Planning Ahead: Creating a Home That Grows With You in 2026
Most of us don't spend much time thinking about what our homes will feel like in twenty or thirty years. We're busy living in the present, and that makes sense. But here's something I've learned from working with clients across different life stages: the best time to think about how your home will serve you in the future is when you're designing or renovating it today. Planning for the future allows you to age in place, building a house that has been curated just for you and your family’s needs as you get older.
Perhaps this means combining households and putting two accessible homes on one block. A design that means everyone can live happily and comfortably on the same site, and giving you the support you need headed into your golden years (without losing freedom or privacy). Or maybe it’s just downsizing into something more accessible day to day, that costs you less to run.
What I've Seen Work
Over the years, I've worked with clients in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who've made smart decisions about their homes. Some were building new. Others were downsizing. What they had in common was thinking ahead without overthinking it.
One couple I worked with were in their early 60s, planning to downsize from their large family home. They weren't dealing with any mobility issues, but they'd watched their own parents struggle with stairs and narrow doorways as they aged. "We just want to make sensible choices now," they told me. And that's exactly what we did.
Their home doesn't look or feel like it's been designed for older people. It just works well. The doorways are a bit wider - you'd never notice unless you measured. There's a bedroom and full bathroom on the main floor. The shower has a built-in seat that doubles as a handy shelf. The lighting throughout is excellent, which everyone appreciates regardless of age.
They've told me since moving in that they're sleeping better, entertaining more comfortably, and generally just enjoying their space. That's what good design should do.
It's Not Really About Age
Here's what's interesting - the features that make a home work well as you get older are actually just good design principles that make life easier at any age:
Better lighting makes everything easier, whether you're 35 or 75. Good natural light and well-placed fixtures aren't an "aging in place" feature - they're just smart design.
Fewer stairs means less climbing when you're carrying groceries, laundry, or a sleeping toddler. A main floor bedroom is convenient when you're dealing with an injury, illness, or just want everything on one level.
Wider doorways and hallways make moving furniture easier, give you more space when you're carrying things, and generally just feel more open and comfortable.
Walk-in showers with good seating are luxurious for anyone. Ever tried shaving your legs while balancing in a tub? A shower seat is just practical.
Lever door handles are easier for everyone - especially when your hands are full or you're dealing with arthritis (which, by the way, can affect people at any age).
The Practical Side
Let's talk about what this actually means for your project.
If you're building new or doing a major renovation, incorporating these features during the initial design adds roughly 2-5% to your overall costs. That might be anywhere from a few thousand to perhaps $15,000 depending on your project scope.
Retrofitting these same features later? That's where costs jump significantly - often 15-30% of your home's value, plus the disruption of living through renovations.
I'm not sharing this to create urgency or worry. I'm sharing it because it's helpful to know the economics when you're making decisions about your home.
Thinking About Your Future Self
I often ask clients to imagine their daily routines in their future home. Not in a morbid way, but practically:
Where do you see yourself spending most of your time? It makes sense to have those spaces comfortable and accessible.
Do you want to be able to host family, including possibly adult children or grandchildren who might need a place to stay? Flexible spaces that can serve multiple purposes give you options.
What aspects of your current home create friction in your daily life? Addressing those now prevents them from becoming bigger issues later.
What do you actually enjoy about maintaining a home? If you love gardening but hate cleaning gutters, factor that into your design decisions.
The Multigenerational Option
Something I see increasingly often: homes that work for multiple generations aren't just practical for your own aging - they're valuable if family circumstances change.
Homes and construction are becoming more and more expensive and diffiult to access for the younger generation. Likewise, aging parents are wanting to stay home more and more, aging in place and surrounded by loved ones. You might need ongoing support, Grandchildren might need care. Life happens, and having a home that can flex with these needs is genuinely valuable.
We’ve done some fantastic multi-generational homes in Canberra and rural NSW allowing three generations to function on one site. Giving everyone what they need, with lower build costs, on-going running costs - and a comfortable space for everyone to live without giving up your privacy or living on top of each other.
In other cases, that might just mean having a main floor bedroom that could serve as a guest room, a home office, or additional living space as needed. Or ensuring there's decent separation between living areas so people aren't constantly on top of each other.
What Actually Matters
After working on dozens of these projects, here's what I've found makes the real difference:
Honest conversations about how you actually live, what concerns you have, and what flexibility you want your home to provide.
Practical choices that don't scream "designed for elderly people" but just work well for everyday living.
Realistic budgeting that weighs the cost of doing things right now versus potentially needing to modify later.
Quality over features - better to do a few things really well than add every possible accessibility feature you might never need.
Starting the Conversation
If you're thinking about building or renovating, it's worth having a straightforward discussion about how your home can serve you long-term. Not because you need to plan for every possible scenario, but because making some smart choices now gives you more flexibility later.
The conversation doesn't have to be complicated. It's really just: What matters to you now? What might matter to you in 10, 20, 30 years? What makes sense to incorporate given your budget and plans?
Sometimes the answer is "let's include these features now." Sometimes it's "let's design it so these features could be added later if needed." Both approaches can work - it depends on your specific situation.
Our Approach
I work with clients to understand their actual needs and concerns, not to sell them features they don't want or need. My background as both an architect and energy assessor means I'm looking at how your home works as a complete system - not just checking boxes on an accessibility list.
What I can promise is a transparent conversation about costs, practical options that match your lifestyle, and design that focuses on how you want to live rather than assumptions about what you "should" need.
The goal is always the same: a home that reduces your ongoing costs, provides genuine comfort year-round, and gives you the flexibility to adapt as your life changes.
That's not about fear or planning for decline. It's just good design that respects the reality that life changes, and your home should be able to keep up.
Want to talk through what aging-in-place design might mean for your specific project?
I'm happy to have a straightforward conversation about your goals, budget, and options - no pressure, just honest discussion about what makes sense for your situation. You can click the button below to book a chat with me, or just give me (Brent) a call on 0439 502 853 - I’m always up for a chat. We’re local to the Canberra region (Including Bungendore, Sutton, Wamboin, Bywong and surrounds) and love supporting our community.
