How to Futureproof Your Living Room
Discover ways to ensure your home will continue working for you in years to come
- Creating your dream living room will always be a balance between aesthetics and practicality, especially if you’re keen to get the design right both for now and for later life. But that doesn’t mean you need to compromise with obviously “sensible” choices that jar with your vision.
“Low furniture, sharp corners, poor lighting, trip hazards, poorly considered circulation, high storage, and complex layouts can make living rooms difficult and unsuited to older people,” architect and designer Thomas Mullally says, but adds that creating or updating a living room for different stages in life, or to accommodate older members of the household, can be done subtly.
Ideas ranging from ergonomic furniture to flush thresholds, convenient electrics and even simply ditching the coffee table can help you to enhance safety without sacrificing style. See what Thomas and three more experts on Houzz advise for a fully futureproofed living room.
Professional advice from: Evelina Vatzeva of Carta Nova: Architecture & Beyond; Thomas Mullally of Mullally Architecture and Design; Eva Byrne of houseology; Becky Storey of Storey Interiors
More in this series: How to Futureproof Your Kitchen l How to Futureproof Your Bathroom
2. Aim for higher seating
Seating is the heart of any living room and, as such, is an area to really focus on. “Higher and firmer seats and armrests really make a difference,” Thomas says.
Becky Storey highlights the importance of seating that’s easy to get in and out of, especially for those with mobility difficulties. “Seating that’s too low – below about 48cm from the ground – can be problematic,” she says, “or seating that slopes down at the back, because it requires a lot more upper body strength to pull yourself up. The same goes for sofas that have really soft cushions or where the seat is very deep.”
For a lesser change than buying new chairs and sofas, Eva Byrne suggests that a standard seat height of 45cm should accommodate yourself and all visitors, and “a raised cushion at your favourite spot will improve accessibility here if needed”.
Evelina also highlights the importance of good support for the back to keep it straight, along, potentially, with support for the feet to be lifted. But she also has a word of caution about fully automated armchairs. “Personally, I don’t think they are in our favour,” she says. “They promote less movement and less activity … which can have a negative impact on body, mind and general health.”
It’s not all about sofas and armchairs – consider bespoke solutions, too. Evelina suggests that a great spot for adding new seating is within a bay window or alcove. “These are good places to install seating at a suitable height,” she says. “They can be standalone pieces or built-in, and offer a wonderful way of combining the practical with the beautiful while being bespoke for one’s own needs.”
Seating is the heart of any living room and, as such, is an area to really focus on. “Higher and firmer seats and armrests really make a difference,” Thomas says.
Becky Storey highlights the importance of seating that’s easy to get in and out of, especially for those with mobility difficulties. “Seating that’s too low – below about 48cm from the ground – can be problematic,” she says, “or seating that slopes down at the back, because it requires a lot more upper body strength to pull yourself up. The same goes for sofas that have really soft cushions or where the seat is very deep.”
For a lesser change than buying new chairs and sofas, Eva Byrne suggests that a standard seat height of 45cm should accommodate yourself and all visitors, and “a raised cushion at your favourite spot will improve accessibility here if needed”.
Evelina also highlights the importance of good support for the back to keep it straight, along, potentially, with support for the feet to be lifted. But she also has a word of caution about fully automated armchairs. “Personally, I don’t think they are in our favour,” she says. “They promote less movement and less activity … which can have a negative impact on body, mind and general health.”
It’s not all about sofas and armchairs – consider bespoke solutions, too. Evelina suggests that a great spot for adding new seating is within a bay window or alcove. “These are good places to install seating at a suitable height,” she says. “They can be standalone pieces or built-in, and offer a wonderful way of combining the practical with the beautiful while being bespoke for one’s own needs.”
3. Cover with texture
It’s not just about the height of your seating. “The material choice should be durable and easy to clean,” Thomas says.
Too-smooth surfaces may pose problems for older people. “Leather can be quite slippery for a person with lower core stability, because there’s not enough resistance on the fabric,” Becky says.
Instead, look for textured fabrics that are still easy to clean.
