5 Qualities of a Forever Home
Wednesday, August 19th, 2015
According to an AARP study, “the vast majority of people age 50 and older want to remain in their homes as long as possible.” In response, Professional Remodeler published a design article showcasing several remodeling ideas for people who want to “age in place,” but whose homes are not conducive to retirement living. For those who already have a home they love, this information is extremely helpful. However, what if you want to build a new home from the ground up?
Whether you want to design your first home as a forever home, or if you’re interested in building a second home for your future retirement, here are five building and design techniques we can implement in your custom home to make aging a seamless transition:
1. One Story
A one-level home has multi-generational benefits. You can breathe easier because there won’t be any stairs for little ones to climb up or fall down. Household chores will be easier; you’ll never break a sweat dusting those hard to reach panels, vacuuming, or carrying up laundry. If you ever find yourself in need of assistance due to injury or age, overcoming the stairs with crutches or a cane will be one less thing you’ll have to worry about.
2. Easy Entrances
Broad entrances make a home more accessible to everyone. When considering your threshold, choose a beveled design with a slope and none higher than half an inch. A typical entry door is 36 inches wide, which leaves 32 inches for a person to walk through. However, if someone is carrying in groceries, transporting a car seat, using a wheelchair, or holding someone’s hand, there’s not much room to maneuver. Adding just a few inches can make a big difference. Also, skip the screen door and invest in a sturdy front door with good weather stripping.
This large double glass door creates an inviting entrance with lots of space to enter and exit. The natural light flow adds to home’s interior beauty and the rustic beam and stained detail creates a custom feel.
3. Open Floor Plan
With no twisted halls to navigate, a combined kitchen/dining/living area allows for easier accessibility and a better line of sight. An open floor plan is perfect for parents of young children and less mobile individuals.
We designed an open floor plan for the owners of this home with painted custom cabinetry, quartz countertops, and unique built ins. We also incorporated open shelving, a popular trend for modern kitchens.
Read more about open and airy kitchen trends and how to choose your countertop.
4. Wide Doorways
Your home’s interior doorways need to be just as accommodating as your front entrance. An interior doorway (like the one to your bathroom) can be as narrow as 24 inches, which depending on your condition, could be impossible to pass through.
Widening interior doorways and using swing-clear hinges on doors will make these rooms more navigable. In this home, we installed french doors for easier bathroom access.
5. Good Lighting
A home that utilizes natural lighting is not only more beautiful, but more functional. Big windows open up a room and allow for better visibility when working from home, supervising children, or reading a book. Installing well-placed light fixtures with quality light bulbs can also help you accomplish a detail-oriented task better, even when the sun’s not shining.
A nice chandelier with accent lamps will make every dining experience warm and enjoyable. These large windows also let in a lot of natural light, which adds to the room’s inviting atmosphere. Read more about the importance of natural light in
The Top 5 Elements of Natural Interior Design.
At McCamy Construction, we use universal-design elements to build custom homes for all generations. View our photo gallery some gorgeous custom builds
here.
If you already own your dream home, but are finding it’s not conducive to a retirement lifestyle, we can help you age-in-place! Contact us for a remodeling estimate.
Tags: double door entrance, french doors, interior lighting, natural light, one story, open floor plan, ranch style, wide doorways
