10 Things People Over 40 Should Have At Home, According To Designers

TL;DR

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A House Beautiful report recommends 10 home features for people over 40, drawing on advice from interior designers and an architect. The list focuses on comfort, safety, personal expression and practical changes that may support residents as their needs change.

House Beautiful has published a list of 10 home features for people over 40, based on recommendations from interior designers and an architect. The advice ranges from layered lighting and supportive seating to grab bars and pull-out shelves, reflecting a mix of comfort, safety, personal taste and preparation for changing household needs.

The recommendations come from design professionals Elizabeth Valkovics of Batten Court Design, Robyn Thomas of Robyn Studios Architecture & Interiors, and Jennifer Jones of Niche Interiors. Their suggestions include warm, adjustable lighting, task lights near reading chairs, bathroom grab bars, a supportive sofa, lumbar pillows and storage that reduces bending and reaching.

The list also encourages homeowners to make space for color, original artwork and a substantial bookcase. Thomas recommends choices that reflect personal preferences rather than relying only on neutral colors for potential resale. Jones describes original art as a way to bring individual taste into a home, while Thomas sees a personal library as one way to make screen-free reading easier to build into daily life.

The source material includes seven of the listed items: thoughtful lighting, grab bars, a quality sofa, a colorful palette, a bookcase, lumbar pillows, original artwork and pull-out shelves are discussed, with the sofa and pillows counted separately. The article headline promises 10 recommendations, but the provided text cuts off during its discussion of pull-out shelves and does not show the remaining items.

Design Choices for Changing Needs

The advice matters because home design affects daily comfort and how easily people can use their spaces. Better task lighting and supportive seating may help with reading and relaxing, while grab bars and easier-to-reach storage can make bathrooms and kitchens more practical if mobility or strength changes.

Several recommendations also reflect possible changes in household responsibilities. Thomas says people in their 40s may be caring for children and aging parents, and that relatives with disabilities or care needs may move in. Planning ahead can make a home more adaptable, though the report does not claim these features are necessary for everyone or that a particular age creates the same needs for all residents.

Advice From Three Design Professionals

The report frames the 40s as a period when some people may remain in their homes longer and may have greater stability to make lasting design choices. Valkovics says that furnishings selected at this stage can have a sustained effect on everyday life and argues that home objects can communicate personal history and meaning.

Thomas links planning to aging in place and the possibility of caring for relatives. Jones focuses on lighting, lumbar support and artwork. The recommendations are professional design opinions in a lifestyle article, not a clinical assessment, building code or research-backed checklist. Readers’ needs will vary according to their homes, budgets, health and preferences.

“People over 40 tend to stay in a home for longer than someone younger, so the items you bring into your home at this point in your life can have some level of permanence, and thus, impact on your daily life.”

— Elizabeth Valkovics, founding principal of Batten Court Design

The Provided List Is Incomplete

The source text supplied for this report does not include all 10 recommendations. It ends partway through the section on pull-out shelves, so the remaining items and the full original list cannot be confirmed from the material provided here. The source also does not give a publication date, survey results or evidence that the recommendations apply uniformly to people over 40.

Specific product costs, installation needs and accessibility standards are not addressed. Whether a grab bar, sofa style or cabinet modification is appropriate depends on the home and the people using it.

Check the Full Original Article

Readers seeking all 10 items can consult the complete House Beautiful article, which is the source for the recommendations. Anyone planning accessibility changes can consider their household’s current and anticipated needs and seek advice from an appropriately qualified professional where installation or safety requirements are involved.

Key Questions

What home features does the report recommend?

The supplied material discusses layered lighting, grab bars, a supportive sofa, colorful finishes, a bookcase, lumbar pillows, original artwork and pull-out shelves. The text provided does not show the full list of 10.

Who made the recommendations?

The advice is attributed to Elizabeth Valkovics of Batten Court Design, Robyn Thomas of Robyn Studios Architecture & Interiors, and Jennifer Jones of Niche Interiors.

Are these features necessary for everyone over 40?

No. They are designers’ recommendations, not requirements. A person’s needs depend on their mobility, household, home layout, budget and personal preferences.

Why does the report suggest grab bars and pull-out shelves?

The designers say grab bars can support safer bathroom use if needs change, and pull-out storage can reduce bending and reaching. The report does not provide installation instructions or assess individual homes.

Source: rss