Resiliant reimaginers facing renovation or relocation

You’ve been called many things, most of them unflattering and patronising. Yes, you’re older. Yes, you’re wiser. In fact, we think you’re the Banks of True Wealth.

Decades of experience. Life skills. Weathered many storms. But we are not going to call you retirees or golden oldies. So who are you, actually? A little bit Boomer? Nope. That’s too fuddy duddy. How about Zoomer? That’s a Boomer with more zip, pizzazz and zest.

How do you know you’re a Zoomer? Take the test, tick at least 5 and you’re in.

These are 8 life-extending wellness traits adopted by robust over 50s:

-You eat the rainbow every day

-You brain-boost often (problem solving, puzzles, crosswords, chess)

-You exercise for strength, flexibility, energy and endurance

-You acknowledge your strengths and pursue growth options

-You mastermind your coping skills using a combo of faith and science

-You sustain intellectual curiosity and a sense of purpose

-You serve as an inspirational role model to motivate your peers

-You build and maintain a social network for support and relationships

So you’ve mothballed your superbusinesshero cape. Now what? One thing’s for certain, you’re not retiring from life. Far from it. We’re pretty sure, now that there’s free time, you’re busier than ever. All the projects you’ve put off for YEARS are getting dusted off and re-examined. At last you can colour outside the lines. Do what you want to, not what you need to. Like studying a foreign language (to ace your cycling trip around Northern Italy); getting your head around sailing terminology (to disappear for months to the Greek Islands on a luxury charter); or a landscaping course (you’ve always loved gardening but never had the time). Now you can try out some Mandarin phrases, so you can take authentic Chinese cooking classes… in Beijing! Enough of this daydreaming with you… we’re going green.

The Big Rs. Of course, the most meaningful project you’ll undertake in retirement is a relocation or a renovation. Are you better off updating your home and staying put? Or selling and investing in a new space… house by the sea, retirement village in the Winelands?

Financial value vs emotional value. Your decision will be informed by how you weigh up financial value vs emotional value. How much do you value your independence, your friendship network and familiar neighbourhood? Financial and emotional value shift throughout your life. The younger you are, the more weight financial value has. As the years go by, emotional value moves to the front. In your 60s, the familiar and the much-loved are of inestimable value. Only you can decide how you are going to reinvent your lifestyle: whether you have the appetite to up sticks and move to pastures new… or stay where your heart is and transform your family home into a nurturing sanctuary of renewal and reinvention.

Let the Reimagining begin. Let’s say you stay. Gauge how long you intend staying.

5 years? 10 years? As long as is humanly possible? Spend the money that’s comfortable for you and ENJOY IT. The longer the time frame, the more the investment. You’re not just building a life together this time, you’re actively enjoying it. You have the luxury of time to dream and plan. You have the desire to furnish deeper, more fulfilling and more meaningful connections. And you can afford more comfort and pampering. Always remember, there’s no way of predicting how much you’ll get for the property when you finally decide to sell.

A caveat to the above: many real estate agents will advise you to renovate cautiously if you are not planning to stay much longer in your home. We tend to agree. If you plan on only a couple more years before selling, go for more universally acceptable style that will please the widest audience on show days. Of course, that means putting your personality in your pocket and avoiding personal taste – in other words, less individuality (e.g. splashy patchwork and colour), more sleek and subtle (e.g. restrained greige tones).

Appetite for risk. How hungry are you? Only you can feel your way through this one. Along with your financial adviser, of course.

Dream it… Allow yourself time to dream and figure out how much change you want to endure. Start by pretending you’ve got all the money in the world. What would you do? Be creative here. This is dreamtime. Cherry picking comes later.

… then get real. Once you have your supersize dream, consult the experts and show them your ideas: remodellers, interior designers, architects, real estate agents, financial advisers. Each one will have a way to scale your dream down to reality. So it may end up being Cloud 8.5 rather than Cloud 9, but you will be able to recreate your ideas in smart ways, guided by professionals.

Pre-renovation pain relief. Read our renovation blogpost. It’s packed with all the help you never thought you needed: including Italtile’s own residential agent service, delivery and professional installation teams. You’ll thank us later. https://www.italtile.co.za/blog/post/how-to-prepare-for-your-2020-renovation.html

Hey, big spenders! Did you know your age group is the one that includes the highest number of big spenders? Several studies have shown that ‘Boomers generally want their homes to reflect their personal and career successes – or that they have really “arrived” at the point where they can afford a home with features and fixtures that would have been regarded by their parents as luxuries. This is why affluent Boomers are known for buying “jewelbox” homes – small properties packed with opulence – and why they are an excellent target market for those selling upmarket apartments, townhouses and cluster homes in blue-chip suburbs. Features especially high on the wish-lists of these buyers are state-of-the-art kitchens, separate dressing rooms, hobby studios, home offices and elegant indoor and outdoor entertainment spaces, preferably with a view” – Rudi Botha, CEO, Bettabond.

