Aging In Place: 4 Tips for Retiring In a Two-Story Home
Many choose to purchase their retirement home while they are still working. Some opt to use their retirement home for a vacation home until it’s time to retire. Two-story homes are a great option for retirement because they afford plenty of space to accommodate guests, grandchildren, or hobbies.
Is retiring and aging-in-place in a two-story home right for you? Here are 4 tips to make retiring in a two-story home in Oklahoma a no-brainer.
Our Madison Plan is the perfect 2-story home for aging-in-place.
TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE MAIN LEVEL
Study your current floor plan to make sure that you’ll have everything you’ll need on one level in the future. Even if your current bedroom is upstairs, you’ll want to make sure that you have the option of having at least one bedroom on the main floor.
Some homes only have powder rooms or half baths on the main level. You’ll want to make sure that you have a full bathroom on the main floor, including a bathtub.
Our Madison plan has everything you need on the first floor to age-in-place including an open-concept dining room, Great Room, and functional kitchen with walk-in pantry.
There is also a Master Bedroom suite, a study/flex room, and a powder room on the main floor.
You’ll also enjoy having your laundry room on the main floor plenty of storage, and access to an amazing covered patio in the rear of the home.
Upstairs, you’ll have two bedrooms perfect for grandchildren or overnight guests. You’ll also have a full bathroom, an attic, and plenty of extra storage.
THINK ABOUT YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES AND HOBBIES
Think about the activities and chores that you perform on a daily or weekly basis. Are these activities able to be carried out on the first floor? You’ll want to be sure to include laundry facilities on the main floor. You may even opt to include a washer and dryer closet on your second floor as well.
If you like to paint or work on arts and crafts, you may want to be sure to include a home office or flex room on the first floor so you won’t need to climb stairs to access these activities.
Our Crown Heights plan is a two-story design that’s just right for aging-in-place in Oklahoma.
CONSIDER YOUR MAIN ENTRANCE
Make sure that not only the home’s entrance is accessible but also that the door you’ll use the most is easy to get to.
A lot of homeowners use the garage as their primary entrance. Make sure that your commute from the car to inside your home has as few steps as possible.
For more tips on Aging-In-Place, read our blog ‘Remodeling Your Home to Age in Place and 5 Tips to Get Started (2022)’ for an in-depth look at some other tips on creating a home that’s retirement-friendly.
The Crown Heights Plan
Our Crown Heights plan has everything you need on the first floor to age-in-place including an open-concept dining room, Great Room, and functional kitchen with walk-in pantry.
There is also a Master Bedroom suite, a raised study, and a powder room on the main floor.
You’ll also enjoy having your laundry room on the main floor. There is a mud bench to serve your two-garage and access to an amazing covered patio in the rear of the home.
Upstairs, you’ll have two bedrooms perfect for grandchildren or overnight guests. You’ll also have a full bathroom, and a Bonus Room which can be used for a variety of different functions, including a home gym, storage, or media room.
THINK ABOUT HEATING AND COOLING
Make sure that your retirement home is well-insulated and equipped with energy efficient central heat and cooling options so that you can age-in-place comfortably. In Oklahoma, we see extremely hot weather in the summer and you’ll want to be sure that your HVAC system can accommodate your home and keep it at an optimal temperature all year long.
Our Yorke Plan would make the perfect home for retirement or aging-in-place.
EVALUATE, CREATE, OR CUSTOMIZE YOUR HOME’S FLOOR PLAN FOR AGING-IN-PLACE
Let the professionals at Creative Home Designs guide you through aging gracefully in your home by planning a home remodel or new construction in Oklahoma just for you and your needs!
If you are choosing to remodel, we will visit you on-site, take measurements of your home’s existing structures, and study the blue plan so that we can make considerations for widening hallways and doors. We will then sit down with you to create a plan for your home remodel.
We can even connect you with respected home builders in the area due to our extensive network of Oklahoma providers.
Let us help bring your vision to life so you can relax and enjoy your retirement years! Schedule a consultation to create your house designs in Oklahoma City or Tulsa, Oklahoma by calling 405-270-6417 today, or contact us using the form here! You can also check out our Plans page here to take a look at some of the unique home plans we’ve dreamed up for our past clients.