Looking for an architect or building designer? Check out the reviews in the Houzz Professionals Directory and find the perfect person nearby.
It’s not just about the height of your seating. “The material choice should be durable and easy to clean,” Thomas says.
Too-smooth surfaces may pose problems for older people. “Leather can be quite slippery for a person with lower core stability, because there’s not enough resistance on the fabric,” Becky says.
Instead, look for textured fabrics that are still easy to clean.
Looking for an architect or building designer? Check out the reviews in the Houzz Professionals Directory and find the perfect person nearby.
4. Have all you need to hand
A table for glasses, a drink or book, or even a digital room thermostat or automated control station for windows and curtains – think about the things you like to have within reach and design around them. “Reduce the amount of times [you] have to get up to turn on a light or get the remote by having everything within reach,” Becky says.
Evelina suggests side tables are good alternative to potentially hard-to-reach, circulation-clogging coffee tables. “They leave plenty of space for circulation and provide somewhere to put your book and drink.”
This may be about more than furniture, too. “You will need strong lighting for reading, so make sure you have sufficient sockets by your favourite seating areas,” Eva says. Tom adds, “Raising socket heights to reduce bending and placing them strategically to avoid trailing cables is essential for accessibility and safety.”
“Existing sockets can be rewired and moved to sit higher on the wall, if it’s a renovation,” Evelina adds. “Or, if homeowners are planning ahead, sockets can be installed at a higher level straight away, to make them easily accessible.”
A table for glasses, a drink or book, or even a digital room thermostat or automated control station for windows and curtains – think about the things you like to have within reach and design around them. “Reduce the amount of times [you] have to get up to turn on a light or get the remote by having everything within reach,” Becky says.
Evelina suggests side tables are good alternative to potentially hard-to-reach, circulation-clogging coffee tables. “They leave plenty of space for circulation and provide somewhere to put your book and drink.”
This may be about more than furniture, too. “You will need strong lighting for reading, so make sure you have sufficient sockets by your favourite seating areas,” Eva says. Tom adds, “Raising socket heights to reduce bending and placing them strategically to avoid trailing cables is essential for accessibility and safety.”
“Existing sockets can be rewired and moved to sit higher on the wall, if it’s a renovation,” Evelina adds. “Or, if homeowners are planning ahead, sockets can be installed at a higher level straight away, to make them easily accessible.”
5. Position rugs carefully
“Uneven floors, changes in floor finishes, transition profiles, rugs and carpet are common trip hazards in living spaces,” Evelina says. “Again, my best advice would be to plan ahead. If you’re doing renovation works for a property where you’re planning to stay when you get older, ask your architect to provide levelled floor finishes throughout.”
She notes that some of the common transition profiles she sees being used between two different floor finishes – say carpet and timber – are one of the biggest trip issues she sees in dwellings. As such, she advises using recessed profiles.
“These are flush with the finishes on both sides and can be applied between any two different finishes, but you need to inform your architect and builder ahead of time, so they can plan for this,” she says.
Eva suggests a sensible precaution for rugs is to add non-slip underlay. It also makes sense to position them judiciously, so edges are out of the way.
“Uneven floors, changes in floor finishes, transition profiles, rugs and carpet are common trip hazards in living spaces,” Evelina says. “Again, my best advice would be to plan ahead. If you’re doing renovation works for a property where you’re planning to stay when you get older, ask your architect to provide levelled floor finishes throughout.”
She notes that some of the common transition profiles she sees being used between two different floor finishes – say carpet and timber – are one of the biggest trip issues she sees in dwellings. As such, she advises using recessed profiles.
“These are flush with the finishes on both sides and can be applied between any two different finishes, but you need to inform your architect and builder ahead of time, so they can plan for this,” she says.
Eva suggests a sensible precaution for rugs is to add non-slip underlay. It also makes sense to position them judiciously, so edges are out of the way.
6. Flatten your hearth
As a follow-on to rug safety, do also take hearths into account. “A raised hearth at a fireplace is a trip hazard, so remove this and fit one that’s flush with the floor,” Eva suggests.
