A recent conversation with a friend reminded me that home nesting is a strong urge that can happen at any age.
Sarah’s parents were downsizing from their three-bedroom, suburban house to a smaller flat in the city. Comfortable in their retirement, James and Lucy realised that the beloved family home was turning into a bother.
“We all loved the old house. My sisters and I grew up there, but Mum and Dad have an active lifestyle with lots of travel. The house upkeep was becoming challenging, so they started looking at newer and smaller places near the centre,” said my friend.
Sarah explained that James and Lucy brainstormed the layout, furniture, and décor in a new house that would support their current busy retirement and a gradual slowdown due to age. A master bedroom with walk-in shower. An open kitchen with an island. An office converting to a second bedroom for the visiting grandson. One level and no stairs.
Additionally, James and Lucy wanted a wood-burning fireplace to complete their retirement nest. Sarah knew that her parents enjoyed a roaring fire during family holidays and they would often build a fire for themselves.
“So many important family events happened with a crackling fireplace in the background, and my parents did not want to give that up.” Unfortunately, they had to scrap the idea after seeing several open houses.
“Many newer developments or flats don’t offer the big, wood-burning fireplaces. They can be messy and smoky in smaller living rooms. We said goodbye to our old house and its fireplace.”
Despite that disappointment, Sarah said her mum settled into nesting mode as the new flat move-in construction neared completion. She relished creating a comfortable space that would support her and her husband’s active lifestyle.
“Everything was coming together nicely, and Mum was passionate about making this as reflective of their lives as possible. She felt, however, that something was missing in the living room along one wall. She and dad did not need a large entertainment system, since they are pretty comfortable with streaming stuff. And they did not want to build their new nest with a TV smack in the middle.”
So Lucy decided to research alternatives to wood-burning fireplaces in modern homes and discovered bio-ethanol fireplaces offered by Bio Fires company. Self-contained, real-flame fires burning from eco-friendly ethanol fuel, Bio Fires fireplaces require no gas connection or power supply.
Sarah explained while some bio-ethanol fireplaces can be free-standing, her parents chose a model that hung on the bare wall in the living room, instantly making the house feel complete.
The low maintenance and self-containment of the Bio Fire fireplace were all attractive to Sarah’s parents, but the real fire flame sealed the deal.
James and Lucy also liked having an “on demand” fireplace easily lit with a long match, allowing them to recharge by the fire after a long flight home or at the end of a normal day.
“Mum and dad are healthy right now, but we know that over time carrying and lifting logs would become impossible. This kind of fireplace allows them to enjoy their nest regardless of their age. ”
My friend said her parents continue to enjoy the perfect final piece for their retirement nest.
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