As we get older and life changes, many of us find ourselves ready to downsize to a smaller home. Nevertheless, downsizing doesn’t have to mean sacrificing luxury or comfort.
With some thoughtful planning and the help of a quality luxury home builder you can create a peaceful sanctuary that perfectly suits this new phase of life.
Evaluate Your Needs
The first step is to carefully evaluate how your lifestyle and needs have changed over time.
Consider key questions like:
- How much space do you realistically require now versus before?
- What rooms and amenities are still essential to your lifestyle?
- How often do you still plan to entertain guests or have family come stay over?
- Will you need an office, hobby room, multi-purpose room, or lots of storage?
Being brutally honest with yourself about your current and future needs will help narrow down the right-sized home. A floor plan with unused rooms will only mean more spaces to furnish, clean and maintain.
Create a Wish List
As you prepare to downsize, make a wish list of all the features that are absolute must-haves in your new luxury sanctuary. For most looking to downsize, at the top of that list is likely a spacious, gourmet eat-in kitchen and a lavish master suite with spa bathroom.
Other common priorities may include amenities like a sunroom, home gym, media room, courtyard, workshop, or guest house if you still plan to host friends and family overnight.
Choose the Right Location
When downsizing, choosing the perfect neighborhood or community is key to creating your sanctuary. Consider what locations offer in terms of:
- convenience to shops, restaurants, entertainment.
- proximity to parks, walking trails, recreation.
- access to top quality healthcare facilities.
- close distance to family and friends.
- privacy, safety, and security.
Speak with a realtor to help you identify your ideal location based on your lifestyle needs and priorities both now and in the coming years.
Design a High-End, Low-Maintenance Haven
One of the biggest perks of downsizing is less home maintenance. Collaborate closely with an architect or luxury home builder such as those at Jamestown Estate Homes, to create a home that seamlessly blends high-end finishes and features with ease of upkeep.
Some top elements to request are:
- Easy care and durable surfaces like quartz counters over high-maintenance granite.
- Low maintenance exterior materials like brick and fiber cement siding over wood sidings.
- Native, drought tolerant plants for landscaping that require less watering and care.
- Smart home automation for effortless control of security, lighting, and HVAC.
- Open concept floor plan with aging-in-place considerations.
Embrace Simplified Living
Downsizing to a smaller luxury sanctuary also allows for greater simplicity in your lifestyle. With fewer rooms to furnish, clean and decorate you can thoughtfully pare down possessions to only those most essential.
This is your chance to focus more on what matters most in life and less on material things accumulated simply to fill a large house.
Working with a Luxury Home Builder
Unless you plan to buy an existing home, working with a high-end custom home builder skilled in luxury downsizing projects is highly recommended.
A qualified builder has the valuable experience to take your vision and translate it effectively into detailed plans for your ideal smaller luxury refuge based on your lifestyle priorities, needs and budget.
Conclusion
Downsizing into an exquisite, comfortable home sanctuary tailored specially to support this exciting new chapter is incredibly rewarding. Simplify your lifestyle while still intentionally surrounding yourself only with possessions and spaces that enrich your life.
Before you know it, you’ll be happily settled and at home in the peaceful sanctuary you deserve.