The Forever Home

The Forever Home : Designing Houses to Last a Lifetime

Most people live in homes that become dysfunctional when their family circumstances change, whether it is suddenly having to work from home, new mobility challenges, or an unexpected in-law arriving on the scene. It doesn't have to be that way. Houses can be designed to accommodate family needs now and in the future. Interviews with 20 homeowners and their designers illustrate flexible solutions to a variety of living arrangements. Combined with photographs and floor plans, the case studies represent different perspectives, from young families to divorcees, single-parent households, and retirees. Tips at the end of each chapter address issues such as key lifestyle questions to ask before designing a forever house, where not to skimp, and how to plan spaces for double and triple duty. Designing an adaptable home has economic, environmental, and emotional rewards. With smart planning, it's possible to build a house that can be passed on to the next generation. Most people live in homes that become dysfunctional when their family circumstances change, whether it is suddenly having to work from home, new mobility challenges, or an unexpected in-law arriving on the scene. It doesn't have to be that way. Houses can be designed to accommodate family needs now and in the future.

Interviews with 20 homeowners and their designers illustrate flexible solutions to a variety of living arrangements. Combined with photographs and floor plans, the case studies represent different perspectives, from young families to divorcees, single-parent households, and retirees.

Tips at the end of each chapter address issues such as key lifestyle questions to ask before designing a forever house, where not to skimp, and how to plan spaces for double and triple duty. Designing an adaptable home has economic, environmental, and emotional rewards. With smart planning, it's possible to build a beloved house that can be passed through the generations.

• People expect much more from their home these days, especially after spending a pandemic year cooped up inside. They want a house that's adaptable, and this book shows them how to get it.
• Case studies offer insights from different perspectives, from young families to divorcees, single-parent households, and retirees. The primary focus is on the people who live in the houses, rather than the architects who designed them.
• These solutions creatively address a long-tail trend: over the last 35 years, the number of Americans who have moved—within their county or state, or out of state—has steadily declined to nearly half of their previous levels. 

Size: 8.0in x 10.0in  |  Pages: 240  |  209 color and b/w images