7 Things all Great Granny Flats Need
Granny flats or annexes are very common. If you’ve got space, adding a granny flat to your home can give you a way to care for elderly parents or loved ones, helping them to maintain their independence, without them needing to move into a care home. For many families, it’s the perfect solution. But as an adult, having a parent move in can be hard. It’s important that you give them freedom and privacy, while still offering care and support to keep them safe and healthy. Getting the layout and décor of your granny flat right can help you to find this balance. Here are some tips to help you.
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A Comfortable bed
If there’s one thing all good granny flats need, it’s a good bed. These bedframes from VidaXL are a great start. Your loved one will also need a comfortable and supportive mattress, and if the room is fairly small, you may want to find a bed with storage drawers.
Seating Options
Your parent won’t just be spending the night in their new flat, they’ll be living there. They won’t spend all of their time in bed, so they’ll need other seating options like a sofa and a dining table and chairs.
Space to Entertain
Moving in with you shouldn’t mean that your loved one has to give up time with their friends. If anything, it should mean that they’ve got the freedom to make new friends and space to entertain them in their flat. Good seating is a great start, but you should also make sure they’ve got space, and ideally a room separate from their bedroom where they can spend time with their friends.
Mobility Aids
Even if your parent or other loved one is still fit and healthy and able to get around without assistance, they are going to get older and their mobility may decline. When planning their granny flat, consider any help that they might need in the future, and prepare their flat so that they don’t lose their independence too soon.
Storage
One of the hardest parts of moving a parent into a smaller flat is that they’ll often be moving out of a much larger home. This might mean that they have a lot of possessions and furniture. While some might need to be sold or moved into your main home, they should be able to keep the things that mean a lot to them. Make sure they’ve got storage.
A Private Entrance
A private entrance can help them to feel as though they still live alone, which can be important for their mental health and everyone’s privacy. If a completely separate entrance isn’t an option, could they use the back door to your home while you use the front?
Outdoor Space
A parent moving in doesn’t mean that you have to divide your garden into theirs and yours. But making sure that they are welcome and feel free to use the garden can be very good for their health and well-being.
For many families, a granny annexe is an ideal way to care for ageing parents. With these elements, your granny flat can give your loved ones plenty of privacy, helping them to enjoy their senior years while being near to people that they love.