INTERIOR DESIGN
RETIREMENT LIVING INTERIOR DESIGN
The word “retirement living” no longer conjures up a negative image - in fact it is a dream goal for many people. Whether you are in the pre-retirement stage or completely retired, this stage of life can be the best! It is likely that you are a Baby Boomer or a Gen Xer, probably an empty nester, either a couple or single and you no longer need to consider children in the house. At this point you have a number of options for how you want to move forward and a new home is exactly what you need to give you a new lease on life.
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What I have learnt over the years from working with people in this life stage is that they fall into two distinct categories. Sometimes my clients want to leave the family home completely behind and have a low maintenance and cost-effective option. Others see it as a chance to renovate and make the original home into something that they have always wanted.
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Let’s explore this in more detail.
DOWNSIZING
What is downsizing? This is when you sell the large home where you have probably raised a family and buy something smaller and manageable from a maintenance point of view. Often the changeover means that you have a substantial cash injection which will allow you to spend money on other pursuits such as travel. Maybe you would like to buy an apartment close to the beach or just something outside of the city. It may be “off plan” if you don’t need to move straight away or a new build so you don’t need to do any renovations.
Your old furniture is highly unlikely to work in a smaller environment so you will need to consider what to keep and what to give away or sell. The exciting part is that you can select all new things tailored for your new spaces.
RENOVATING
You love where you live but the house no longer functions the way you would like, and everything just feels dated. It is likely that walls will be knocked out to create new spaces, colour schemes will need to be decided and all the finishes selected. The architect will draw up the plans to be submitted to council and you will need to choose a builder to carry out the work but now is also a good time to start the process of selecting all the finishes, fittings and furniture. Once the builder starts work they will need this information quickly. Consider flooring, lighting, cornices, stone benchtops, cabinetry style, handles, tapware, and a lot more..
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In both cases you will benefit from the services of a professional interior designer. A designer is invaluable for creating a cohesive look and providing you with the maximum value for the money you will be spending.
Hannaford Ross Interior Design would love to work with you to create a beautiful environment that you can be proud of for many years.