Life as an empty nester, when your children have already moved out of your house, can feel strangely different and make you feel lonely at some point. Imagine living most of your life with your children and your loving partner, then all of a sudden, you find yourself alone with your partner in your lovely house.
Some empty nesters dedicate much of their life to recreation and entertainment, while some choose to be practical and prepare well for their retirement days. Whether you want to live a fanciful or practical life, it is best to begin your new plans in your home.
With that said, here are five excellent home feature ideas for your new home construction:
Home Feature Idea #1: Outdoor Entertainment Area
Since most of your children have their own families already or have moved out from another place, take this opportunity to reconnect with your other relatives and old friends from your alma mater or previous company.
Build an entertainment or living area in your backyard where you can entertain guests over a cup of tea or freshly-grilled barbeques. You can hire custom builders to make a deck or patio in your yard and then install an outdoor kitchen, but make sure to hire a licensed professional to ensure the integrity of your plumbing and gas lines.
Home Feature Idea #2: Multiple Guest Room
Make get-togethers with your old-time friends and relatives more fun and exciting by inviting them to stay over for a night or two. Maybe you can invite them over for the holidays or other special celebrations to fill your home with love and joy once more.
Turn your children’s room into cozy and inviting guest rooms. Repaint the walls, replace the carpeting or flooring, add stylish décor, and provide adequate lighting and ventilation to make your guests feel welcome.
Home Feature Idea #3: Dedicated Home Office
Now that only a few people live in your house, it can be more convenient and easy for you to work from home since there are fewer distractions. With many rooms left unoccupied, you can easily designate a space to convert into a home office.
Whether you want it near your bedroom or next to the living area or kitchen, it wouldn’t matter as long as it does its function. Just make sure that your is design comfortable and practical to help you focus on your work. Installing an adequate amount of lighting and ventilation is also necessary, as you’ll probably be spending a good amount of time in there.
Home Feature Idea #4: Age-in-Place Features
As the years go by, you would need to have space and a home that will be convenient for you. Design your home considering how you would want to live your everyday life during your retirement years. You would need to replace certain layouts and add new fixtures and furniture that you might need.
Here are some of the age-in-place features that you can install or add to your home:
- Non-slip kitchen and bathroom floors
- Curbless shower
- Grab bars in the bathroom
- Tall toilet
- Relatively wider hallways and doorways
- Softer and safer flooring such as carpets
Home Feature Idea #5: Downsized Home
If you want to live a simple yet cozy life in your retirement years, consider downsizing your home. Assuming that all of your children have moved out, your home will be filled with empty bedrooms and large common areas, which may be too much for you and your life partner.
Make your home smaller so it would be easier for you to move around and clean the house. You can then turn your larger backyard or front porch into outdoor living spaces or a flower and vegetable garden.
Conclusion
There are many ways you can renovate your home to prepare for your retirement years or your new life as an empty nester. Start by creating a space that you would love to spend time in, such as an outdoor living area, home office, and guest rooms for your old-time friends and relatives. Think ahead of time and design your home with age-in-place features or downsize your home if you think you would be more comfortable with a smaller space.
If you are looking for custom builders in Greenwood, Indianapolis, get in touch with us today. Our professional and expert house designer can help design and construct your dream retirement home.
