Design Advice on Reconfiguring an Emptying Nest, Part 1
In this sketch, Danielle
Galland suggests one way to freshen up a child's former bedroom with a
nod to their childhood: pullout sofabed, with a few pieces of the
child's artwork or other ephemera grouped along one wall.
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: August 7, 2013 4 Comments
This week’s expert, Danielle Galland, an interior designer, is answering readers’ questions
about two kinds of living transitions that many baby boomers face: the
semi-empty nest, with children leaving for college but returning during
breaks, and the empty nest geared toward retirement.
-
My Story: The Memory Lady’s Daughter Tries to Fill the Gaps
August 12, 2013 -
Unhitched: Lessons Learned When It’s All Over
August 9, 2013 -
Unhitched: When Cheating’s the Issue, Remorse Helps
August 9, 2013 -
The Boss: A Responsibility to Give Back
August 10, 2013 -
Making It Last: Never a Seven-Year Itch
August 9, 2013
Danielle Galland, interior designer
Readers’ Comments
Share your thoughts.
Ms. Galland started her own firm in New York City, Danielle Galland
Interior Design Inc., in 2004. Since 2011 she has taught classes in hand
drawing and rendering at the New York School of Interior Design.
Previously she taught at Parsons the New School for Design. She received
her M.A. in the history of the decorative arts from the Cooper-Hewitt
National Design Museum Program.
Here is part 1 of her answers.
Elevators in Houses
Q. We are empty nesters thinking about keeping our two-story
3,400-square-foot house for the duration. High-equity, low-property tax
basis, and simple familiarity and comfort is a driver here. The only way
it might work is installing an elevator as an elder “fail safe.” The
issues, and cost, of installing a residential elevator would be of great
interest to read. — Rick, Yorba Linda
A. Dear Rick: the installation of a residential elevator in an existing
house is no small bit of renovation or expense. To have the elevator
installed usually requires the work of multiple trades, each bringing
their own skill sets. They include a licensed architect, who can file
any relevant building permits and verify that the structural detailing
proposed will meet local building codes. More important, they are there
to ensure that the work will not adversely affect the structural
integrity of the house. Then you need a general contractor to prepare
the space for the elevator. Finally, you need an elevator company, which
provides the equipment, installs and maintains it, but also works with
the general contractor and architect to make sure they have built the
space to the required specifications.
Scott Wallace of Accredited Home Elevator Company, which builds
and installs elevators in the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania,
advises that the cost varies greatly based on your location and building
type. Issues that affect the cost include the structural makeup of your
home, the foundation upon which your home is built, the local building
code, which can run from very lenient to heavily restricted, and local
labor rates.
That said, in gross general terms, elevator cabins can cost around
$20,000, but again, that can vary significantly depending upon how many
floors are serviced by that one elevator.
A less costly option would be a stair lift; while certainly not as
aesthetically pleasing, it can be of great benefit to aging residents. A
stair lift would require a minimum stair width of 36 inches; structural
integrity to your staircase; and an electrical outlet at the top or the
bottom of the run of the stair. This alternative has an associated
equipment cost in the realm of $3,000 for the mechanical parts only.
Rethinking the Role of Childhood Bedrooms
Q. Move forward. Downsize ,and live your life. Your children don’t
need or want a memorial to their childhood when they come home. They
want and need to see you happy and productive. Sleeping arrangements are
secondary. — mlg56, Vermont
Q. Mine is about to fly the coop, and my intention is to store most
of the childhood paraphernalia, and make over the room into a really
welcoming guest room, which I hope she and our friends will enjoy
frequently. She won’t need a closet full of clothes — long-term keepers
can go into storage, so that opens a lot of space. We will keep many of
her beloved books, artwork, and still leave room for the new adventures
and memories when they come. — Constance, Oregon
A. A couple of readers commented on the role of
childhood bedrooms once the children were out of the house. Generally I
agree with mlg56’s instinct to “Move forward,” and Constance from
Oregon’s plan to store away her daughter’s keepsakes so she can create a
beautiful inviting guest bedroom. Keeping the childhood bedroom intact
is not necessarily a benefit to the child or the parent, as eventually
it becomes a cleanout that must be dealt with, and time only makes the
task at hand look more unappealing to execute.
That said, I think freshening up a current or former child’s bedroom
with a nod to their childhood can be a sweet way to commemorate their
place in the home while decluttering and possibly dispensing with those
decorating phases that were not your favorite to live with as a parent. I
would suggest taking a few select artworks, awards, photos and other
ephemera and framing them in a series of cohesive frames, and then
hanging them along one wall in a grouped composition. It’s fun, it
allows for recognition of your child, but also removes the question of
whose space it is meant to cater to in the future.
On a more personal note, I recall when I first went to my future in-laws
home while dating my husband-to-be when we were in our early 20s.
Staying in his childhood bedroom with all the trophies and posters and
his twin bed, while enlightening, was definitely a less than comfortable
and a slightly awkward experience. As we grew into our late 20s, his
twin was changed out for a queen bed, and the room was redecorated. I
think he and I both slept better in the room knowing it no longer housed
the vestiges of those strange teenage years.
Q. Thinking of turning one of my kids’ rooms into a fitness room
with a TRX and stretching areas. What do you think? How would you design
it? I don’t need cardio equipment and this is a small bedroom. Thanks. —
CPS, Colo.
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