Downsizing but keeping what’s most precious to you

Downsizing doesn’t mean parting with all that is most precious to you. Many of your cherished and sentimental items can be successfully incorporated into your retirement living apartment at Somerset Indooroopilly.

The task of downsizing and sorting through a lifetime of possessions and family keepsakes, can be both challenging and empowering, but it’s important to keep the things you love most.

Many Aura Holdings’ residents have successfully blended treasured items or a special piece of furniture into their new modern apartments. These things can really make your new space feel like home.

But not all precious things come in small packages. Beverley St George, a resident of Kingsford Terrace Corinda, has her prized piano in the lounge area of her ground-floor apartment.

“I would die without a piano – I just couldn’t live without music,’’ Beverley says. “It all started at Methodist Sunday School where there was an old pedal pump organ. I was so taken by it – I was completely gone from that moment. My family was lent a piano, so I began lessons at 10, continued with them until I turned 18, then after 12 years of nursing and three children I achieved an ATCL (associate diploma from Trinity College London) and I taught piano and theory for 34 years. Teaching young children gave me a happiness I could not have imagined.

“It’s such a pleasure to play. I’m so grateful to have been born musical.’’

Beverley plays her piano most days and says if her neighbours can hear, they never complain. She loves to play ‘romantic’ music from Chopin, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Liszt.

During her downsizing and moving, Beverley passed on her grand piano to her daughter and replaced a much-loved Czech-made Petrof piano for the modern Kawai piano now in her apartment.

Beverley also shares her love of music with the other residents when she plays the piano in the village function room, perhaps once a week. “I play for around an hour, the other residents hear the music and just come in. The staff say it’s lovely to hear the piano being used.’’

Rosemarie Pettinato moved into The Atrium Lutwyche on its completion in February and she has blended some favourite pieces into her beautifully styled fifth-floor apartment.

A talented decoupage artist and teacher, Rosemarie spent two and half years creating a stunning dividing screen that she completed during a masterclass in decoupage. Her inspiration came from the stained-glass windows of a historic Melbourne home and the screen required around 30 coats of varnish, sanding between every three or four layers, to preserve and enhance the paper cutouts.

Rosemarie said, sadly, the finished screen didn’t feel right in her previous two homes and she felt she couldn’t keep it in its original form.

“When I moved to Brisbane, I decluttered and let go of a lot of things, including many of my decoupage projects. I wanted to live a simpler life but knew I couldn’t part with the screen.’’

On moving to The Atrium, and after consulting with interior designer Viera Tischljar, Rosemarie decided to dismantle the screen and ingeniously created a striking four-piece artwork that now hangs proudly in the entrance of her new apartment.

“I had a thought that I might be able to hang it on a wall and I spoke to Viera and she thought that would be a great idea. Viera suggested removing the hinges and separating the four panels and hanging them on the wall.

“I’m so happy and feel it’s now in just the right place and I can enjoy it being there. I’m so pleased I brought it with me. It’s one of her favourite things in the apartment and the family are glad I kept it. It’s nice to have things that you actually made.

“I see it every day and people pass it, comment on it and it is appreciated.’’

Louise Taylor-Smith is keenly awaiting her move to her recently completed stage-two apartment at The Avenue Maroochydore. When she moves, Louise will take with her items that remind her of her adored Mum and Dad.

“I’m currently in the process of moving and can’t take everything with me but reminders of Mum and Dad from my garden will certainly be coming along,’’ Louise says.

“Dad and Mum was both keen gardeners who grew camellias, orchids and bromeliads. By some miracle, Dad’s bromeliads are still alive and doing well in my garden. I’m going to dig some out, re-pot them and replant at The Avenue.

“I’ll also bring over a temple garden ornament that Mum gave me. My new ground-floor apartment has a garden out front where I can put the bromeliads and the temple ornament so I can look out, see them and still feel very close to both my parents.

“I am so happy with my new two-bedroom apartment, it is absolutely beautiful. Now, I just have to sell my house so I can move right in!’’

Viera Tischljar, of VT Interiors, styles Aura Holdings’ display apartments and has helped several of our residents to furnish their apartments and offers advice how to incorporate their favourite pieces with any new purchases.

She says it’s important that everyone feels at home in their new apartments and encourages residents to mix their favourite pieces of furniture or art with complementary new furnishing items.

To find out about downsizing to Somerset Indooroopilly, while incorporating the things you love into your new apartment, please call (07) 3720 9729 or email live@somersetindooroopilly.com.au