Key Takeaways:
- By learning how to design a home for long-term living, you can make sure that you or your loved ones are able to live safely and comfortably in your home for years to come.
- At the very least, a long-term home design plan should consider accessibility, flexibility, and safety.
- Functional home design can still feel personal and beautiful if approached thoughtfully.
Anyone should be able to live in their home comfortably and independently, regardless of age or ability. You may have heard of “aging-in-place home design.” It’s a bit of a trend in residential construction and interior design. And if you’re thinking ahead as to how to design a home for long-term living, you want to make sure that both you and your aging relatives can enjoy your respective homes for as long as possible.
With that in mind, we want to take a look at a short list of functional home design ideas that you can use as inspiration for your home’s interior. Not all of them require the same level of work, but they’re all worth your consideration if you’re gearing up for a home renovation.
Ideas for a Long-Term Home Design Plan
Here are a few ways you can think about how to design your home for long-term living. While there are a hundred more things we could add to this list, it should at least give you an idea of a few ways you can prep your home to age in it comfortably decades from now.
Go Single-Level If You Can
Not every home is going to allow for it without a full-home renovation, but if you can have the primary bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and main living area on the first floor, it can make your life a whole lot easier as you age.
If you’re remodeling a multi-story home, that might mean rethinking the floor plan. Your downstairs office could become a future bedroom. The den could be a guest suite. It might even make sense to add an elevator if the single-level remodel isn’t possible.
This is one of the larger decisions in a long-term home design plan, as stairs become a huge barrier later. As you think about home design for long-term living, ask if and how you’ll be able to go through daily life without going up and down them.
Build Adaptable Features Into Your Long-Term Home Design Plan
The idea with this approach to functional home design is prepping your home for support features that you might eventually need, even if you’re not planning to install them right away.
For example, you might choose to add backing inside your shower walls so you can install grab bars later on. The bars don’t need to go in right away, but the structure will be ready when the time comes. The same thinking can apply to electrical rough-ins, which you could put in place for motion-sensor stair lighting.
Create Easier Access Throughout the Home
One of the first steps we always take when designing a home for long-term living is good circulation. The Americans with Disabilities Act says that doorways should be a minimum of 32” wide and hallways should provide 36” of clearance space. Of course, not all mobility devices are the same size, so if you’re able to go wider than the minimum, that’s even better.
Your home remodeling contractor can help you determine whether expanding any of these elements will require you to reconfigure plumbing or electrical components.
Think about your home’s entryway too. A no-step entry is great for walkers or wheelchairs, but it can also be convenient for just about anything else in life, whether you’re lugging a stroller into the house or a load of groceries.
Rethink Your Flooring
Over 30% of people over the age of 65 experience a fall each year. It’s scary to think about you or your loved one going through something like that.
We can mitigate that when designing a home for long-term living by getting rid of slippery surfaces. Porcelain tile and standard laminate are some of the most hazardous flooring types, especially when wet.
Instead, think about adding surfaces with better tread, like carpet or slip-resistant vinyl. This is especially true if you’re remodeling your kitchen or bathroom.
Upgrading Your Bathroom
One of the first things we consider when thinking about how to design a home for long-term living is how accessible the bathroom is. For limited mobility, that could mean having:
- A curbless shower
- A walk-in bathtub
- A built-in shower seat
- Grab bars next to the toilet
Consider where the doorway is placed in relationship to the fixtures too, or if there’s layered lighting to make nighttime bathroom trips safer.
Remodeling the Kitchen
In addition to non-slip floors, think about the overall flexibility of your kitchen.
This could be how accessible your cabinets are. Push-to-open cabinets are a favorite of ours for accessibility. Having pull-out shelves for lower cabinets or lazy susans can make it easier to store and access small appliances or cookware.
Build Out an ADU
So now you know how to design your home for long-term living. But you might not be ready to make the jump yet. Building an ADU is the perfect alternative to a full-home remodel.
By turning unused space on your property into an ADU, you can incorporate all of the most important elements of functional home design we talked about while supporting ADA flexibility.
Contact 5blox for a Custom Long-Term Home Design Plan
The idea of designing a home for long-term living can scare people. Most people remodeling their home want to think about the life they’re living now, the styles they’re currently into, and the unique features that they feel will bring them the most value.
But that doesn’t rule functional home design out. It just means having the right team who can make those long-term design choices without them being noticeable.
5blox provides forward-thinking homeowners with interior design, layout planning, 3D renderings, material selection, and construction.
If you’re interested in upgrading your home in Los Angeles, book a free walkthrough to get started.
Interior Designer
With a degree in Interior Design, Calinia brings over 15 years of experience to the interior design industry, specializing in high-end remodels. From architectural plans to final execution and beyond, she’s passionate about turning clients’ dreams into reality. With a refined eye for detail and an innate appreciation for texture, depth, and the perfect balance of elements, Calinia has earned a reputation for building lasting relationships with her clients throughout Southern California.
Calinia believes that every design she creates should be a reflection of the home’s owner as well as an investment in quality and beauty that lasts.