The term “aging in place” has been widely used to talk about elderly people who have chosen to live by themselves in their own homes for as long as they can.

The National Home Builders Association and AARP have stated that over the next five years, the aging “baby boomer” population of the United States will have the second biggest impact on the remodeling industry over many other factors.

In these cases, it is necessary to do certain remodeling work in their homes to make them fit these seniors’ changing needs as they get older.

But, once you decide it is time to remodel your home to make it safer and more accessible to age in place, what exactly should you change?  Here is a list of the most important changes a home for the elderly requires:

1.    General floor plan
Of course it is best if your home is a one story building; however, if you live in a two story house, think about building a master bedroom suite downstairs, maybe transform the seldom used dinning room or study.  It is best if you build an adjacent bathroom, because as you age, it will get harder to move around and having your basic needs on hand is crucial.

2.    Bathroom
No matter where the bathroom is, it most definitely will need some adjustments to make it safer for elderly people.  Install grab bars around the bathing and toilet areas, and substitute your traditional bathtub for one with a step in type, which will help reduce the risk of slips and falls.

3.    Kitchen
If as a senior you want to be independent, you will most certainly be cooking and staying active in the kitchen.  This is why it is important to make it a friendly space.  Your upper wall cabinets should be installed no less than three inches lower than they normally are. This will prevent you from making a great effort to reach them or using a treacherous step stool.  The way to the kitchen should be kept open and free of objects or furniture.

4.    Flooring
Get rid of any slippery tile or high sheen surfaces.  Equally, a carpet can be very dangerous if it has a pile deeper than half and inch and is not installed with the appropriate padding.  In any case, to be safe, have any new flooring installed by professionals to make sure it has been properly secured in place.

5.    Exteriors
The exterior is as important as the interior.  There should be proper lighting outside for security reasons, and many people install a flashing emergency light to make sure emergency services find the house easily in case they have to.  Every path should be well lit, and every step should have solid hand rails and anti slip mats.

To ensure a professional, reliable, and safe job, consider talking to a Seattle interior designer; she knows what it takes to ensure your safety, your comfort, and your autonomy once the golden years arrive.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source).

Renovating an attic means you can add lots of useful space to your home.  Normally, attics are full of junk from ages ago; there is no better time than now to think of a better way to use such valuable space within your home.

Attics are not meant to be dirty, dark, and moldy. Very much the contrary, they should be modern, cozy, bright and beautifully designed spaces that bring value to your home and life.

One of the challenging situations attics present is the low ceiling that limits its use.  However, a professional interior designer knows the clever design principles and the best remodeling strategies to take 100% advantage of these difficult areas in a practical and beautiful way.

Here are 9 great ways to take full advantage of your attic space and to enjoy it as much as you enjoy the rest of your home:

1.    Storage area
Use the space along the attic’s walls as storage area, using shelves, drawers, niches, or cupboards.  In this way you add value to your home, you keep the place organized and free of clutter, keep people away from low ceiling areas, don’t need standing dressers and bookcases, and maximize the use of dead zone areas.

2.    Change the stairs
Very often, the stairs to the attic are built to use a lot of the attic’s floor space that you could put to better use.  In order to solve this, you can locate the stairs on the low roof side by breaking the stairs up with two half flights and a landing, by working with the roof line’s slope by having stairs that go down to a landing before changing direction, or by adding a skylight to the stairwell.

3.    Place furniture
You can put furniture under low ceiling areas to maximize their use.  Locate the head of the bed there, a couch or chair, a dresser, desk, bookcase, or entertainment unit.

4.    Skylights
These add lots of light to dark attics and are easy to install.  Skylights on sloped roofs give the sensation of more vertical space in the room.  They go great in bathrooms above sinks, in built-in bathroom shower stalls, above built-in bed or desk niches, in kitchens, main living areas, and stairwells.

5.    Reflect light
Walls, ceiling, floor, and objects in the room can absorb or reflect light.  Light colors on walls and ceiling next to the windows help natural light flow throughout the space.  Paint ceilings and walls white, use hardwood floors or light carpets, and use mirrors and other reflective surfaces to produce the feeling of a larger space.

6.    Add enough lighting
If your attic is a little dark, think about the kind of lighting that will light it up, perhaps, overhead lighting, lamps, wall lighting, or task lighting.

7.    Dormers
These add natural light and usable space, add height to bathrooms, kitchens, seating areas, and niches for desks.  Dormers will help you gain more space in the middle of the attic to improve movement and circulation.

8.    Windows
Add natural light and open up the space.  Choose wide or tall windows, or both, to allow light to penetrate deep into the attic.

9.    Build a bathroom
A small bathroom in the attic is a great way to use low spaces.  Use the low roof side to put the toilet, the sink, or the shower.  You can add a skylight over the sink for more light, a bench along the shower wall, or a skylight over the shower to add more headroom.

Contact a local Seattle interior design firm to find out your attic’s potential.  They can give you a good idea of what kind of work your space needs and how to make it fit your budget.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source).

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