Interior designer Anita Lang shares her wisdom on the importance of aging in place beautifully. 

Anita Lang passionately believes that design elevates the human spirit. “The way we feel in our homes is very impactful,” she says, noting that this is especially essential as we navigate our sunset years. “I have a hard time talking about this because I never want to age, but it’s a reality for all of us,” she says. “For people who have worked hard all their lives and achieved a level of living well, it can be frightening and stressful to plan for this chapter.” 

A key, Lang stresses, is knowing that as you age, you needn’t sacrifice aesthetics and quality of life in your home. It doesn’t have to be about grab bars on the walls and unattractive nonslip flooring. “People want to keep their autonomy as long as possible and live with the things that bring them joy,” she says. “Planning ahead can help, and it’s nice when a client can be part of the process, making sure that as they are going to spend more time in their home, it will be a sanctuary that they love.

“Surround yourself with things that bring you happiness,” Lang advises. “Craft a space that will keep you happy and that will provide emotional wellbeing in that stage of your life. Every part of our journey should be meaningful and filled of joy.”

On these pages, Lang shares a project she completed with a client who, after a highly successful career, is planning her best future in a stylish home designed to meet her needs.

• For the North Scottsdale townhome remodel, Lang embraced a Sonoran Desert aesthetic. “Longevity in the color palette was part of our plan, and this will last,” she says. A canvas of peaceful, earthy hues, including taupe, ochre, cream and natural wood, was punctuated by colorful accents and artwork. “I didn’t want a lot of contrast happening unnecessarily,” the designer observes. “I like timeless palettes that have harmony in them.”
• Adjacent to the kitchen, the great room’s fireplace was revamped with linear brick running vertically, emphasizing height. “The space wasn’t large,” Lang recalls. “If the rug had contrasted with the sofa, the area would feel chopped up. We wanted the elements to flow into each other and create an envelope that highlights the art and the pieces that are important to the homeowner.”
• A boomerang-shaped sofa and curvilinear coffee table bring softness and visual interest to the sophisticated setting. A swivel chair can easily be moved by the homeowner or her guests. A television is hidden by the artwork over the fireplace, which tracks up as needed. 

• “This space is one of my favorites within the house,” Lang says, noting that as much as she loves natural light, sometimes windows can destroy a room. “This dining room is used mainly in the evening for entertaining. In this case, covering the window made the space so much more elegant.”
• Cabinetry in a vertical composition helps draw attention from the room’s relatively low 9-foot ceiling. In addition to stowing dinnerware and serve ware, built-in refrigeration and wine storage add functionality. Integrated vertical lighting highlights floating shelves, casting a soft glow after dark. Chairs swivel for ease in accessibility. “We spent a lot of time considering the comfort and functionality of every seat in this house, especially those the homeowner or her aging friends would use,” Lang says.
• Above the round dining table hovers a chandelier with orbs of crystal. “Art is very important to this client, and this fixture is a work of art. The way this light glows at night is stunning, like a piece of jewelry.”

In what Lang describes as a “dead corner” of the primary bedroom, a reading area—which includes an under-counter refrigerator— was created. Additional interest was added with backlit louvers, which are found in other areas of the home. “One of the tricks of remodeling is to use consistency in materials and architectural elements throughout the house to create harmony,” Lang says. A pair of midcentury-style pendants provides bright light. Chairs are easy to get into and out of and can be relocated to accommodate a wheelchair in the future, if necessary. 

• A velvet channel-tufted, wall-to-wall headboard anchors the motorized adjustable bed, and the interior designer clad the walls and vaulted ceiling with textural silk wallpaper. “We considered different finishes for this space,” Lang recalls. “Silk is softer and more feminine.” Stationary sheer draperies diffuse exterior light; shutters can provide further darkness when desired. Glaring ceiling can lights were removed, replaced by bright nightstand reading lights.
• Lang notes the location of the  artwork by Beverly Penn. “Placing this piece over the middle of the bed would have been the obvious choice,” she says. “Instead, it is balanced within the context of the room, bringing a bit of unexpectedness to the space.”
• Although not needed currently, an elevator was installed to reach the second floor. A ground-floor bedroom could also be converted to the primary suite if needed in the future.

“Design is the way we show ourselves to the world. No matter what age we are, if we have beauty around us, when we are happy and appreciative of where we are, we bring longevity and quality of life to this journey.”–Anita Lang, interior designer

SOURCES

• Interior designer: Anita Lang, IMI Design, Scottsdale, imidesignstudio.com.

ENTRY

• Artwork on wall (by Mayme Kratz) and sculpture (by Kim Cridler): Lisa Sette Gallery, Phoenix, lisasettegallery.com.

PRIMARY BEDROOM

• Artwork over bed (by Beverly Penn): lisasettegallery.com.