You don’t need a lot of rooms and square footage to have an enviably beautiful and totally comfortable home. Many seniors making the move to a one-bedroom senior living apartment home in retirement communities are realizing just how true it is. It seems that the more rooms we have, the less we use and the less likely we are to put the effort into making them the stylish havens they could be. When a home is more manageable, we can focus on maximizing every square foot so we feel great in our space.
Whether you’re getting ready to downsize into a one-bedroom apartment from a larger home or have already moved in, we have a few simple tips for everyone and every budget. The secret is knowing just what to do and how to do it. Read on because the secret is out!
Tips for Decorating Your Senior Living Apartment
Multi-Purpose is the Key
You don’t need a separate room for all the things you love and need to do. You just need smart furniture that works harder for you. Closed drop-leaf tables are the perfect size for everyday meals and open to two or three times the size when company is expected. A sofa table that can fold out can also be a functional desk when needed. And ottomans with storage are the perfect place for blankets, pillows, and linens—or your favorite board games and puzzles.
Color Your World
There are no wrong colors. Your favorite colors should be part of a home that reflects you. To do color right, you simply need to do the math. Use the 70/20/10 rule. Seventy percent of your color scheme should be the color you want to be predominant in your design. Twenty percent should be an accent color, and ten percent should be reserved for a bold pop of color, so your senior living apartment home doesn’t feel flat and lifeless. That delicious ten percent pop of color is small but mighty. If you have always wanted a pink velvet couch, go for it. It would look stunning against a room of seventy percent cream and 20 percent toast.
Stay in the Family and Layer
When you want to make a space feel larger, go monochromatic and create visual interest and depth with sumptuous texture. You can have fun playing in a small color range. Start with sand walls with white trim, add a brown wicker chair with cream cushions, and place a side table featuring any color metal next to the chair. Then, toss a faux fur throw in rich caramels on the chair, and you have a seating area that is a work of art.
Green Makes Any Space More Airy
Plants have a way of making any room feel like the outdoors. But be advised: A little goes a long way. One lovely tree in a decorative pot can bring life to a room. A lush terrarium on the coffee table or bookshelf also does the trick, but with less maintenance. And, if you don’t have a green thumb at all, don’t fret. Today, there are fabulous faux plants that can fool even the most discerning eye.
Light Up Your Life
When it comes to lighting any room, more is more. Smaller spaces look and feel a whole lot bigger when flooded with light. As a bonus, according to a UCLA study, being in natural light improves your mood and increases happiness. You can take maximum advantage of natural light with strategically placed mirrors. For instance, a mirror can be hung on the wall opposite a window to reflect the light already coming in. But, mirrors aren’t the only way to make the most of natural light. Another easy trick is choosing reflective backsplash tiles and accent pieces instead of dull ones.
You’ll also need other light sources when natural light isn’t streaming in. The rule of thumb is to have at least three light sources in every room, from the kitchen to the bedroom. These light sources can also serve as focal points. You don’t need to choose small fixtures just because a space is not cavernous. Designers say larger fixtures can make a space feel larger.
Smaller Spaces Don’t Require Tiny Furniture
You don’t need to go out and buy small, uncomfortable furniture because you chose to live in a smaller home. The key is to choose furniture with varying heights and depths to give a room within a smaller senior living apartment home. You can mix some sleek pieces with larger, comfy pieces. They will complement each other and give your room visual interest.
Use the Square Footage Above Your Head
Raising curtain rods and artwork raises the eye up, making a room feel more spacious. Create a gallery wall with your favorite photos or paintings. Start by hanging the first pieces at eye level. Then, go up from there. When hanging curtains, place the rods at the top of the window or, better yet, almost to the ceiling. Not only will it make the room feel taller and larger, but it will also make your windows feel bigger too.
The Golden Ratio
The golden ratio of 60/40 is the difference between a room feeling cluttered and a room feeling decorated. The ratio suggests that there should be forty percent negative space in every room, and in every vignette within it. That means you can fill up sixty percent with the décor you love, but the rest is reserved to make the room feel more inviting. For example, if you are styling bookshelves, don’t over fill them; only fill them sixty percent. The same goes for the pillows and throw on your couch. Leave forty percent of the couch for you and your guests to sit on.
Room to Move
Another way for any room to feel larger is to make sure the pieces you do have are not so close together that the room feels cluttered. For instance, a coffee table should be at least fourteen to eighteen inches from a couch. A hutch should be at least thirty-six inches away from a dining table. A TV should be distanced 1.5 times the diagonal measurement of the TV screen from a couch. Also, consider any family or friends who might need a bit more room to maneuver comfortably around.
Make a Statement
You don’t have to have a super-sized room to support a statement piece. An oversized painting, a large sculpture, or a big, overstuffed ottoman can all live in a small space—just not together. One out-of-proportion piece draws the eye and allows you to appreciate it all the more. So, show some whimsy and have some fun with a statement piece.
Your Home, Your Style
All the style tips aside, your senior living apartment home should reflect you and your personal charm. After all, that is what makes you unique. And rules are made to be broken. So, if you want lots of bold colors and patterns and multiple accent pieces, go for it. If you have collections that you love that tell a story, show them off. What is most important is that you feel good in your home.
If you’re considering downsizing into a one-bedroom senior living apartment in a retirement community like Jacaranda Trace in Venice, Florida, they have in-house design specialists ready to help you create your perfect space. They will even look at what you have and help you determine what will work in the new space. Simply tell them your vision, and you can work together to design a home that reflects you and feels fabulous.
If you’d like to learn more about living large in a smaller space and the decorating services available, call Jacaranda Trace at 941-408-2050. One of our membership sales counselors would also be happy to talk with you and tell you more during a personal appointment about the maintenance-free, amenity-rich lifestyle at Jacaranda Trace.