Gonna Take You Higher
Nov 19th, 2008 by Lauri
Yesterday, I was someone’s birthday present.
Although I did not wear arrive wearing a bow on my head, my decorating services, for a living room and dining room, were a gift to a mother from her daughter-in-law and son.
The birthday girl and her husband were retirees and their rooms reflected a clean-lined, modern aesthetic. Aside from the 10 Common Decorating Mistakes that were present, as usual, one of the more important issues for them was what to do about their extremely low sofa. It was a big, ivory, modular piece that was so close to the floor that anyone who tried to sit down or stand up - no matter his or her age - had difficulty. For this older couple, it wasn’t an option - they used a pair of higher clubs chairs, instead.
After they explained that they did not want to replace the sofa, there were only a couple of options left:
1) Have the platform base remade so that it would be 6″ higher
or
2) Add tall legs to raise the sofa more and then have a tailored slipcover made for the entire piece (which was somewhat worn anyway) to conceal them.
If you have a low sofa or chair you may be able to use one of these alternatives, too. And, if you are getting older and starting to appreciate the benefits of having higher pieces, you may want to consider a couple of other possibilities: If you are in the market for a new toilet get one that is “comfort height,” 16″ - 17″, rather than standard height, 14″, and, if you need a new washer and dryer, purchase a pair that have storage drawers on the bottom that raise the units at least 12” and make loading and unloading a lot easier on your back. Actually, two good choices no matter how many birthdays you’ve had.
Lauri,
I so enjoy reading your blog. Thank you for sharing your life with us.
Great ideas! I love my ‘higher’ toilet. Even though I am not of that age yet it is more comfortable.
Thanks very much, Diane. After years of keeping my thoughts to myself and focusing only on my clients’, it’s nice to be able to, finally, share my observations.
Thanks, Debbie! Like you, I love mine, too - the design is so much smarter!