A home should always be both stylish and practical, making life easier for everyone who lives there. Whether you’re redecorating or making small adjustments, good design can improve comfort and movement.
Simple choices, like picking the right furniture or adding a stairlift, can make a big difference, but let’s look at some more that you could add to your home for better design overall.
Creating More Space with Smart Layouts
How a home is arranged affects how easy it is to move around and having open spaces, wide doorways and clear walkways especially makes walking around a whole lot easier. Reducing clutter and using built-in storage can also help make rooms feel and look more open.
For homes with stairs, movement between floors can be a challenge. A stairlift can make a home easier to use without taking away from its style.
A Practical and Stylish Choice
Stairlifts are often seen as a necessity rather than part of a home’s design, but modern stairlifts can be customised to fit in with your décor. They come in different colours and materials, so they blend with your home rather than stand out.
Fortunately, second-hand stairlifts are relatively cheaper and appeal to people for different reasons. You can find pre-owned models that have been refurbished and tested to meet safety standards. These stairlifts function just as well as new ones but are often much more budget-friendly. Second-hand stairlifts make accessibility available for more people, offering a cost-effective solution without compromising on quality.
For short-term needs, renting a stairlift is another affordable option so whether recovering from an injury or helping a relative, renting can be a low-cost way to improve movement at home without the expense of buying a new one.
Picking Colours and Materials That Work
Colours and materials really do influence how a home feels; for example, light shades can make a space feel open, while darker colours create a cosy atmosphere. Using contrasting colours can also help people with vision problems move around more easily.
Stairlifts and other mobility aids can be made to match a home’s style. Many stairlifts have foldable seats and rails, so they take up less space when not in use. Upholstered seats and sleek finishes can also help them blend in with other furniture.
Choosing Furniture and Flooring for Easy Movement
Furniture should be arranged to allow free movement. Adjustable chairs, supportive seating, and rounded table edges can improve comfort and safety. If space is limited, multi-purpose furniture like foldable tables or storage stools can help keep rooms neat.
Flooring is also important for safe movement with items like slip-resistant surfaces (textured tiles, low-pile carpets, or wooden floors with a matte finish) that can help prevent falls. Thick rugs and loose carpets should be avoided, as they can cause trips, especially for those using mobility aids.
Lighting That Makes a Home Safer and More Inviting
Good lighting makes a home look better and feel safer, on top of having well-placed lights can brighten hallways, staircases, and doorways, reducing the risk of falls.
Having adjustable lighting lets you change brightness throughout the day. You could use something like smart lighting systems, controlled by phone or voice to make it easier to keep a home well-lit while also saving energy.
A Home That Works for Everyone
A home should be comfortable, stylish, and easy to move around in; thus, simple design choices like well-placed furniture, slip-resistant flooring, and stairlifts can improve daily life without spoiling the look of a home. Good design means a home can be both attractive and practical for everyone who lives there.
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