SuperAgers are upsetting many traditions and stereotypes. One of them is, that getting older necessarily means down-sizing.
Why can’t you do the opposite?
Why not turn your living space into a dynamic, exciting stage for the activities and lifestyle you’re passionate about?
Good news. You not only can, but it’s now actually becoming a “thing” that is recognized by planners and designers.
It’s called “fun-sizing” (the term was coined by Architectural Digest) and you can read more about it here, here and here.
It’s definitely tied in with “aging in place” — the desire to stay, independently and safely, in your own home for as long as possible. But in addition to equipping that home with the necessary health and safety features (which we’ve covered extensively here, and will continue to do so) there’s also the need for pure enjoyment. As one of the articles headlines, “Fun Sizing Is a Playful, Passion-Driven Alternative to Downsizing.”
The money quote:
“The expectation used to be that when people retired and became empty nesters, it was time to downsize from their family homes into smaller, more manageable condos and apartments. But times have changed; many retirees have decided that now is the time to enjoy the homes they worked so hard to create—and even improve them to make room for new dreams. Enter a new alternative to downsizing: fun-sizing.”
The underlying drive behind fun-sizing is that “life’s second — or third — act can be lively and exciting, with people using their retirement to explore their passions and share their homes with friends and family, rather than cutting back and shrinking it.”
Fun-sizing means adapting your home to accommodate your interests, whether it’s crafting, entertainment, music, wellness or more entertainment.
That means having enough room. A study found that among US adults aged 58-76 who bought a home last year, most of them at least same-sized and nearly 20% bought a home of more than 3,-000 square feet. Downsizing, indeed!
Check out the articles because they offer lots of example, including photos. But here are a few highlight facts and quotes:
– – “Designer Michelle Nussbaumer told Architectural Digest that ‘we’re entering the era of the luxury fun house’ and for her older clients, it can also mean incorporating spaces designed specifically for their grandchildren.”
— (Fun-sizing) your home doesn’t need to involve pricey renovations. You could get creative with a bedroom a child no longer occupies, or repurpose a formal living room you never use. Maybe there’s a corner in your basement that could become a sewing space, or a nook by a window that could transform into a reading area. Or perhaps you want to start a second career, and a spot that doubles as an office and a production room will help you make it a reality.”
— It isn’t just the functionality, it’s also the look, the vibe, the energy. “(Clients are) opting for energetic and exuberant design that breathes new life into the aesthetics and function of their nest. The goal is…to displace the old with a more interesting and idiosyncratic new. It’s about shifting the surroundings in ways that support, and even celebrate, the positive aspects of change.”
It’s hard to find a better illustration of the entire SuperAging philosophy than fun-sizing!
(Photo credit: Oleksandr But at iStock by Getty)