This doesn’t mean characterful tiling needs to be removed, only that it should be buried deep enough to create a seamless transition to the remaining floor, as here.
As a follow-on to rug safety, do also take hearths into account. “A raised hearth at a fireplace is a trip hazard, so remove this and fit one that’s flush with the floor,” Eva suggests.
This doesn’t mean characterful tiling needs to be removed, only that it should be buried deep enough to create a seamless transition to the remaining floor, as here.
7. Widen doorways
Even if wheelchairs and walking frames are not in the picture, a wider doorway will generally make for a more comfortable route in and out of your living room, our experts agree.
There are various suggestions from the pros for the ideal door width to allow for wheelchair access, but in an ideal world, 1m would be accessible for most users. So if you’re renovating extensively, consider resizing your doorways.
“If you decide to change their width later, that might require structural alterations, such as installing new lintels above the openings,” Evelina says. “I’ve worked with clients who requested to have wheelchair-suitable doorways from the very beginning. Both of them are enjoying excellent health in their seventies, but when we were designing their new-build home, they wanted to be prepared for any possible future.”
Where you’re unable to do this, Thomas suggests looking at alternatives, such as sliding pocket doors and threshold-free entries, both of which can improve accessibility without major structural changes. “It’s always best to check your designs against local building regulations, so you can tie both together,” he adds.
Even if wheelchairs and walking frames are not in the picture, a wider doorway will generally make for a more comfortable route in and out of your living room, our experts agree.
There are various suggestions from the pros for the ideal door width to allow for wheelchair access, but in an ideal world, 1m would be accessible for most users. So if you’re renovating extensively, consider resizing your doorways.
“If you decide to change their width later, that might require structural alterations, such as installing new lintels above the openings,” Evelina says. “I’ve worked with clients who requested to have wheelchair-suitable doorways from the very beginning. Both of them are enjoying excellent health in their seventies, but when we were designing their new-build home, they wanted to be prepared for any possible future.”
Where you’re unable to do this, Thomas suggests looking at alternatives, such as sliding pocket doors and threshold-free entries, both of which can improve accessibility without major structural changes. “It’s always best to check your designs against local building regulations, so you can tie both together,” he adds.
8. Enjoy it
Keep reminding yourself not to compromise on the style you love. A home should nurture. “Futureproofing living rooms for later life is important, but it doesn’t have to be off-the-shelf or standardised,” Thomas says. “By using the right designers and contractors for the task, you can create something to reflect both the needs and personalities of the end users.”
Tell us…
Which sorts of futureproofing ideas would you incorporate into your living room design? Let us know in the Comments.
Keep reminding yourself not to compromise on the style you love. A home should nurture. “Futureproofing living rooms for later life is important, but it doesn’t have to be off-the-shelf or standardised,” Thomas says. “By using the right designers and contractors for the task, you can create something to reflect both the needs and personalities of the end users.”
Tell us…
Which sorts of futureproofing ideas would you incorporate into your living room design? Let us know in the Comments.
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Being able to circulate freely around your room is key for both safety and comfort, our experts agree. Circulation in architecture is the way we move through buildings. “Good circulation means wide, clear paths and logical flow between key areas, allowing easy movement,” Thomas says.
“With increasing age, mobility becomes more of an issue for most of us,” Evelina Vatzeva says, adding that a cluttered floor can be problematic. “As the living room is a space to relax in, it’s important to keep routes short and clutter-free with no furniture ‘in the way’.
“Access to windows and furniture such as bookshelves and the TV should be free of loose furniture,” she continues. “Ideally, there would be no freestanding stools or a coffee table in front of the sofa – or, if there was, there would be plenty of space to walk around it.”
This isn’t to suggest you need a bigger living room in later life, though. “One way of rethinking the design would be to [leave] more space [free],” Evelina says. “Space-saving furniture and fewer loose pieces, such as stools, small coffee tables and newspaper holders, would help to keep the floor area free of clutter and therefore avoid tripping and stumbling.”