As parents and grandparents begin to age, many homeowners decide to take them into their homes to help them with their needs. When faced with adding a new member to the household, many homeowners decide to build an addition or a custom home that can accommodate the in-laws with a separate suite. If you’re thinking of building your custom home with a luxury in-law suite, the experts at Omega aren’t just happy to build it for you, we’re also eager to give you helpful advice on how to build the best suite possible!

Choose The Type Of Suite You Wish To Have
Before any design or function consideration can be had, first it’s important to consider the best type of luxury in-law suite you’d like to build. In-law suites take many forms, including an addition at the back or side of the home, a basement apartment, or a cottage detached from the home (but still on the property). The type of in-law suite you wish to build will be decided by multiple factors including personal preference, property size, budget, and your parent’s individual mental and physical health needs. When building your luxury in-law suite, consider talking to the parent(s) moving in about their personal preferences and ideas.

A Separate Kitchen And Bathroom
When it comes to building a luxury in-law suite, you will end up thanking yourself down the line for choosing to build a separate bathroom and kitchen as opposed to just another bedroom. Building an in-law suite with its own utilities and amenities not only gives your parent the ability to have privacy and independence, but it also ensures that your home stays uncrowded and you’re not bogged down by having too many cooks in the kitchen (literally). When you have a family of your own, it can be very frustrating for both you and your parent(s) to have to share one kitchen, so invest in separate utilities; you’ll be glad that you did.

Keep The Space Well-Lit
A properly-built and designed luxury in-law suite should not feel like a cheap apartment in an otherwise beautiful home. An in-law suite should be a place where your parent can feel proud to live in and to host company. When designing your in-law suite, take the time to consider lighting (both natural and artificial) and how it affects the space. Try dimmer switches for variety and statement light fixtures for overall beautiful decor. Large windows and bright, beautiful lighting will make any space feel bigger, brighter, and more luxurious.

Consider Current And Future Needs
Many parents choose to live with their children when they begin to need assistance living on their own, and for many homeowners, they intend to have their parents live with them for the rest of their parents’ lives. So, when designing your home’s luxury in-law suite, take into consideration your parents’ current needs and needs that they may develop in the future. Ramps or very few stairs may be for the best, and if your in-law suite has stairs because it’s located in a basement or it’s two stories, a chair-lift may be the right choice. Consider potential mobility issues and equipment to help like shower rails, flooring that’s conducive to wheelchair or walker use, and beds that are easy to get in and out of.

Keep Your Parent’s Hobbies And Interests In Mind
Just like when you’re designing your own home, a great way to make your in-law suite feel more luxurious and personalized is to design it with your parents’ hobbies and interests in mind. Parents who like to read maybe benefited from built-in bookshelves, or parents who like to listen to records may want record shelves and a sound system. Parents who like to sew or knit may benefit from a small craft room, or movie-watching parents may benefit from a large television mounted stylishly on the wall. As everyone is unique, everyone’s ideal living space will look different.

Provide Privacy
Everyone deserves their privacy and a place where they can close the door to the world. When designing your luxury in-law suite, remember that your parents (especially elderly parents) need to have a space where they can rest quietly no matter the time of day. Make sure to design your luxury in-law suite with a proper door and lock that can be used when your parent needs some space, and consider curtains for doors and windows as well to help them have the privacy they deserve.

Compact And Functional Design
A well-designed luxury suite will not only meet all of your parent’s needs, but it’ll also be purposeful and compact in layout. Your parents’ suite should have everything they need within a small but breathable space to allow them to access what they need without having to climb stairs, leave the suite, or talk to you. By no means does an in-law suite have to be a massive penthouse-style apartment, but it should use its space intentionally and functionally to allow for comfortable living space without limits. Imagine the kind of space that you’d need to be comfortable and apply it to the design of your addition.

Design and build the perfect luxury in-law suite with Omega Homes.
Your dream home is just a phone call away!

About Omega
We don’t just build you a house, we build you a home. We assemble the top architects, designers, and trades personnel to work in conjunction with our experienced and licensed staff in order to make your dream home a reality. As a Tarion Custom Home Design-Builder, we feel it is our responsibility to be adaptable to each client’s individual needs. There’s no job we can’t handle, and we will do whatever it takes to meet your requests with high-quality results. Our architects and designers are always looking for new and exciting challenges, so the only limit is your imagination.

If you’d like to see photos of our completed custom home projects,
follow us on Facebook and Instagram.