Downsizing in style; an elder-friendly sanctuary

SIZE: 1 storey approx. 2400 sq. ft. on a 2 acre lot.
LOCATION: Manotick

“Most of us grow attached to the houses we live in,” reflects Joe Princiotta. “In fact, the more successful a house is, the more it seems like a member of the family. It’s hard to imagine life without it.”

FEATURES:

• semi walk-out to the back yard gardens
• nine foot ceilings
• large eat in kitchen attached to the great room

As a builder I’ve noticed that changing homes can be a highly adaptive response to life changes,” Joe Princiotta explains. “Of course it’s great to move to a larger house, to celebrate success or accommodate a new addition to the family. But it can also be a wonderful experience to move to a smaller, right-sized house that’s designed to fit your needs. Personally I now feel that right-sized houses are the future of the housing industry.”

“I’m in debt to my mother for this life lesson,” Joe says. “The story of the house I built for her began after my Dad died, when my mother realized that she did not want to live all alone in the big house they had shared. I accepted the task of designing and building her a new house.

“Planning a house to match my mother’s new reality was transformative experience.. I think it helped everyone in the family to deal with the loss of my Dad.” Joe says of the design process.

“The first thing my mom insisted on was that we throw away our preconceptions about what a house ‘should’ be. Since she felt she wouldn’t be doing much formal entertaining without my Dad, we eliminated the dining room and formal living room. My mother loves to cook and serve guests and family informally in her kitchen. So her new house has a fabulous big kitchen. There’s a beautiful sunroom too, to accommodate her love of plants. With three large bedrooms there’s plenty of room for visits from family and friends. And there’s a level walk out to the back yard so she’ll have easy access to her garden for many years to come. Bottom line? My mother loves living in her new house.