Decorating 101: 5 Tips to Personalize Your Senior Living Space

picture of plants on a shelf

When older adults move to a senior living community, they have a unique opportunity to personalize their space to design the senior living space of their dreams. Whether they want something home-like, upscale or simply modern, the opportunities are endless.

“At Kendal on Hudson, our unique floor plans allow residents to choose what best works for them and allows them to achieve the style they’re hoping to design,” says Ellen Oddstadt of Kendal® on Hudson, the only true Life Plan community in Westchester County. “From one- and two-bedroom apartments, one- and two-bedroom apartments including dens and apartments varying in square feet, residents can choose to use their home as they please. Create an ideal outdoor space on your patio or balcony, make your bedroom a calming retreat, personalize a welcoming foyer … everything is up to you.”

Discover Your Style

When it’s time to personalize your senior living space, there’s a lot to consider. To help make it easier to prioritize your needs, try answering the following questions:

  • How big is my space?
  • Do I want to bring anything from home, or do I need to shop?
  • What style do I hope to achieve?
  • Are there certain colors that make me the happiest?
  • Has there been a specific place that I love more than anywhere? The city, the beach? Can I blend this into my new space?
  • What type of wall art would I like? Pictures of friends and family? Paintings I’ve done? Simple photographs or my favorite art pieces?

Having this information to consider could help make the decisions easier for you. If you love the beach and your family has spent significant time there, gather some photographs and purchase some beachy items. Make your patio feel like a tropical getaway. If the theatre is where your heart lies, perhaps hang some pictures of black and white movie posters in the den and create your own movie theater complete with a refreshment stand.

Ways to Personalize Your Senior Living Space

Whether you want to completely overhaul your previous style for something new or don’t really know where to start, here are some ways to create the perfect living space.

  1. Decorate your entryway. When walking into your home, consider how you want yourself and others to feel. Get a console table and decorate it. Add a beautiful piece of ‘welcome’ art.
  2. Hang meaningful wall art. Whether your family and friends are most important, you’ve collected or created your own art or want to shop for something new, wall art can make a big difference in personalizing your space.
  3. Make your living room welcoming. Find pillows you love for your couch and chairs, place some candles and books on the coffee table, consider placing a beverage and snack cart somewhere just in case of visitors.
  4. Design your outdoor space. Whether you have a patio or balcony, creating a unique outdoor space is fun. Find a nice outdoor rug, a patio table and chairs, some plants and unique pillows and a tray complete with glasses and a pitcher for in case company arrives.
  5. Personalize a beautiful dining space. Don’t underestimate the power of table settings and fancy glasses. Get some napkins in the style you prefer, along with some place settings and set the table. Even if no one is eating there, it will give the space an instant lift!

For more tips on how to personalize your space, create your ideal living environment and more, contact the team at Kendal on Hudson. We would be happy to talk with you about personalizing the home of your dreams. Simply contact our team to schedule a tour and picture yourself here. Contact us today by calling 914-922-1000.

Together, Transforming the Experience of Aging.®

Founded on Quaker principles and guided by our values and practices, Kendal® on Hudson provides a vibrant, active and social senior lifestyle on our 25-acre campus next to the historic Hudson River. As the only Lifecare community in Westchester County, we offer four levels of service for our residents: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Support and Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Services.

Kendal on Hudson is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization led by a volunteer Board of Directors. Kendal on Hudson is an affiliate of The Kendal Corporation, a system of communities and services for older people based in Kennett Square, PA. We support diversity, inclusiveness, and independence and support the values and practices of Kendal by remaining focused on healthy aging. Located in Sleepy Hollow, New York, just 35 miles from New York City, we offer a vibrant lifestyle, cultural programs, continued learning and health care for life.

For more information, please call 914-922-1000.