Floor plan help (elderly mom moving to retirement home)
Hello, I am helping my mother move into an apartment in an independent living community. Trying to furnish her place, floorplan attached. There is essentially a bedroom and one long, rectangular living room, with a couple of windows, in which I'm trying to fit couch, tv, bookshelves, reclining chair and probably a desk for computer. There is a breakfast bar on the L of the kitchen but she may prefer a small cafe table somewhere. Any advice on how to design/'break up' the living room would be appreciated
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Comments (8)
decoenthusiaste
last yearHow many visitors do you anticipate she may have at one time? I'm thinking a couch is overload. Unless she prefers stretching out on a couch to reclining in her chair, I'd do a smaller settee with a drop leaf table pushed behind it to be used for dining, games, laptop, bar or simple sofa table. Do you have her furniture already, or are you planning to purchase? If purchasing, keep the recliner on the petite side unless mom is a larger lady. You may have room for a second chair if you scale down the pieces. Show pix of pieces you already have along with measurements of them, so we can help you fit them into the space.
Country French Cottage - Living Room 2 · More InfoMs. Understanding thanked decoenthusiaste
housegal200
last yearCan you visit a couple units to see how others have laid out their places. Less is more in this kind of place. Keep it light and simple. Orient as much as possible furniture to face windows.
Living room:
--Left wall: Some kind of storage unit for TV and books. Could be freestanding bookcase with shelf for TV. (Photo is just for layout, not style or colors)--Right wall: Sofa with a chaise at the far end for TV watching, reading, looking out the window.
Wohnzimmer · More Info
--No sofa but two armchairs, one a recliner for TV watching, reading, looking out the window:
66 in. Earth Tone Recliner in Beige · More Info
--Nesting coffee table that she can use when having company. Should be up on legs for airiness.
Rustic Reflections Metal Wood and Glass Coffee Tables, 2-Piece Set · More Info
Left corner:--Small round bistro table--tulip table? in corner with a simple upholstered chair that can be pulled out for company aand a drop lamp over it.
Stevenson · More Info
Leona Modern Chair, Neo Leo Cream Teal Pink · More InfoMake sure all seating is high and supportive for ease of getting in and out of the chair. Get washi tape to block out all pieces to make sure there's plenty of room to move around. Too often older people bring way too much stuff and miss a chance to create a new, airy, open and safe space. Here's a great article on the subject that suggests small scale, apartment size pieces, light colors, and very simple pieces:
https://maryswoods.org/blog/decorating-assisted-living-apartment/Ms. Understanding thanked housegal200Related Discussions
My Mom is elderly and difficult... Help?
Comments (36)There's a lot of ways people age. People can become more difficult in old age because as we age, we gradually loose control of our lives and also gradually loose our sense of being important. A lot of that is societal, but some of it is just how individual people define power and control. I know plenty of seniors who still contribute to society even after they retire, by serving on boards and volunteering for community service. They relate to others as friends, not just as bosses. But some people, like my folks for example, who were bosses at work their whole lives and who define power and contol by being infallible, do not deal well with aging. I would say, generally, that controlling people have a very difficult time with aging, and get more and more difficult as time goes on. 72 is not that old, but some people act like they are going on 92 their whole lives. Which is ironic, because there are probably some spry 92 year olds out there! Bear in mind what others have said, you can't control your mom but you can control how you react to her. You have some rights in this situation, and she has some adult responsibilities. If she chooses not to act like an adult (assuming she doesn't have some kind of dementia), then you are not responsible for her problems. Choose what you will do, and make it very clear that you are going to do as you see fit and if she doesn't like it, that is NOT YOUR PROBLEM. That's the only way you can deal with co-dependent people. You're just going to have to accept that she is going to be elderly and difficult. There's a difference between compassion (which you should exercise with your mom) and co-dependence, and the key is to navigate the line between the two. Recognizing the problem, like you have, is half the battle. And I think it also helps to share the burden by talking with others who are going through the same thing. I know I get a lot of solace from comiserating with my friends who are also dealing with or have dealt with difficult parental relationships. (Just ask Annie, lol!)...See MoreDo you plan to move when you retire?
