Today’s senior living communities are beautiful, safe, comfortable with a variety of housing options for residents to make their own. At Thrive Senior Living we encourage our residents to decorate their senior living apartments to match their own style and preferences. We know that making a new home their home is key to enjoying the best senior living has to offer. Here are tips for decorating senior living spaces that can help.
Maximize natural light – Yes, senior living apartments are smaller than houses, so at Thrive we made sure our apartments have lots of windows to provide plenty of natural light. When decorating senior living spaces, make the most of natural light by positioning furniture so it isn’t blocking windows and hanging mirrors where they can reflect the most natural light possible. To provide privacy, use sheer drapes and curtains, which are available in a variety of colors and patterns, and can be opened or closed as needed. Even more privacy can be had with light-filtering shades that cover windows but still allow brightness in the room. Get more great ideas in the bbdlifestyle.com blog, “The Best Window Treatments for Reading and Natural Light.”
Minimize clutter – Making the most of smaller spaces means keeping clutter to a minimum. The old adage, “A place for everything and everything in its place” rings true because the cleaner and less cluttered any room is, the bigger it looks. Keeping halls and walkways free and clear is also an essential safety tip for seniors who are at risk of falling. Decorating senior living rooms should include clutter-control as a factor to consider. For more about how to keep clutter under control, check out the apartmenttherapy.com blog, “7 Ways to Conquer Clutter in a Small Space.”
Think zero footprint – Decorating senior living spaces may mean that some furniture will not fit without overwhelming the room. For example, Uncle Joe’s giant roll-top desk or the massive bookshelves from the old family room require big chunks of floor space and may overpower smaller rooms. But if a desk and shelves are still needed, consider ones that have no footprint at all. Start with folding furniture that is designed specifically for smaller rooms like a wall-mounted desk that folds down when needed. Some even look like shelves on the wall when not in use and take up zero floor space. Similarly, wall-mounted shelves are a great way to create focal points in a room while providing places to display books, plants and keepsakes.
Grow green! – When decorating senior living apartments, adding plants can bring a touch of beauty that is hard to get any other way. Plants add color without taking up precious space and many bloom at different times throughout the year. For example, herbs like chives, rosemary and basil not only grow easily with little care but provide freshness to a variety of recipes. Hanging plants are another great option and vines are among the best for adding a little life to a room. From tiny terra cotta pots to rehabbed carts and trays, there are so many ways to bring plants indoors without consuming large amounts of space. Get more ideas for decorating senior living with plants in the tinyapartments.com blog, “31 Indoor Gardening Ideas for Small Apartments.”
Express yourself with color – While it is true that lighter colors add a feeling of space, that does not preclude the use of color. From paint to fabric to furniture, color can make even plain rooms feel comfortable and inviting. The most important goal should be to please the occupant, so they are proud of their home and feel it expresses their personality and taste. Although there are no right or wrong colors or patterns to use when decorating senior living spaces, it’s a good idea to consider furniture and bedding that is making the move and create a color palette based on them. If painting is part of the plan, visit a paint store and gather color chip sets to compare in the light of the intended room. This can also be done online although the colors seen on the screen are not necessarily the same as they would be on paper. To get a feel for where to go with color, Benjamin Moore’s “Color Palettes By Style” is a great place to start.
Residents at Thrive Senior Living love decorating senior living apartments to make their homes their own. Learn more about our communities, housing choices and amenities by contacting us today! Download our Family Decision Guide to help you and your family make the right choice for retirement living.