Fifty Is Not What It Used To Be, And Neither Is Sixty

Have you seen the latest cover of New York Magazine?

A take-off of the infamous Demi Moore cover on Vanity Fair, it’s a bit unnerving. But re-defining the who/what/when/why  of what makes up a family, and how they live is not news to the Census Bureau,  or to those of us in the home and housing industry.

As a young adult, most of us became familiar with the typical milestones in life: first job, first place, first serious relationship, family, career, retirement.

We might not experience them all, but they were familiar, and by and large, this was the order we experienced them in.

Today, people in their 50’s could be new parents-adoptive or otherwise, sending kids off to school at any grade, welcoming back their grads who have not found a job, helping to raise grandchildren. They could also be be care-givers for an  ill or re-habbing child or spouse, or tending to the needs of a parent.

Those in their sixties might have many of the same situations-perhaps less actively involved in children living in their home, but they could be retiring just as easily as they’d be starting up their own business…down-sizing their residence, or upsizing into a 2nd, vacation home. Divorcing…or re-marrying, complete with a new blended, extended family.

Economics, medical science and a society generally more accepting of differences have all combined to blur previously understood definitions and  accepted timelines. According to the Pew Institute, a record 49 million-or 16.1% of Americans lived in a household that contained two different adult generations, or a grandparent and at least one other generation.

Add in the burgeoning work-at-home segment, rarely does their space and their things best serve their current circumstances. They all have to live somewhere.  That is where the value of hiring professionals lies.

Each family presents its own unique situation and challenges. Home professionals know the questions to ask, and have smart solutions.  Architects are trained to address changes and updates in infrastructure; experienced Senior Move Managers are a godsend who help make transitions easy for parent and adult children as well.

Having worked shoulder to shoulder with homeowners, in thousands of Westchester and Fairfield county homes, I understand how people live in their homes, and bring a unique perspective to the table.

Trained/certified  as both a Decorator and a Home Stager, I understand how to balance the yearning with the reality, and know how to combine the common sense and the dream, the aesthetically pleasing as well as the functional.

the refreshed home supports and plays well with Architects, Movers, Senior Move Managers, Realtors, Contractors/Builders, Property Managers and Landlords.

Because I understand-and can explain-design principles like balance and color, space planning and lighting-the refreshed home  specializes in old, unusual and small-to-average spaces, and also works directly with homeowners, tenants, buyers, sellers, and small business owners.

Bottom line, if your life/family/lifestyle is not matching up with your space, or your possessions, there could be some very easy fixes for you, and we should talk. Soon.

Because life is too short for you not to be in your best possible space.