Stylish, functional, comfortable
Unfettered from dated conventions that urged us to pick a décor style and stick to it, more and more designers and retailers this fall are blending decorative elements and playing more loosely with the color wheel. In some cases, the result is a pol-ished, edited space that still has com-pelling aspects — unexpected mate-rial, furniture or color choices. In others, the finished room is a study in eclectic exuberance, with singular and often witty hues and style com-ponents. And there's one piece in this design puzzle that fits no matter what the style. 'This fall, we're seeing a shift toward comfort and functionality," says designer Charlotte Dunagan of Coral Gables, Fla. "Clients are looking for beautiful spaces that are also livable and inviting — not only aesthetically captivating but also extremely comfortable." Stephanie Sarkies, design director of Pembrooke & Ives in New York City, concurs. The cozy "hygge" fac-tor now popular in homes is also reaching hotels and restaurants. "In the hospitality sector, there's a big shift toward mental and physi- physi-cal wellness — the idea of interior spaces enabling mindfulness and togetherness," she says. John Cialone of Chicago's Tom Stringer Design Partners says clients are savvy to big-picture concerns like energy efficiency and sustainability, but also want designs to address sim-ple things like get
house is by having a master bedroom and bathroom on the first floor, says Mark Hager, founder of AgeInPlace.com: “You want to have everything you need on one level so that you don’t have to climb stairs as you get older.”
Cost: If you don’t already have first-floor space that you can turn into a master suite, you’ll have to build an addition. But it costs a lot of money to increase your home’s footprint: Homeowners spend an average $80 to $200 per square foot, HomeAdvisor says. So if you’re building a 250-square-foot bedroom and bathroom, it can cost $20,000 to $50,000. “It’s a big expense, but it really pays,” Hager says.
4. Door lever handles
Nearly half of people 65 years or older have arthritis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports, which can make even grasping a doorknob painful. One solution: Replace doorknobs with lever handles.
Cost: At Home Depot, stainless lever handles start at about $5 apiece. And you don’t need to hire a professional: This is an easy DIY project. Floor surfaces can be slippery, depending on
their material, so some homeowners cover hardwood or laminate floors with rugs. But “rugs can create a hazard, because they change the grade of the floor,” says Cusato, the Notre Dame professor.
A Google search for “slip-resistant flooring” turns up seemingly endless options. So, let’s simplify things: Replace any hardwood, laminate or tile flooring with carpeting in every room except for the kitchen, bathrooms and mudroom. Why? “Carpet can help cushion a fall much better than a hard surface,” Cusato says.
One caveat: Most wheelchairs and walkers don’t roll over carpet as well as they roll over hard flooring, so make sure the carpet is no higher than a half-inch and the padding underneath is firm, not squishy.
Cost: Many factors must be considered: room size and shape, carpet material, furniture removal, labor. But in general, high-quality carpeting and padding can be installed for $19 to $38 a square yard, or $300 to $600 for a 12-by-12-foot room, CostHelper.com says.
6. Pullout drawers
Pullouts aren’t designed only for aging homeowners, but they’re helpful as you age by giving you easier access to dishes, tools and cookware. Indeed, “you don’t want to have to bend over or reach the back of the cabinet to take out a pot or pan, because you might have trouble getting back up,” Cusato says.
Cost: The price tag varies depending on the size of the cabinets, but a 22-inch-deep pullout shelf costs $58.69 at Home Depot. And you don’t need a handyman to replace shelves with pullout drawers.