Get matched with top residential design pros in Wrangell, AK

You don’t have to commit to a complete home renovation to age in place comfortably—those can get pricey. Instead, focus on a few impactful changes. Consider adding a stair lift or installing ramps to eliminate barriers. Upgrading to non-slip flooring can prevent falls while adding brighter lighting can improve visibility throughout your home. These thoughtful updates can make your home much easier to navigate and enhance your comfort and safety without the stress and cost of a complete overhaul.

Open floor plans can come with drawbacks—mainly the lack of privacy and noise dampening. Walls act as an important barrier for traveling sounds, meaning in an open floor plan you could hear your dishwasher running while sitting in your living room. Storage limitations and separation of activities (for example, keeping the kid’s playroom away from the dining room) are other reasons some homeowners are opting out of an open floor plan.

You can design your own closet, but it’s usually better to hire a professional to do the work for you. Not only will you get years of design experience to guide you toward the right layout and material choices, but you’ll also only pay slightly more hiring a professional than you would creating your own plans and hiring a carpenter. A high-quality closet designer can provide insight into how to lay out your closet, and they may be able to find you a good deal on the carpentry or complete the work using an affordable, in-house team.

Some architects include interior design in their portfolio of offerings, while some architectural firms employ interior designers to handle that aspect of home building projects or refer clients to interior designers they’ve worked with in the past. Ask a local architect whether they offer interior design services as well.