The process of designing the home that you plan to retire and grow old gracefully in can be a daunting and overwhelming one. Putting a little more effort and investment in at the initial design stages can save you time and money in the long run. With a few clever products that you may not even be aware exist, and a couple of important fore-thoughts you can rest assured that whatever may happen in the future, your retirement home is up to the job without looking institutionalised. Floorplan, Site & General inclusions Consider a single level home on a relatively flat block. The less level changes required the better. If you are purchasing an existing home and find this situation is too rare or outside your budget, look for homes that have living spaces and at least one bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor. If staircases are unavoidable ensure they are wide enough to accommodate a stair lift in the future (a minimum 820mm). Windows sills should be low enough that visibility out is possible from a seated position. Windows should be easy to open, close and lock. All doorways and entryways should be 820mm wide at a minimum with halls and thoroughfares 1000mm wide. This includes either side of the bed for access in and out. Undercover access from the parking area to the house is important to avoid slip hazards. If building a new home, plan for additional framework (nogging) as required in areas where you would later install grab rails. That is, by any steps, next to the toilet and in the shower area (see more under bathroom). Consider touch operated electrical switches or the larger style switches. Switchplates should be in a contrasting colour to the wall. Door Hardware Keys can be painful and difficult for older people and pin numbers can easily be forgotten. Fingerprint scanning door security is a good option if you can make the investment. If not an option, ensure any locks and opening devices can be utilised easily with one hand, avoid the kind where you need to turn the key while at the same time operating the lever. Ensure all door hardware is of the lever variety and all include safety release latches on privacy locks (or go without privacy locks). Knobs will become difficult to grasp and turn in later life. Landscaping Consider fencing that doesn't impede visibility from a seated position, enabling a person to sit and watch the world go buy and not feel too enclosed. Planting should be relatively low maintenance. Avoid planting a lot of trees that require annual pruning and consider native plants that do not require daily watering but attract wildlife to your garden that you can enjoy watching. Install sensor lighting to outdoor areas and all entryways. An accessible outdoor area with raised garden beds is also a good consideration to enable people with limited mobility to still enjoy time outdoors. Kitchen Your kitchen should be well lit with task lighting over working areas. There should be adequate space around working areas with good flow between functions. The benchtop and cupboards should contrast in colour to assist with visual impairment. You may like to consider including a benchtop at a lower level with leg space underneath in the case of future wheelchair access. This can act as an island dining table while not required for seated accessibility. A drawer that you can convert into a pull out work bench is an alternative. Power switches should be in a contrasting colour to the back splash. Ensure you include plenty of storage space in the base cabinets with drawers being a preference for ease of access. Overhead storage will be difficult to access in later life. Handles should be of the pull variety rather than knobs. Consider internal cupboard lighting for visibility. Appliances should have simplistic, visual cues, be easy to operate and be clearly identifiable as 'on' or 'off'. Bathroom The bathroom is usually the one area where the greatest amount of re-thinking is required. What is traditionally kept small and private now needs to consider accessibility and assistance. Bathrooms should be large enough to be able to move freely with a mobility aid and leg room under basins may be something you like to consider in case of wheelchair access. Separate toilet rooms need to be large enough to allow for grab rails, or toilet chair and a wheel chair or walking frame. They also need to be large enough that a person can be assisted. The ideal size would be 1000mm wide by 2000mm long. If this is not achievable with your current floor plan you may consider installing a toilet in the main bathroom area, which may mean foregoing or removal of a bath tub. Additional framework (nogging) should be planned along the wall next to the toilet and on the rear and one side wall of the shower enclosure to incorporate grab rails at a later date. These should be located on either side of stud 800 - 810mm from floor level. The shower should be hobless, with no track or step that could cause a trip hazard and be large enough for wheelchair, frame or shower chair access (around 1200mm square is optimum with 900mm at minimum). Ensure the door, taps and shower head is positioned in a way that can be comfortably utilised by an assistant. The shower head should be on a rail to allow height adjustment and include a removeable handpiece on a flexible hose. Install flickmixer style taps for ease of operation. Temperature control is an important safety consideration when designing for old age. You do not want the chance of accidental scalding if the tap is bumped or operated incorrectly. Thermostatic mixing valves allow you to set the temperature of the water in your house or bathroom from a central point however they usually come with a high price tag. A much more affordable and simplistic option is to choose tapware that is fitted with an adjustable cartridge. This simple device allows you to limit the maximum temperature of an outlet by simply preventing the handle from turning passed a predetermined point (for more on this feature watch this video from Dorf tapware). Bathroom tile choice should take vision into consideration. An all white bathroom is not a good option for old age. As most sanitary fixtures are white, wall and floor tiles should be in a contrasting colour, as well as contrasting to each other (around a 30% contrast is optimal). See my post here for examples and inspiration. Decor Floor coverings should be easy to clean and maintain and have a good slip rating. The colour should be in a contrasting tone to the walls. Doors should also be painted in a contrasting colour for aiding visual impairment and dementia care. Window furnishings should be easy to operate, remote operated blinds and curtains are available and a good consideration if you can afford the additional investment. Ensure bookcases and freestanding furniture is secured to the wall to prevent toppling over in the case of someone grabbing it for stability. If this still seems overwhelming for you then we are here to help. Billy Hoo Studio offers interior design consultations Australia-wide via our online service with a designer experienced both professionally and personally in design for accessibility, assisted living, dementia care and over 50's living. Please get in touch to talk further about how we can help. To see full article click here

I know it would get more complicated and probably be more expensive , but basically you are trying to get too much in there IMO . Everything is a compromise , and in fact , even if you had say a garage with power and water on , and moved the laundry there , you are losing both an inside laundry and a bath , to get the luxury of an en-suite . Lose 2 things to gain 1 in my opinion , so unless your main focus is an ensuite at all costs , it doesn't make a lot of sense . Me , I'd either live with it as it is , or depending on rules , regulations , present construction ( brick , weatherboard , etc ) , boundaries , even whether raised or ground-level -- I'd look at adding on , even if its a step up from a lean to -- I know its a 90's sort of thing , but an ensuite attached from either Bed 1 or 2 would possibly make at least as much sense .

I have a very similar table. It also can fit 8 but I use as 6. I have the first chairs in your pic on my mood board for a future purchase. For a modern coastal look but built ins will be more traditional. I’m planning on using a light wood and will buy them with the white seat. I’ll probably recover the seats with a linen blend fabric in neutral for a custom look. The chairs are based on a Hans Wegner design so very timeless. Have what you love. I do suggest saving pics from here on Houzz and Pintrest to create moodboards that include existing furniture so that coordination of future purchases is easier.

The following suggestions for you to show a local builder/professional. Adding the 3rd bedroom looks like a simple addition with the sloping roof making it easier. For this room and the enclosed verandah I would look to use Hardie Cladding of your choice, you would also need to bring the 3rd bedroom floor up to match others. The first floorplan maintains the external stairs plus includes a new set of internal stairs to connect the lower floor and make it part of the existing house My thoughts are to re use the original windows from the living and Master bedroom for the new external verandah wall and possible consideration to maintaining the same window opening between rooms which already has a support beam, your local builder will advise you on that, the same applies to the exisiing rear door I have added Bed 3 minus the front entrance, I have also adjusted access into both bed 2 & 3 because of opening directly into the living space to give more privacy The second floorplan extends the Master bedroom which would allow for a future ensuite next to the family bathroom this would need the addition of a highlight window above the bed I have used 2100 depth for the verandah space but more less would still work. My lounge is 900 x 2200 This a plan that could be done in stages and still accommodate your family. Would love to know the aspect of the rear of your house. cheers