An Ideal Home Renovation for the Golden Years

He's a construction supervisor, she's a teacher. Their house was cluttered with unrelated items and objects that once belonged to their now grown children. “We have finished raising our children. Now is our time. We wish for our home to accommodate us and our needs. It is finally our turn”, so stated the couple in their fifties and thus began the gut renovation of their home. The well-planned redesign also included infrastructure modifications for potential future needs as the couple enters their golden years. One wall shared with the neighbors remained as well as two kitchen walls. Other than that, the house was transformed and adapted to their specific well -deserving wishes which included the search for a style with an aesthetically blending palette of colors that would provide tranquility, warmth and functionality too.

The interior designer: "The new color scheme of the house was derived from the colors of the mosaic tiles chosen for the new staircase. Thus, uneven and boring stairs received a new jubilant look and feel that beautifully blend with the wooden stairs”.

An enlarged living area: the small living room which was previously located between the stairs and the outer wall of the house, received its deserving place of honor in the center of the house, close to the kitchen and with a proper and functional easy exit to the garden. To enhance the living area a corner decorative window was added. It not only enriched the overall look of the room but also provided natural light and a clear view of the stunning garden.

The kitchen was replaced. A warm country kitchen in a soothing cream color with touches of azure and mocha was installed along with glass door kitchen cabinets. A state-of-the-art wine refrigerator was included in the kitchen carpentry and an eating counter was added accommodating 2-4 persons, functional for eating, reading the paper, having coffee etc. The result, an inviting and homey kitchen for relaxed family meals and conversation.

The dining area, previously located in an undefined space finally received its appropriate location. Suitable lighting was installed to provide a relaxing ambience.

The Safe Room* was added to the ground floor and designed to serve as a study. However, it was also planned to be used as an alternative to the master bedroom, which is currently on a higher floor. Electrical sockets for lighting, television and telephone have been prepared and the large size of the closet can be used in the future as a comfortable wardrobe should the client so desire.

A closet that can turn into a shower. On the ground floor in the guest bathroom, an area with a spacious shower stall has been planned that now serves as a closet for towels, soaps, and more. In the future, should the master bedroom move downstairs the closet can easily be removed and the space turned into a shower.

Laundry room: The laundry room is currently part of one of the upstairs bathrooms. Additional groundwork has been done on the ground floor, in the back of the coat closet, for future installment on the ground floor.

General bathroom includes a beautiful large cabinet and a spacious marble surface where the colors and materials blend.

Other changes and adjustments:

-The house was full of clutter, old bookcases collapsing from an overload of old books and magazines, broken toys, and unnecessary paraphernalia. Today the home is spacious and functional, and exudes peace and tranquility.

-The roof was raised and replaced. A window was opened to allow daylight to enter the center of the house.

- The main bedroom floor was previously dark and dreary. It is now spacious, inviting, and light-filled.

- The master bedroom includes a vast and comfortable dressing room with a comfortable bench and a portable stand for hanging clothes. A small corner was assigned for the ironing board. The dressing room leads the way to the bathroom.

- The client had a collection of hundreds of small gorgeous thimbles previously scattered throughout the house. They were all gathered and are now proudly displayed in a beautifully made cabinet in the living room.

-The entrance door was also replaced. Previously two small side-by-side doors existed; one served as the entrance to the house and the other served the adjacent storeroom. Guests did not understand which door to use. As entrance doors are a guest’s first taste of a home, and although entrance doors are intended to protect, they should be functional, durable and beautiful too.