Comments (33)I have been thinking a lot about comfort zones since Katrina. People refused to get on planes to go to states with low unemployment rates, and inexpensive housing so I asked myself where I would be willing to go. I am from Washington State. I would be pretty comfortable going to Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, Montana, the Dakotas, and Arizona. Anything else seems too far away, too foreign, too unfamiliar. I think this carries over into retirement planning. I couldn't go to Georgia because it is too far away. Until it got too expensive, people from Washington who wanted a warmer climate when they retired went to Caifornia. Now it is Arizona and Arizona is where I plan to go. It seems to me that people in the Northeast are more likely to stay on the east coast. I don't know what people in the heartland do. Do you go to Texas, New Mexico or ? Part of it is that I don't want to be more than a 3 hour plane ride from my children, but I think there is more to it than that. There may be very little difference from one state to another, but I don't know that and something in me seeks the familiar. Coming from a "blue" state, I will settle into the only "blue" county in Arizona. I would like to be more adventurous, but I always find myself seeking out the familiar. Someone I knew years ago had moved to Washington from the east coast. She said that it was so important to her that television was the same everywhere. Some people derided her comment because of her reliance on television, but I think I know what she meant. Once while visiting in South America, I found myself watching Plaza de Sesamo (Sesame Street) just for the familiar characters....See More2 homes for the Divorced Mom and the Retired Parents - one project
Comments (8)Welcome to a roller coaster ride of a life time! To start, you(parents and you) need to decide what is the best option. You might try listing all the wants and needs in a list. Keep in mind the possibility of a major life change. Now, generally, building new is faster/cheaper than extensive remodeling. Reason? Building new is just putting together the components of the building. Remodeling is removing, restructuring, and replacing parts of an existing building. Twice the work and labor. The differences depend a great deal on location. We bought a great house that was a foreclosure, built in 1965. I was able to do all the necessary work myself and we got the house for less than the appraised value. Even after all the work, our investments left us with equity. Had I had to have all that work done by others, we would have been over equity and upside down. And there was no structural rework needed. We could not have built new for less money in this area. On that list, include where you want to be 10 and 20 years from now. And projected needs. Will your parents need handicapped access? Is there room for expansion if necessary? Look at the projected changes in the area. How are the demographics changing? Example: My neighborhood was original owners and retirees 10 years ago. In a three block section of our street, there are about 25 homes. In 10 years, half of those homes have been sold. Most of the new families all have children. All of those new families, except one, are in their 30's and 40's. My wife and I were the 'New Kids' when we moved in, now we are the 'Old Couple'. All that change is fine with us, but had we expected things to remain the same(ala retirement home type life) we would have been disappointed. Once you have the wants and needs list in general terms(number of bedrooms/garage or not/single level or two story/and so on), you need to discuss cost. Two houses will cost twice what one will. Two houses will need twice the maintenance---yard mowing/leaf raking/snow removal/etc. One building(shared house/duplex) lessens the individual costs. But impacts personal styles/space differences. Your parents may need easy access down the road. A two story means that will be an issue. A single story/duplex minimizes that issue, but raises the cost of the building. As Virgil posted, you will need help. You need a professional who understands the dynamics of your situation. I'd hesitate to say a realtor would be the best choice. To find the house(s) you finally decide on to be sure, but not what to look for. Realtors are pro's who find/sell properties. There are realtors who can do what you need, but in my experience, those folks are far and few between. You should talk to different trades. Contractors, realtors, architects, and designers and find the person/firm that can best work with you towards your goal. Your feelings about that choice are important, but it will be a long journey. An extra 6-12 months in deciding on the best option will pay off later....See MoreHelp- Front of Mom's House Needs Design Plan!
Comments (7)It's wonderful that you're so willing to do what you can for your mom to make her house the best it can be. If it's possible based on floor plan and budget, I think moving the 3 upper windows so they're balanced over the lower right windows would make a huge difference in the symmetry and aesthetics of the house. Removing the octagon window would also be a big help. I don't know what your mom's financial situation is, but there are so many low cost loans and grants and energy update programs available for seniors that may help mitigate some of the costs. We had someone come in to my parents house who did a full energy audit and they got insulation, a new furnace, new water heater and even a newer, more energy efficient refrigerator at no cost. Their power bill was cut to half and the house was so much more comfortable. They could have gotten windows and doors as well but theirs were already quite energy efficient when tested. It may be worth looking into....See More
Rawketgrl
last yearThis is my wheelhouse... Less is definitely the way.
Also functional pieces that she can actually use. I see a lot of chairs without arms and too low of chairs, or rocker recliners that people struggle to get out of or just cannot use. The place is too small for any furniture that she cannot use.
Couches that are the right height and that are small in scale can work IF the person who lives there likes to use them. If they prefer a side chair, a recliner etc.. then I would consider not using them. Most LTC places have roll away bed they can let you borrow for the weekend if you want/need to spend the night with her.
Keep a minimum 3' pathways clear, no sharp turns and please no coffee tables. Side tables are best. Keep the pathways clear. No throw rugs. No cords.
Here are some furniture layouts with the measurements you gave.
The bedroom is too small for a queen bed, I used a full sized bed but a twin would be even better and allow for a dresser and chair near the closet.
Good luck and give us more information on what furniture sizes etc MUST fit in the room and I can add those to customize your plan further.
everdebz
last yearlast modified: last year
tlynn1960