We’ve started the most exciting transformation that I’m so excited to tell you about. Projects like this are my absolute favorite because a trusted friend of mine hired me to help someone who is worthy give them a free makeover. It’s a real win/win/win. it’s for another Velux (Shout out to their talented marketing team), who wanted to brighten up the life of our beloved winner, Beth. Beth’s daughter, Colby, nominated her because Beth has macular degeneration, which means she is losing her vision, and her living room lacks so much natural light, making it even more difficult to see. And it’s about to get worse. She wants to stay in her own place for as long as possible, and it’s my job to design this room to be comfortable and stylish, but most importantly, easy to move around in and be in. I’m already learning a lot about designing for visually impaired seniors, but could really use more help (that’s where you come in). Beth, it should be noted, is very enjoyable to be around, hilarious, fun, and open to any ideas. We honestly feel so grateful to have worked with both her and Colby. I look forward to every meeting or shopping session and once again, I feel very fortunate to have this job.
This is Beth’s room/living room, and where she spends the most time. He is in his 70s and most of his grown grandchildren visit him, but otherwise he does not entertain much. She’s new to Portland, moved in during COVID to be near her daughter and granddaughter. Most of her stuff is from FBMP (not heirloom or meaningful pieces), and she’s 100% open to anything. She had never really thought about design, had never had new furniture, and was so overwhelmed that she won the makeover. She is friendly, personable, and extremely fun to be around and design for. I feel like we could do anything, and she would be very grateful, and yet I really want to meet her needs.
The room is large and dark, possibly equipped with an add-on with a focal fireplace and a huge sectional (which actually works according to scale, but is hard to get in and out of). It is full of opportunities.
Apart from the addition of skylights, the changes are mostly cosmetic. So we’re not removing walls or replacing windows. We probably wouldn’t even put wood over a cement floor. It’s about making the furnishings to be more comfortable, organizing it to better suit his needs and of course making it look really good. I’m following the quotes to replace the hidden lights and skim coat the ceiling, but TBD on whether that happens or not. Will have a new fan 🙂
room of bones
The room has some cutouts from the adjacent fireplace in the dining room, but otherwise it is a nice box.
So here’s Beth’s wish list, based on her needs and how she uses the room:
- A big TV. Her vision loss means she can see something in front of her, but can still see very well peripherally. If she had a bigger TV, she would have been able to enjoy it more. She lives alone, so this comes high on the list.
- More senior-friendly furniture. A sofa that is easier to get in and out of and more supportive. At the moment he’s fine in this big padded one, but I was also struggling to get out easily – it’s deep, and you really sink in.
- A recliner. That was my idea, but when I said they were now motorized she brightened up. So we are looking.
- Furniture that he can easily see and move around. I’ve done some research, and my common sense says that the design of this room should have high contrast so that things are easy to recognize, even with reduced vision. But if anyone has experience here let me know!
- Cosy, cozy and warm but not cluttered. She spends most of her time here. She eats food and does all her activities on the coffee table.
- More natural light. While the room has two large windows, they face a covered patio, so there is very little natural light. New Velux Skylights Going to bring a big change.
- Keep a ceiling fan (he likes air flow).
- Easy to clean (clutter free).
- He doesn’t need it to have fun. She mostly wants to sit, not curl up.
We used Spock’s AI program to make all of its stuff disappear so we could start imagining it with fresh eyes. We’re still working on the plan, but our hope is to do the following:
- Add two skylights. Size is still TBD, but they will be easily automated.
- Install tile on the fireplace. This is mostly for the overall design of the room and is something we are going to try to DIY.
- Move the TV to the left wall and buy a bigger TV so it’s easier to see.
- Arrange the furniture to work with both focal points – the TV and the fireplace.
- Paint the walls or add a treatment.
- Ideally, drop the ceiling structure.
It could be a large TV wall with a huge storage unit underneath. She doesn’t have a lot of books or stuff to put on shelves, but she does have some really nice paintings that we want to frame and maybe arrange around the TV, as well as family photos.
So I could really use any real help from people who have experience needing senior-friendly furniture (whether you’re one of them or you care for one). I know the basics – shallow seat, high back, not too low, and we’ve gone shopping together and found some solid options, but any rec would be great!
- In addition to choosing high contrast (dark against light), are there specific patterns or colors that are easier to see when your vision is poor?
- Are big bold patterns a good thing, or are they giddy? The whole point is to brighten this room, so I don’t want to paint it a dark color, so I’m trying to figure out which elements should be darker and which lighter, while also making it easier to stay clean.
- The only style she says she likes is “farmhouse” and “whimsical”, so what I’m taking from her is casual and fun, nothing too stuffy, fancy, glamorous, harsh, sterile, or serious. You got this, Beth 🙂
So before I get too deep into the design process, let me know any ideas you have to make this room even better in its future 🙂
