Home Is Where the Heart Is: Adapting Your Cherished Space for Ageing in Place

We opened the main floor into a single flowing space

Ageing in place is about more than simply remaining at home. It’s about living well in the place you know best — surrounded by beauty, comfort, and the memories that shape who you are. For families, it’s also about foresight: planning early so homes are ready for later stages of life, rather than waiting for a crisis.

That foresight matters not only for wellbeing, but also for cost. In the US, nursing home fees now average more than $90,000 per year, while in the UK, a shortage of accessible housing is placing increasing pressure on health and social care services. By contrast, proactive home adaptations can be achieved for a fraction of that cost, with benefits that last for decades.

This is becoming urgent as populations age on both sides of the Atlantic. The US now has 55.8 million adults aged 65 and older, growing at the fastest rate in over a century, while the UK’s over-65 population has risen to 12.7 million—nearly double what it was fifty years ago. And with surveys consistently showing that around 90% of older people want to remain in their homes, the gap between aspiration and reality is widening.

That’s why design matters. Our homes are not just buildings, but repositories of memories, familiar routines, and the subtle comfort of the known. When thoughtfully adapted, they can continue to support health, mobility, and happiness for decades to come—transforming the wish to age in place into a reality that is both sustainable and fulfilling.

Views of nature lower blood pressure and ease stress

The Role of Nature in Healthy Ageing

For those choosing to age in place, integrating biophilic design—the thoughtful inclusion of natural elements, patterns, and sensory experiences—can help reduce stress, boost cognitive function, regulate sleep, and promote overall health.

Daylight helps regulate sleep cycles and boost vitamin D. Views of nature lower blood pressure and ease stress. Spaces designed for movement and accessibility encourage independence. Homes that reflect personal history support emotional resilience.

From a warm sunlit corner where you read the morning paper, to a window framing your garden as it changes with the seasons, our surroundings profoundly influence how we feel. Biophilic design taps into this by engaging all the senses—sight, sound, touch, and even scent—through elements such as natural light, fresh air, organic textures, and the subtle movement of light and shadow across a wall.

Sometimes this connection is about expansive views and openness; sometimes it’s about creating small, sheltered places to retreat to. Designers often refer to this balance as prospect (the ability to look out) and refuge (the feeling of protection). While not the whole story of biophilic design, it’s a useful tool for ensuring that a space feels both energising and reassuring.

A treasured art collection woven into the interiors

Designing for Familiarity and Function

One of the great benefits of adapting an existing home rather than moving is the emotional stability it offers. Remaining in a familiar environment preserves long-established community ties, daily rhythms, and the deep comfort that comes from knowing every corner of your space. This is especially important in both the UK and the US, where around 30% of older adults live alone — meaning the home must provide not just safety, but also emotional security and independence.

In a modest city home we transformed, the owners had lived there for over 20 years before deciding to renovate. Like many today, they divide their time between the office and working from home, so the space needed to feel brighter, more open, and better suited to both professional and personal life. By opening the main floor into a single flowing space, reversing the staircase to draw sunlight deep into the house, and introducing a walnut screen that plays with changing daylight, we created a home that feels brighter, more spacious, and more connected to the outdoors—ready to adapt gracefully as their lifestyle evolves in the years ahead.

View our Clifton Residence Case Study

Symbiotic Living’s Role in the project: Design Architect in collaboration with Civic Projects.

The staircase was reversed to draw sunlight deep into the house

Balancing Beauty, Memory, and Wellbeing

For some clients, ageing in place means surrounding themselves with pieces that hold deep personal meaning. In this lake side apartment, the owners were balancing a hybrid lifestyle and needed their home to function as a workplace, a sanctuary, and a family hub. The design supports flexible working between office and home while also anticipating the joy of grandchildren visiting. Their treasured art collection — many works passed down through generations — was woven into the interiors alongside bespoke furniture, a hand-painted mural inspired by a favourite artwork, and the careful positioning of a Harry Bertoia Sonambient sculpture in front of a window framing expansive views of Lake Michigan. The result is a home that celebrates personal history while remaining ready for the family gatherings that will only grow in importance over time.

Here, biophilic design wasn’t just about nature—it was about creating an environment that sustained the owners emotionally as well as physically.

View our Gold Coast Condo Case Study

Symbiotic Living’s Role in the project: Interior Designer.

A design to support flexible working between office and home

Creating a True Sanctuary

The Oceanfront Residence beautifully showcases our biophilic approach to creating restful, nurturing spaces—especially important when designing for ageing in place. Now empty nesters, the owners wanted a peaceful retreat for themselves that could also flex to accommodate visiting parents and, in the future, grandchildren. The primary bedroom was conceived as a peaceful sanctuary, taking full advantage of its natural surroundings to support restorative sleep and wellbeing. Bespoke lighting gently mirrors the natural progression of daylight, helping regulate circadian rhythms, while sound-absorbing materials ensure a calm, quiet environment. The use of natural textures and materials, including cedarwood furniture with its soothing aroma, adds a tactile and sensory warmth that fosters relaxation.

Beyond the bedroom, the home’s layout designed by our project partner HEDS Architects, enhances the connection to nature, with living spaces positioned upstairs to maximise light and panoramic ocean views, and private bedrooms tucked away below to offer added privacy and refuge. Thoughtful details like a custom screen filter dappled sunlight, bringing the rhythms of the outdoors inside. This balance of openness and seclusion creates a haven where residents can age comfortably, supported by the subtle, healing presence of nature throughout their home.

View our Oceanfront Residence Case Study

Symbiotic Living’s Role in the project: Interior Designer in collaboration with HEDS Architects

The balance of openness and seclusion creates a haven where residents can age comfortably

Health and Wellbeing Benefits

Ageing in place is about more than remaining at home. It’s about living well in the place you know best, surrounded by beauty, comfort, and the memories that shape who you are.

When biophilic elements are woven into these adaptations—be it through light, views, airflow, natural materials, or textures that echo the patterns of nature—the result is a space that doesn’t just meet needs, but enriches daily life.

At Symbiotic Living, we embed these principles into our ageing-in-place projects, creating homes that are not only safe and functional but also uplifting and inspiring—whether in the UK or US.

Get in touch to discuss how we can support your ageing-in-place journey