How to design a home that supports every member of your family

If you want to create a home that truly supports every member of your family, you’ll have to design spaces that cater to the needs, preferences, and wellbeing of everyone under your roof.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a growing family, have elderly parents living with you, or if someone in your family is living with a disability, you’ll need to thoughtfully plan out your layout to ensure it’s as inclusive and comfortable an environment for all members of your household as it could be.

But how do you go about doing that?

In this post, we’ll explore how you can design your floor plan to ensure that everyone who lives in it has the level of comfort, dignity and independence they desire.

If you take our recommendations into account, you’ll soon all be enjoying a harmonious living space that accommodates the needs of all its residents.

1. Consider the needs of every age group

One of the first things to recognise when designing a home that supports every member of your family is that they all have different needs that will need to be addressed.

For example, safety is a top priority for families with young children, so measures like installing childproof locks, securing furniture to walls, and choosing non-toxic materials to reduce the chances of them coming to harm should be taken into account. They will also need ample outdoor and indoor spaces to allow them to play.

At the same time, teenagers often want privacy and personal space where they can retreat, study, or entertain friends without being disturbed. While older adults might appreciate quieter areas, easy-to-reach storage, and seating that supports mobility. For anyone living with a disability, accessibility is a key need that must be addressed, and of course parents have their own requirements too.

Regardless of the specific needs of each individual, it’s important to design a home that implements solutions to address each of the main priorities of the people who live in it.

2. Create flexible, multi-functional spaces

To make the best out of any living arrangement, it’s important to design spaces that can serve multiple purposes. Typically, this might involve a bedroom doubling up as an office, a living room as a playroom or a study as a guest room.

A great way to achieve this flexibility is through furniture that can be easily rearranged or transformed. The likes of foldable desks, modular sofas, and movable room dividers are terrific ways to redefine spaces as per your family’s needs.

Additionally, try to ensure you have ample storage, like built-in shelves, under-bed storage, and multi-purpose furniture that keeps the room tidy and clutter-free while still being accessible.

3. Focus on accessibility

Designing a home that supports every member of your family can be particularly challenging if one of them is living with a disability. In such circumstances, you will need to ensure that the design and floorplan of your property are fully accessible to them.

There are several ways to do this, including widening entrances and exits, laying down ramps for easier manoeuvring, and installing grab bars around the toilet and shower — which can also be useful for older people.

Additionally, aspects like a walk-in shower, lower countertops in the kitchen and good lighting can all help your loved one to live a more comfortable and freer life.

For inspiration on how to design a home for a person living with a disability, it’s a good idea to check out some of the properties offered by specialist disability accommodation providers such as Vertika SDA. Of course, moving into one of their purpose-built apartments is also an option you could consider.

4. Focus on wellbeing and comfort

You’ll want your home to be as comfortable as possible for everyone who lives in it. However, it’s important to recognise that comfort means different things to different people. For example, older people might require higher chairs to sit down on than anyone else. Subsequently, you should ensure your furniture choices take their needs into account.

At the same time, it’s important for everyone to have spaces, such as a study nook, balcony, or garden, to which they can retreat when they need some quiet time.

Ultimately, your home is somewhere you will spend a lot of time and should be a stress-free personal haven where you can all relax and unwind. Therefore, it’s important that you make sure you design and furnish it in a way that it is comfortable enough for all generations.

5. Plan for the future

Over time, the needs of each individual member of your family will change. For this reason, you should also plan for the future, while accommodating for the present.

Some of the things you should take into account are the ability of your parents to navigate stairs as they get older or how much space children will need when they become teenagers.

While you will need to be reactive in some situations, there are several proactive measures you can take to make the transition a little easier as and when people’s needs change.

So, take the time to work them out and put the appropriate plans in place.