I Turned a Ranch into a WSJ‑Featured Accessible Dream — Upsizing Done Right

Empty nester home design with interior designer Wendy Glaister: upsizing instead of downsizing, plus stylish aging-in-place features.

More empty nesters are skipping the downsize. Interior designer Wendy Glaister joined me to talk about clients who are upsizing or redesigning their homes for an active next chapter. Pandemic-era priorities and wanting a better quality of life are driving a lot of these decisions.

The fun part is aging-in-place features that look high-end, not like a hospital: zero-threshold showers, bidet-ready outlets, better lighting, heated floors, safer induction cooktops and sound-insulated offices and bathrooms.

Wendy shared a ranch remodel featured in the Wall Street Journal that was built for long-term accessibility, and a dentist couple who bought a new property that worked better for entertaining and family gatherings. And we both make the case for bringing a trusted pro along when you house hunt, so you don't fall for a house with renovation costs you didn't see coming, and so the layout fits how you actually live, like separate offices and hobby spaces.

In this episode:

- Why empty nesters are upsizing instead of downsizing

- Aging-in-place features that look high-end

- Zero-threshold showers, heated floors, induction cooktops, bidet-ready outlets

- Sound-insulated offices and bathrooms

- A Wall Street Journal-featured ranch remodel built for accessibility

- Bringing a designer or builder on house hunts to avoid surprise costs

Takeaways: