A couple spent $1.7 million turning their rental property into their forever home, designed with aging in place in mind

The Moores bought the rental house, which provided supplemental income, in 2007 for $360,000. At 1,400 quadrate feet, it had three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The forefront couldn't be changed too drastically since the Moores live in a historic area, but their lot had area in the rear anywhere they could develop the home.

As they realized they wanted to upsize for withdrawal from their 2,700-square-foot home, Bonnie and Hunter decided to do a enormous overhaul of the rental house, taking it downward to the studs.

The renovation, which added a two-story supplement to the back, gave them a 4,400-square-foot area alongside four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and two fractional baths, affirmative roomy living area and a reward area that could be converted into a area if needed.

They additionally unified features that would make aging in location easier.

The Moores hired Michael Brown Construction, Beth Haley Designs, and Allard Ward Architects to bring the project to life. Brown specialized in historic renovations, and Haley had an ability in aging-in-place accommodations, the two of which were needed.

Renovations kicked off in first 2024 and took concerning 18 months to complete. Because they gutted the first structure, the Moores had to pay for all new plumbing and electric wiring throughout the residence in supplement to the cosmetic changes. The height of the first exterior stayed the same, and the windows that were initially there didn't move. Nearly everything alternatively changed, though.

The Moores were capable to remain in their archetypal residence during they transformed their new house, which, Bonnie said, made everything easier.

"We didn't have to move," she said. "We could appearance out the opening and notice person was strolling around, and go complete to see if they needed to conversation to us. It was wonderful."

It was crucial to the Moores that the supplement had a second narrative so they'd have plentifulness of bedrooms for their kids, grandkids, and loved ones to remain in whenever they visited.

However, they wanted the archetypal flat to be anywhere they spent most of their time. It needed to modify larger parties, specified as their Christmas gatherings or Bonnie's Bible study group, and their area had to be on the chief flat as well.

The kitchen and living areas are blended in the Moores' home, alongside ample windows and sliding pane doors framing the area and letting in light.

A array helps to visually distinct the galley from the living area.

"My galley is likely concerning the size of part of my downstairs next door," Bonnie stated of the space, which features a ample isle surrounded by roomy built-in cabinetry.

It additionally has a walk-in pantry, one of Bonnie's favorite features, and was set up to lawsuit the brace as they get older, alongside broad walkways and doorways. A few of the drawers additionally have ample gaps rearward them, so you can attain rearward them without jamming your fingers.

The archetypal flat has a larger living room alongside a TV, and another alongside two comfortable chairs in forefront of the fireplace, which the Moores think of as their den. A expansive keyboard splits the two spaces.

Bonnie additionally stated they had the fireplace raised intentionally.

"As you're sitting in your chair, you're looking direct into the fireplace alternatively of looking down," she said. "When you're old, you don't desire to have to curve complete as much, so you lift things in that way without it looking weird."

The home came alongside a ceremonial dining room, but the Moores didn't awareness they needed that space, since they had a dining area at their galley oppose and galley table.

Instead, they turned it into a workout room and agency for Bonnie.

It has a treadmill, a importance machine, and a desk. However, it could effortlessly motionless activity as a dining space or equal a area downward the row if needed.

"We kept it alongside the awareness of a dining area in case person wanted that for resale," Bonnie said.

To maximize the space, they put shelving anywhere possible. For instance, Bonnie turned the area below their stairs into a "hobbit hole" for her grandsons, filling it alongside a bean bag and books as an escape for them.

"I used all location that you could shop something," she said.

Bonnie described Hunter as a "voracious reader," so a library was a must-have for their home.

Still, the area has a closet and an en suite bathroom, and it could fit a smaller bed or a Murphy bed, so it could rotate into another first-floor area if the Moores always need live-in help.

Bonnie and Hunter's area has plentifulness of area for the brace to stroll about the bed on either side, which was intentional. They didn't desire the area to rotate into cumbersome if they use wheelchairs or walkers someday.

It additionally has a loveseat, which Bonnie stated they added so they can sit and put on their shoes without bending down.

The suite has a walk-in closet, one of Bonnie's favorite features in her new home.

Its blue cabinetry matches that in the washroom for a cohesive look.

The washroom is designed to modify a walker or wheelchair alongside ease.

It has luxury touches, akin a twice vanity and a enormous walk-in ablution alongside catch bars and a place operating the dimension of the ablution for aging-in-place accommodations.

They additionally made the showerhead adjustable, which was a must-have since Bonnie is 5-foot-4 and Hunter is 6-foot-2. Bonnie wanted to create certain the height could modify effortlessly alongside one hand in case they developed any movement issues, and that function has already arrive in handy.

Bonnie had a mastectomy in August and wasn't capable to lift her arms complete her caput in the first weeks of her recovery. Being capable to modify the showerhead height on her own during that period allowed her to keep her independence as she healed.

The Moores didn't desire their second flat to rotate into inaccessible if stairs became harder for them to oversee as they age, so they decided to add an elevator to the residence in the renovation.

It was a pricey aspect of the renovation, coming in at about $31,000, which doesn't contain the disbursal of construction out the area for it or installation.

Bonnie stated the elevator was value it, though, as it feels "responsible" for her and Hunter at this stage. It's a big comfort to their kids, too.

"They're so relieved that we aren't going up and downward the stairs," Bonnie said.

One of the bedrooms has twin beds for the Moores' grandsons to enjoy, and it connects to Hunter's agency (which could additionally be turned into a area if needed) via a Jack-and-Jill bathroom.

The another area on the second flat has an en suite bathroom, providing privacy for whoever stays there.

An open area at the top of the stairs has a wet bar, a mini fridge, and a cozy seating area.

The Moores affection having an additional flex area for their family or allies to bask whenever they arrive to visit.

The Moores didn't have a ample car shed at their old home, so they were enthusiastic concerning the detached, two-car car shed on their new property.

They completed a area at the rear alongside a fractional washroom and a area for Hunter to activity on his example trains. The area has vaulted ceilings for a additional luxurious look, which Bonnie stated they added alongside the home's resale value in mind.

There's an unfinished attic in the car shed as well, which gives the Moores the choice to develop their living area additional if they want.

"If one of our kids wanted to live complete there and complete it, they could," Bonnie said.

The Moores moved into their residence in August 2025, and they've been loving it always since.

"This is our aspiration house," Bonnie said. "We are so grateful that we could do this since we put everything we perchance wanted."

"When we sit at our dining area array and eat breakfast, I inform my hubby all morning, 'I'm so happy,'" she added.

Hunter echoed Bonnie, saying the renewal "seemed akin a huge project," but their scheme squad made it manageable, as did being capable to bounce ideas off Bonnie.

"I'm so glad we did it," he added.

It's operating fine for their community, too. Bonnie stated the home has made their guests awareness at comfort whenever they've hosted parties and had group remain overnight.

"It's improved than I idea it would equal rotate out, and the way it makes us awareness is fair extremely peaceful," Bonnie said. "My kids all affection it, and we have area for everybody. I presenter all the holidays and the anniversary parties."

In total, the Moores stated they spent concerning $1.7 myriad turning their rental asset into their aspiration home. That disbursal includes furnishings upgrades and several exterior stonework to justify the home looks up to date from the outside.

They were capable to offset it alongside the $850,000 transaction of their archetypal home, and Bonnie stated she views the activity they did as an funding in the future, for the two themselves and their kids.

"This allows us to remain in our home as lengthy as we perchance can, and if we can't, afterward we have designed a home that volition likely market for $1.9 million," she said. "Our kids can market it, pay for anywhere we need to be, or it can be a awesome bequest for them."

She and Hunter awareness lone gratitude that they could create a home that volition advantage them and their entire family for years to come.

"The sooner you do it, the additional you can bask it before you really need it," she said. "And it's a alleviation for your children. It's the finest current we could provision them."