Of course, this description applies to home buyers, but it fits the home remodeller, too. Whether you purchase it, or renovate it, let’s decorate your ‘jewelbox’ together.

Luxury everything. Including the kitchen sink.

You may have had to cut corners when the family was growing up, compromising on both quality and quantity. Now it’s you-time. Invest in the drop-dead-glam bath you always wanted. The deluxe guest bathroom you’ve moodboarded on Pinterest. Gorgeous floor and wall tiles in every texture imaginable. Smeg sinks with Waste Disposal. A patterned and patchworked Mediterranean-style outdoor retreat. A 5-star lodge-style outdoor shower. Everything you’ve ever wanted… everything you’ve ever dreamed of, you’ll find at Italtile.

Italtile is the magnetic north for hot new trends, classic looks, high fashion, and everything in between. Our ranges tick every box and answer every style need: edgy urban, timeless classical luxury, French country, Italian opulence, sleek modernism, contemporary cool, eco chic, boho eclectic. You’ve taken years to hone your style; and we can’t wait to point you to the pieces that best speak to your taste.

Online shopping. Like it not, right now, online’s where it’s at. Italstylers have access to arguably the largest décor e-store in Southern Africa, and the safest and simplest systems for visualising your dream products, browsing the enormous ranges, and personalising your experience. Our online superheroes man the e-showroom 24/7, and are available to chat online while you browse and select your luxury items.

Interior design. Our consultants are design-certified, but will also pass your interior design queries on to our colleagues at www.chaptersinteriors.com – headed up by award-winning design wizard Melanie Ewing.

Residential Agents. Our specialists are standing by to project manage your remodel. They’ll help select items, do site visits throughout the duration of your remodelling, deliver samples for you to try in situ, have oversight of installation, and generally take the pain away. Chat to us online about how an Italtile Residential Agent can add value to your project.

Italcare. It’s a wise move to “futurefy” your bathrooms now, with beautifully designed support products, designed and manufactured by our own specialists. Every item in this special care collection is made from the highest quality materials and is legislation compliant for ergonomics, safety and durability. Precision manufacturing and expert design means maximum stability and endurance, and a 5 year guarantee adds to your peace of mind. They’re also easy to install (although we suggest you ask us about our professional installation service).

Patchwork tiles. The more fearless you are, the more colour you’ll incorporate into your design palettes. And oh, the colour we’ve got in store for you. Our glorious patterned patchwork tiles are perfect for splashing across a feature wall, creating fiestas on a floor, or transforming your patio into a Mediterranean oasis. https://www.italtile.co.za/floors/effects/patchwork-category.html

Mosaic tiles - a bazillion little bits of beautiful - in every kind of colour, texture and pattern. Go for classic black and white for timeless glamour. Or a medley of brights to pretty up a pool area. Shimmer up with fascinating texture combos – metallics, stone and eco glass. Miniature patchworks for small scale pattern. Forever-on-trend mini subways. Glamorous mini marbles. And the latest fascination, micro mosaics: tiny bubbles which are excitingly sensorial underfoot (like in your new wet room). https://www.italtile.co.za/floors/effects/mosaics-category.html

Get a grip. You don’t have to be elderly to lose your footing on a slippery floor.

Most of our luxury porcelain tile ranges offer high grade slip-resistant variants.

In fact, we stock South Africa’s widest range of international and local slip-resistant tiles – screeds, woods, stone, marbles and oxidised metals – designed for both inside and outside use. 

For unbeatable slip resistance, though, no tile can better our exclusive, rugged In2Out range; an all-terrain, all-weather tile. The wetter it gets, the better it grips, thanks to the world’s most advanced resistance technology that has developed a unique surface glaze; smooth to the touch when dry, but reacts with water to create friction. These 2cm thick toughies go anywhere, indoors and out: lay them around pools and patios, or take them across uneven lawns, gravel or water features.

Ready when you are. Don’t rush this renovation. Dream on, browse our ranges of gorgeous tiles, taps, showers, sinks, basins, baths, sanware, bathroom furniture, mirrors and more; speak to your specialists and consultants. We’re ready when you are. Now, put on your Reimagineer’s Hat, start mapping out your ‘jewelbox’ and its treasures. 

Live beautifully, you Ageventurous Soul!

Ciao!