Chicagoland Residents Reveal Why They Said Good-Bye to Multiple-Level Houses

By Melissa Borgerding
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

A survey by The American Institute of Architects (AIA) find an increasing demand for single- level home designs, not just among older Americans, but baby boomers as well.

One-level homes provide great accessibility and are generally more costeffective— benefits that appeal to busy people of every age.

New homes are also moving away from the boxy rooms, narrow hallways, and divorced living and dining rooms of years past in favor of larger, more flexible spaces. In fact, 66-percent of firms surveyed by the AIA report that more and more homes are being designed with this open space layout.

Staying on Top of Design Trend
Monarch Landing is on-pace with all the latest home design trends.

“The kitchen is actually a good size bigger than what I had,” says Rosemary Shine of her new home.

Space was high on Rosemary’s mind when she first considered a move to Monarch Landing in Naperville. “I love to cook and I love to entertain”— and she wanted to make sure she had the room to do both.

A resident of Indian Head Park for 15 years, Rosemary admits that she never imagined leaving her house. “I had two friends interested in moving, but I said, I don’t think so.”

She accompanied her friends to five or six other places solely to provide a third opinion. At Monarch Landing, however, Rosemary saw a home that looked strikingly similar to the layout of her house. “I realized this was the right thing for me.”

‘Right-Sizing’ for the Future
“Moving to Monarch Landing isn’t about downsizing to a smaller space,” Markie Simmons, the community’s retirement counselor explains as she guides a group of visitors on a tour through the model homes. “It’s about ‘right-sizing’ to a space that better fits your life today and your goals for the future. Basically, our architects have taken the rooms of your house and laid them out on a single level.”