downsizing to live your best life yet
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Written by Danny Chan
Published: July 22, 2018
Updated: Nov 24, 2023
top takeaways:
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Having the right mindset is key, as It is not about what you are losing, but rather what you are gaining as a result
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choose furniture pieces that will help you live in place
foreword
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Downsizing can be daunting to many seniors because for many, it is not easy to let go... not necessarily of things, but of the memory associated with them. We find that having the right mindset is key. With this project, we helped a senior couple to downsize from their 5,000+ square foot home in West Vancouver to this 1,200 s.f. apartment in downtown Vancouver. Maintaining a big home was become more and more challenging with the upkeep of their big house. Read on to see how we were able to help them live their best life yet...
walk through day
when downsizing, how do I decide what to keep?
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Our client contacted us as soon as their pre-sale condo was ready for the initial walk-through. Because of this, they had time to consider what current furniture pieces would still work in the new space and what pieces to get rid of. When downsizing to a smaller home, we first need to consider the scale of the furniture. Large pieces in comparison to the room size would make the space feel small and cramped. And bear in mind that when you are shopping at the furniture store, pieces will often seem smaller because of the high ceiling. Secondly, we need to consider the functional requirement. Has your lifestyle change? Perhaps you used to entertain big crowds, but you may prefer more intimate party? If the sofa is deep and loungy, would you be able to get up easily? However, the most difficult part is often items that have emotional attachment to them. It's helpful to focus on what you are gaining rather than to what you are losing. On this matter, I love what the apostle Paul said in chapter 3 of Philippians in the Bible: "What things were gains to me, these I have counted as loss on account of Christ" (v. 7). For Paul it was Christ, but you can fill in the blank here. Then in verse 13, he continued to say, "but one thing I do: Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before, I pursue toward the goal for the prize..." What is your goal in downsizing? What do you want to gain? Being liberated from clutter?
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Instead of displaying all the memorabilia that they have collected over the years, we collaborated with California Closet to build a showcase wall unit for them to display just a few of the more special pieces. As a result, rather than drowning in clutter, these treasured pieces are now prominently displayed and evoked a feeling of happiness every time our client sees them.
what type of sofa is best for elderly?
The sofa is an important piece of furniture that should not only look beautiful, but it's equally as important to consider if it's practical and functional. When we were choosing seating for our client, not only do they have to look aesthetically pleasing, but we also want them to be safe. Stability is the single most important factor when choosing a sofa or a chair. This is especially true for when you’re in the process of sitting down or standing up. Why is that? Because at these times you are much more imbalanced. For this reason, your new seating must be stable above all else.
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We don’t generally recommend swivel chairs, gliders, or sofas with glider mechanisms to our senior clients. These types of seating are less stable because they can shift or move while you’re trying to get up and down. On a similar token, manual recliners can also present a problem for seniors since they require a certain degree of strength to open and close the footrest. If you like recliners, powered ones with reclining options are the way to go.
Secondly, we avoid low deck height. This is the measurement from the floor to the deck. When you sit very low, getting up and down puts unnecessary strain on your knees. Look for sofa with a deck height of no less than about 20 inches. Also, avoid extra deep seats. Many contemporary sofa boast a loungy feel, where you just "sink into" the sofa. But these are not great for seniors as once you "sink in" to the sofa, it's very difficult to get out of it. On that note, these loungy sofa usually have very soft cushions. For most of our senior clients, we recommend firmer cushion for better support. When we choose to custom make our sofa, we often can customize the firmness of the cushion. While medium firm (1.8lb density foam) is usually fine, we may also recommend 2.0lb density for a bit of extra firmness. While many people like to shop furniture online, sofa is something that we recommend trying before buying. This is the one item that we often bing our clients to try sitting on at the showroom.
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There are many other things that we would consider. But to simply put, for our senior clients, we often recommend transitional and traditional pieces and avoid styles that are extremely casual and contemporary.
is wallpaper still in fashion?
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Our client told us that she used to love wallpaper back in the 70s and 80s, but thought that they are out of fashion because she sees a lot of minimalist decor in magazines and on TV where all the walls are "white". But we certainly don't think so. Depending on the wallpaper that we choose, wallpaper is still extremely in vogue.
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In this project, we used a beautiful and subtle metallic wallpaper to disguise a major eyesore, a massive column that you see as soon as you enter the front door. We also applied the same wallpaper in the entry hallway to create a sense of continuity. You can see what a difference it made in the the pictures here.
massive column in the middle of the apartment
juxtaposing the old with the new for a dramatic makeover
Another place where the wallpaper really transformed the space is the tiny powder room. If there is a room where it can be more climactic, then this might be it. Look at the dramatic transformation of the before and after! Our client's beautiful, but traditional, oil painting of a British hunting scene was instantly "contemporize" by our juxtaposing it against a stunning faux crocodile wallpaper from Graham and Browns. By also painting the ceiling black, guests who think they are just using the loo are instantly transported into a fantasy place even if it's only momentarily.
before
After
after
Can wallpaper be masculine?
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We needed to design a master bedroom that's neither too feminine nor masculine. So we chose a golden hounds tooth wallpaper from Graham & Brown that is the perfect mix of traditional (pattern) and modern (metallic colour). It really features a powerful design style while still conveying a sense of warmth and elegance. As the hounds tooth resemble a well tailored suit, our client actually quite liked it.
how do you choose a colour for your room?
How did we choose the paint colour for the guest room? The first step was not to go to the paint store or to look at a paint deck, but to look around for inspiration. Colour can be a powerful tool as it evokes our emotions. We often look for inspiration from a cushion or an art work that our client already owns. With this project, we inspiration came from the roof top of Hotel Vancouver (which was very visible from the room). The colour is Benjamin Moore's blue seafoam (2056-60). It has a light reflective value (LRV) of 70.49, making it a bright and cheery colour for the room. We then accessorized the room with coordinating cushions and throw to bring in cohesiveness and harmony.
Since the second bedroom also acted as a guest room, the clean designed and firm sofa that we chose was not only comfortable to sit on to watch TV, but it also opens up easily (just by pulling it) into a very comfortable sofa bed. It was important to buy a quality sofa bed for our client to ensure that it was easy to open and close. In addition, it also features an orthopedic foam mattress to ensure that their guests can have a good night sleep.
While downsizing may seem difficult at first, but it's also a great place to begin another chapter of your life. When it's time to embrace a new beginning, we hope that your home will be your happy home. where you can live your best life yet. Now, that's certainly something to look forward to!