Log Home Living – June 2019

38 |^ Best Log & Timber Floor Plans 2019

design for the ages

tip

IF YOU’RE SENIORS ...

As people age, they often look to down-

size to a mid-size home: One that’s more

manageable while still affording enough

space for family (especially the grandkids)

to visit overnight.

As we age, the idea of the “forever

home” — one that accommodates our

current and future mobility needs —

comes into play. Planning for the future

now will help to ensure you don’t have

to leave your home prematurely because

you can no longer navigate it. Use these

design tricks of the trade to design a home

that suits you now and in the years to

come:

Q Include private areas to serve as

sanctuaries during visits from friends

and family.

Q Design a large, central great room

where the whole gang can gather.

Q Create fewer dedicated bedrooms and

design fl ex spaces (ones that can serve

as converted bedrooms on the fl y)

instead.

Q Incorporate universal design principles,

including wider halls and doorways,

single-level living and barrier-free

rooms that can accommodate a

wheelchair if needed.

17

Dedicate space to your passions. Basements,

in particular, are well suited for wine cellars,

music studios, gun rooms, quilt and craft

rooms, shuffl eboard courts, exercise rooms,

poker rooms ... whatever your pursuits may

be. By giving them their own territory and planning

ahead for lighting and electrical outlet needs, you’ll up

the enjoyment factor of your log or timber home now

and for life.

s l

15

Keep your bathrooms warm and toasty by

installing radiant in-fl oor heating beneath the

tile, and for the ultimate in luxurious comfort,

wall-mounted towel warmers can’t be beat.

16

Though they are among the tiniest rooms in

your house, powder room positioning can make

or break a fl oor plan. For privacy, avoid locating

them directly off of open areas like the great

room or adjacent to the kitchen. Instead, tuck

yours in a side hall, by the front entry or adjacent to the

mudroom.

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