How to Fit Your Treasures into Smaller Retirement Living Space

Nov. 2, 2007 - Like many children of the “Sandwich Generation,” Sue Thomas found herself helping her mother move into a local 55+ community. As a decorator with over 20 years of experience, Sue immediately made the connection between redesign and retirement communities.

She recognized the need for decorators who could work primarily with what clients already own, while incorporating the principals of traditional design, and accommodating the needs of an aging population.

Why Redesign is Ideal for Retirement Community Living

Redesign is a form of interior decorating that emphasizes the use of existing furniture, artwork, and other treasures. Older adults have had a lifetime to accumulate furniture, mementos, and family heirlooms so they typically do not want or need to purchase a room full of new furniture.

The decision to move to a retirement community is often followed by the difficult task of downsizing. By the day of the move, only the most precious possessions make the transition. It makes sense to want the treasures of one’s life to be displayed and used to their fullest potential.

Most people have used their furniture and grouped their accessories the same way for years. This familiarity makes it difficult to envision new groupings or uses. A redesigner has the advantage of looking at these items with a decorator’s eye a fresh perspective, enabling the redesigner to create beautiful new arrangements their clients never would have considered.


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Though most retirement communities have employees who can help place furniture and hang pictures, they are typically not interior decorators or designers. Artwork is rarely hung at the right height and furniture is not used to its fullest aesthetic or functional capacity. Using each piece to its best advantage is an essential part of redesign in smaller spaces.

The Redesign Process:

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Starting with a consultation visit, a redesigner gets to know her client. She gauges the functional and sentimental value of the client’s possessions as they walk through the home room by room, taking “inventory” and “shopping” for items to be used in different ways. A good redesigner will hone in on their client’s sense of style and color preferences.

Particular attention should be paid to how the living space is used, checking to see if hobbies have spilled over into the living room or if the computer has become the focal point of the dining room. Special wants or needs and health aids are noted and will be accommodated during the redesign process.

Depending on the budget and desired look, the redesigner might work strictly with the current set of possessions or may promote changing paint color or adding window treatments. Suggestions might be made for exchanging an old piece of furniture for new, adding artwork, or introducing a floral arrangement.

If new items are required, the redesigner will usually do the shopping.

Once the scope of work has been defined, the redesign can begin. Because the typical retirement community apartment is not large, it is important to make the most of the available space. Using each piece of furniture to its fullest functional and aesthetic potential is essential.

Creating separate areas within the home for different uses gives a room a well thought-out look. For instance, if a client has a computer in their main living space, the redesigner would create an attractive but functional office area. Visually separating the two areas gives the whole room a cleaner, finished look.


Vignette		Another vignette

Another decorating tool is the vignette. By creating focal points with groupings of favorite collections, pieces of artwork, and other accessories, the redesigner can draw the eye toward different points of interest and away from the less attractive features of a room.