You've spent years making your house feel like home. You love the neighborhood, the memories you've made, and the space you've created. The thought of moving somewhere else simply doesn't appeal to you.
If you're planning to stay in your home for years to come, it's worth considering how your needs might change. A bathroom with more room to move, kitchen storage that's easier to reach, or a main-floor primary suite could make your home more comfortable now and in the future.
Aging-in-place remodeling gives Greater Lafayette homeowners the opportunity to address those concerns while creating beautiful, comfortable spaces they'll enjoy right now.
Here are some of the improvements worth considering when planning a luxury remodel for your forever home.
In this guide:
Before deciding which features to add, think about how you currently use your home. Do you spend most of your time on the main floor? Are there spaces that feel cramped? Would you prefer to have your laundry closer to your bedroom?
You might discover that some relatively simple changes would make a noticeable difference, while others require a more extensive renovation. For example, widening a doorway might improve access to your primary bathroom, but if that bathroom is upstairs, you may eventually want to rethink the location of your bedroom altogether.
Looking at the entire layout first helps you decide where your remodeling investment will have the greatest impact.
Your primary bathroom is one of the most useful places to incorporate aging-in-place design. You can improve accessibility while choosing the same high-end finishes you'd want in any luxury bathroom renovation.
If you rarely use your bathtub, consider replacing it with a larger walk-in shower. A curbless shower eliminates the raised threshold at the entrance, making it easier to step inside. It also creates an open appearance that works beautifully with large-format tile, frameless glass, and contemporary fixtures.
You can make the shower more comfortable with a built-in bench, handheld showerhead, and controls positioned where they're easy to reach.
The construction details are important here. Curbless showers require proper waterproofing and drainage, and some existing bathrooms need floor modifications to accommodate them.
A floating vanity offers a clean, contemporary appearance, but it can also provide additional room beneath the sink when designed for seated use. If you prefer traditional cabinetry, consider a custom-height vanity with drawers that make your toiletries and other essentials easier to reach. Wall-mounted faucets, pull-out organizers, and well-placed electrical outlets are other details worth discussing during design.
Grab bars are available in attractive finishes that coordinate with your faucets and shower hardware. Even if you're not interested in installing them today, your remodeling team can plan reinforcement behind the walls in appropriate locations.
You'll have the flexibility to add support later without opening finished tile or drywall.
A kitchen designed for long-term comfort should make cooking, cleaning, and entertaining easier without changing the character of your home.
One of the most practical improvements is replacing deep lower cabinets with full-extension drawers.
Instead of reaching into the back of a cabinet for a heavy pot, you can pull the drawer out and see everything inside.
Other features worth considering include:
Some aging-in-place improvements are less noticeable than a new kitchen or bathroom, but they deserve just as much attention.
Lighting is a good example. Brighter task lighting above kitchen counters, illuminated stairways, and low-level lights along the route to your bathroom can make your home easier to navigate.
Smart lighting controls allow you to adjust fixtures without walking across a dark room. Traditional switches should still be convenient and easy to use.
Flooring is another consideration, especially in bathrooms and entryways where water can make surfaces slippery. Look for products with appropriate slip resistance instead of choosing flooring based on appearance alone.
Consider doorway widths and flooring transitions as well. Eliminating unnecessary thresholds and providing enough space to move between rooms can make a substantial difference over time.
According to the AARP HomeFit Guide, these types of modifications help make homes more comfortable and usable for people of different ages and abilities.
If your bedroom is upstairs, you might be wondering whether it makes sense to move it to the main level. For homeowners who plan to remain in their current home indefinitely, a main-floor primary suite can be a worthwhile investment.
Depending on your home's layout, you might be able to convert an existing room into a bedroom with an adjoining bathroom. Other properties may be better suited to a home addition. A new suite could include a spacious bedroom, custom walk-in closet, and luxury bathroom with an accessible shower. The location deserves careful consideration. Having your bedroom near the kitchen, laundry, and primary living spaces allows you to enjoy most of your home without relying on stairs.
S. Brown Construction works with Greater Lafayette homeowners on major renovations and home additions, including projects that involve changing existing layouts and incorporating new living spaces.
You probably don't need every aging-in-place feature immediately. However, certain improvements are far easier to make while construction is already underway.
Here's how to think about the timing.
Before construction begins, talk with your remodeler about which changes would be difficult or expensive to make later.
S. Brown's design-build process involves developing the layout, reviewing selections, and establishing project costs before construction. That gives homeowners an opportunity to consider these longer-term needs alongside their immediate remodeling priorities.
Older homes need more investigation before construction because structural and mechanical conditions can change what’s possible and what the project will cost.
This is one place where a historic home renovation differs from a straightforward cosmetic remodel.
Floors may be out of level. Framing methods may differ from current construction. Previous owners may have moved walls, enclosed porches, added plumbing, or made repairs that aren’t visible until finishes come off.
The same goes for wiring, plumbing, HVAC, foundations, moisture, and insulation.
That doesn’t automatically make an older farmhouse a bad remodeling candidate. It means the early work needs to be more thorough.
Visible conditions can provide clues about what needs closer inspection before plans are finalized.
Uneven floors, cracks, moisture staining, unusual wall thicknesses, patched ceilings, undersized electrical panels, and multiple generations of materials can all point toward work that deserves investigation.
Some conditions will be minor. Others can affect the layout or budget.
Getting that information earlier gives the design and construction teams a better chance to respond to the house before construction is underway.
You can add onto a historic farmhouse, but a farmhouse addition should respect the scale and architecture of the existing home rather than competing with it. An addition can solve problems that interior remodeling alone can’t.
Maybe the existing footprint simply isn’t large enough for the kitchen, family room, primary suite, mudroom, or garage the homeowners need. In those cases, adding square footage may make more sense than forcing too much into the original rooms.
The connection between old and new deserves close attention.
Roof pitch, window proportions, siding, exterior materials, ceiling heights, and how the addition meets the original structure can determine whether it feels like part of the house or something attached years later without much consideration.
Inside, there’s a little more freedom. A new addition doesn’t need to imitate every detail of the original rooms. It does, however, need enough connection in materials, proportions, or architectural details that moving from one part of the house to the other doesn’t feel abrupt.
Aging-in-place remodeling involves making changes to your home so it remains comfortable and accessible as your needs change. This can include bathroom renovations, kitchen improvements, wider doorways, better lighting, or creating a main-floor bedroom.
Absolutely. Curbless showers, custom vanities, natural stone, designer fixtures, and attractive support hardware can all be incorporated into an accessible bathroom. Many of these features are popular in luxury bathroom design regardless of age.
A curbless shower eliminates the step at the entrance, making access easier for many people. Its long-term usability also depends on having enough space, appropriate flooring, convenient controls, and properly planned drainage.
No. Some homeowners begin with their primary bathroom or kitchen. Others choose a larger renovation to improve the layout, move their bedroom to the main floor, or address multiple areas at once.
The investment depends on the work involved. Adding accessible fixtures to an existing bathroom is considerably different from reconfiguring the layout, relocating plumbing, or constructing a primary suite addition. S. Brown Construction can help you review the scope and develop a project budget during the planning process.
You shouldn't have to choose between the home you've always wanted and one that will be comfortable to live in for years to come. Whether you're considering a luxury bathroom renovation, a more functional kitchen, or a new main-floor primary suite, S. Brown Construction can help you explore the possibilities for your Greater Lafayette home.
Our in-house design team works with you to develop a plan that considers your preferences, your property, and your long-term needs before construction begins. Contact us here.
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