Tips for Decorating Your Senior Living Apartment
Moving to a senior apartment typically means downsizing from a house or larger living space. Of course, the sacrifice in personal space is well worth it when you think about the many amenities a Life Plan Community offers and the amount of acreage you have right outside your apartment door – all of which is no longer your responsibility to maintain or mow.
Because you’re not just moving, but also downsizing, the transition to independent residential senior living can seem daunting at first. It might help to know you’re not alone. Your new community is with you every step of the way and often has a relationship with movers and other helpful resources. Your job now is to focus on the future and that means the joy of decorating your new senior apartment!
Small space. Big opportunities.
Creating a comfortable living environment in a small space is all about choosing the right combinations: light and dark, textures and colors, sizes and shapes, function and style. Just because you’re moving to an apartment doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your personal style. With just a few helpful decoration tips, you’ll be on your way to a warm and inviting space you’ll enjoy showing off to family and new friends alike.
10 Decorating tips for your senior apartment.
1. Go for simplicity and keep things functional.
Your apartment should be an oasis of style, comfort and function. When making choices, fall back on convenience. You don’t have to go out and buy entire sets of furniture. You’ll feel more at home with a few well-chosen pieces you already own. Think about this adventure as replicating your personal living style, just on a smaller scale. What pieces are most important to you, and which do you use a lot?
2. Let there be light and plenty of it.
Nothing makes a small space come alive like sunlight. It also happens to make rooms look bigger and more inviting. Try lighter colors for blinds and curtains and keep them open to let in the views of your new community along with that vitamin D!
3. Get colorful.
Speaking of those beautiful views, use color to bring the outside in and to make your residence feel warm and cozy. Choose colorful accents like pillows and rugs to create bright pops of cheerfulness everywhere you look. For the walls, earth tones and neutral shades provide a great contrast to these colorful accents and add dimension to your space.
4. Mix and match textures with your colors.
Layering various textures alongside your color treatments adds visual interest and depth to your apartment. A combination of cozy surfaces mixed with canvas brown and textured artwork can complete any look.
5. Your walls are your friends, so use that vertical space.
Don’t just concentrate on the square footage. Look up! Filling your vertical spaces with artwork, family photos and tapestries makes even a fuller room look bigger. And don’t forget about bookshelves and taller pieces of furniture. Even mounting your TV on the wall instead of placing it on a TV stand can make a huge difference to the feel of a room.
6. A well-placed mirror can make all the difference.
Speaking of utilizing that wall space, strategically placed mirrors add texture and vertical design while also having the effect of making your space feel larger and brighter. It’s a simple trick that works on so many levels to make your apartment feel spacious.
7. When looking at furniture, think about safety as well as comfort.
Because you’re moving to a smaller space, make sure you’re not overdoing it with the furniture. And be cognizant of your safety with the furniture you do use. For instance, replacing a square or rectangle dining table with a round one could save you more than a few bruised ankles or shins.
8. You can never have too many plants.
Just as your windows can bring the beauty of the outside in, so can plants and flowers. Whether it’s potted plants on your balcony or patio or fresh flowers in your kitchen and living room, you simply can’t go wrong with the fragrant, vibrant feel that flowers and plants add to your living space. And if gardening isn’t your thing, you can still get all the advantages from artificial plants and a few drops of essential oils.
9. Don’t forget those personal touches.
Yes, you’re moving. Yes, you’re probably downsizing. But this is your home. It’ll serve as your homebase when you’re not out enjoying all the great activities of your new residential living community. So don’t leave the personal touches in storage. Photos, artwork, awards, treasured family heirlooms. They should all have a place in your new space.
10. Let the space be your guide.
And remember, above all else, let the space be your guide. Don’t try to make a sectional fit into a long, skinny room. Don’t crowd your bedroom with multiple dressers. You may not get it right on your first pass. You may have to live with your décor for a while to decide what you like and don’t. In the end, we know you’ll create the perfect oasis for yourself.
We think Westminster might just be the perfect fit for you.
Decorating a senior apartment should be fun! This is your chance to express yourself and to create a home you’ll love spending time in for years to come. At Westminster, our residents enjoy the Austin lifestyle from a variety of floor plan options. If you’d like to learn more about our residential living community and take a tour, we’d love to show your around.
