Right-sizing” for Empty Nesters:

It’s an Art

By Robin C. Bonner

As an art major in college, at one point I thought seriously about studying interior design. The idea of designing living space appealed to me. I always felt that one’s happiness depends to a large extent upon one’s environment. Well, one thing led to another, and I found myself graduating from college with a degree in English and a minor in art. I’ll never regret taking those art courses, though—a good design sense, whether with color or lighting or space, affects in a positive way how well I am able to control my physical and therefore emotional environment. We all strive to be creative, to personalize our space. Sometimes, though, if we lack knowledge on how to design beautiful and efficient space, we need help—especially at difficult junctures in our lives, such as when we’re trading an empty nest for a new living arrangement.

Professional Design
Enter Adele Fine, career interior designer. Armed with a BFA from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and experience in the commercial design arena, Adele gradually moved to designing residential interiors. She was, and through her company, Business Environments, still is, creating living space for loyal clients. By gaining their trust, she also earns their repeat business as they move from one life stage to another—and from one home to another.

Adele’s epiphany came as she helped her aging parents downsize their belongings, sell their home, and move into a seniors’ development. She labels this essential act “right-sizing.” Word Spy says this term originated in business to deflect the negative connotations of corporate downsizing. Fine uses it in a similar way to put a positive spin on paring down one’s possessions and living space. Helping her parents led Fine to specialize in design for aging people.

To begin the right-sizing process, she asks, “What do I need to achieve with this space?” She strives for efficiency and for joy. “People are budget-conscious [when they are downsizing],” she notes, “but they need an uplifting, happy environment.” She adds, “They have a mind of their own; they know what they want.” They desire guidance, though—tips on how to do it right. And they’re willing to pay an expert like Adele to coach them. “Parents don’t want to be told what to do by their children—at any age,” she notes wryly. So Fine lends her professional expertise to help them achieve their goals.

Be Prepared
Bringing humor to a serious situation, Adele encourages empty nesters to prepare efficiently for a move and lessens the stress they would experience otherwise. Not only does she streamline the process by providing a moving task list but she also suggests practical solutions for the future. New digs can be equipped for the physical challenges of aging: Wooden supports beneath bathroom tile that will hold grab bars added later and hallways wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair are best installed during construction. “[People] don’t like to discuss health issues, how to plan for emergencies, but I’m adamant about it,” Adele discloses. Her clients are left with peace of mind. They know they won’t have to deal with these issues at a time they will be perhaps less able to.

Fine’s work over many years with one 84-year-old client has allowed the woman to “age in place.” Rather than move to a smaller dwelling when her family had grown, she chose to live in only part of the house, outfitted to be aging friendly. Thus, she resides in her long-time home yet is comfortable. “I converted her space to be more efficient and joyful. No one’s given a number [an age he’ll live to] when he’s changing his world. You have to have a safe comfort zone—you have to be happy,” Fine explains. She helps her clients do just that.

Respecting the Individual
Right-sizing is about getting in touch with oneself. “People need to tune in to who they are and where they are going,” Fine notes. She respects clients as individuals, helping them get to know themselves—their needs, their likes and dislikes. She helps them think about what’s best for them. Then she allows space in the plan for their hobbies and activities. “Do you read? Do you paint? Where are your golf clubs going to go? Do you have room to play bridge? Do you like to cook? Are you serving 30 for the holidays, or will you be celebrating elsewhere?” The list is endless. Adele takes it all under consideration. She then tries to “bring a calm to the situation. When your children leave, you renew your space and reflect on yourself” she explains. “You have china? Use it every day!” she tells her clients. “What are you saving it for?” Indeed.

Right-sizing with Style
Adele’s work helping people right-size their lives led her to develop a Rightsizing with Style (© AFG interiors) pamphlet that outlines pitfalls to avoid and procedures to follow. She addresses the following:

• What Is Right-sizing? An introduction to the right-sizing process.
• Tools for Cleanup: A list of supplies to have on hand that will make the job easier.
• Cleaning in Stages: By thinking about the interests you’ll pursue while living in your new space and using Fine’s stage-based cleaning method.
• Tips: Sort, reevaluate, return, donate, and choose.
• Plan Your New Space: Develop a floor plan considering construction and adaptation issues.
• Your Space: Trust your instincts.

Fine’s plans for the future include expanding her pamphlet into a book.

A Growing Trend?
The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that in 2007, 10.8% of the U.S. population was between 55 and 64 years of age. This means that about 1 of 10 people in the United States is reaching that point in life when things change. People in this age range have a different role in the family. Their kids are out on their own, so they need less space. Or they want a living situation that requires less upkeep. They must decide where they wish to live, what they’re willing to do to get there, and how they want their new space to look.

Web sites such as Design Finder help by allowing a search by specialty and location. Other organizations, such as the Interior Design Society, also offer a search for designers nationwide. See “Links,” at the end of this article. Also see Moving On—Urban Nesters Head Downtown, in this issue, for more information on empty nesting relocation trends.

The Perfect Niche
With 10% of the population ripe for right-sizing, Adele Fine and her design colleagues around the country have their work cut out for them. For her part, Fine takes every opportunity to get her message across, giving Right-sizing with Style seminars to community groups and 55+ organizations in the Philadelphia area.

Adele enjoys living in Center City Philadelphia, having right-sized her life from suburbs to city. She has a close relationship with her three grown daughters, with whom, she says, “she is joined at the hip.” Although her passion is painting and printmaking, she has no plans for retirement and so will continue helping others right-size their lives. Adele can be reached for a consultation at afdd@comcast.net.

Links
Design Finder allows you to search by specialty and location, to find an interior designer in your area.

Interior Design Society also offers a search for designers nationwide.

American Institute of Architects, which has a knowledge group that specializes in design for aging, offers a search by location, as well as specific information for the public at “Identifying the Services You Need.”

“Aging Gracefully,” from Interior Design magazine describes redesigning a New York beach house to match the owners’ maturing lifestyle.

ASID to Offer Design Workshops, also in Interior Design magazine, discusses the “hot” field of design for aging.

Note: The American Society of Interior Designers would probably also be a good source of information on design for aging, but the society’s Web site was down at the time of this writing.