional door knob.
Flooring
It is also important to carefully pick the flooring in your home. As you age, you may have mobility issues and may need to use a cane, walker or wheelchair. Carpet can be challenging to walk across with mobility devices, and some types of tile are slippery – especially when they get wet. There are various types of flooring to consider, and you will want one that will not only last for years and be easy to maintain but will also offer you the safety you will need to reduce your risk of injury. Also, keep in mind that area rugs can cause their own set of challenges with edges that can flip over causing tripping or placing the rug on a surface that may cause the rug to slip out from under your feet resulting in an unexpected fall.
Windows
Some windows can be easier to open than others. As you design your forever home, keep in mind that your strength may diminish as you age. You will want to incorporate knobs and handles with the least amount of turning as possible, in case you suffer from, or develop, arthritis. Your strength will also decrease as you age, so a window that opens without having to use much force will be as important as the type of handle you are using to open it with. If you already struggle to open a window, it will only get harder as you age. Select windows that are easy to open, or that you can open with one hand.
Landscaping
The last factor to keep in mind when designing your forever home is the landscaping. An intricate landscaping design may look beautiful now, but as you age, are you going to be able to keep up with the plant, tree and lawn maintenance? Consider planting trees, bushes and shrubs that require a minimal amount of care and maintenance.
Are you looking to design a forever home, customized to your specific tastes and future plans? At Usher Construction, LLC, in Brunswick, Georgia, we can design and build a tasteful, functional home for you and your family that will serve your needs well into the future. Contact us today to discuss your needs. From custom-built homes to remodels, we can design a layout that will stand the test of time.