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Interviewing Pauline Ng
 
The design of guest room and guest toilet is often neglected by most people. Yet, Pauline is most willing to pay special attention to it.
 
She said, “Before I need someone to look after me, I wish to live independently.” Nevertheless, she considers that if space is available, keeping a small room next to the master bedroom is most useful.  This room can be used as a guest room or as a study.  She has now turned it into a carer’s room.
 
“First of all, the carer’s room and the master bedroom should be interconnected. As such, the carer does not need to sleep by the elder’s bedside but can still observe and hear what is going on in the master bedroom and offer help immediately.”  That is why Pauline removed the wall between the two rooms and installed a beautiful wooden partition.
 
“This wooden partition can be changed to a sliding door.  I have not installed any fixed furniture against the partitioning wall, but instead used convertible sofa bed which is light and easy to maneuver.”  Against the window is a half-length cabinet which can be opened from the top and on the side, used or storing bedding and pillows. On the other side of the guest room, there is a desk and a wardrobe with four big drawers. “Drawers are more convenient for storing elderly products, such as adult diapers, underpads, which occupy space. Large drawers are particularly user-friendly.  
 
Pauline stressed that one has to give private space to carers.  Designating some space for carers for properly keeping their belongings is a respect for carers. “ Moreover, this room in fact is a major servicing area so there should be shelves for keeping drugs, medical records, etc., and desk fitted with power sockets for use as a work station.” Incidentally, I also noticed that there is a sofa bed in the living room. Pauline told me that this arrangement is to provide one more place for visiting family members to take a rest or to stay overnight if needed.
 
Expensive tiles for guest toilet  
 
For those who knows Pauline well, they must know that she loves interior design. Each time when she undertakes a major renovation task, the first thing she would do is to pick the tiles. She said, “Most of the furniture can be tailor-made, but finding the right tiles needs luck.”  When she looks for tiles, she first picks the tiles for the guest toilet.  This time, the tiles she picked for the guest toilet in fact dictated the style and colour scheme of her sitting/dining room and the kitchen.
 
“When your friends visit you, they would usually use the guest toilet.  The 5 to 6 minutes they spend in the guest toilet would probably be the occasion when they can really study and appreciate your home. Apart from give your guests a sense of comfort, the toilet must be kept very clean and tidy.”
 
Pauline picked the Spanish Mosaic tiles this time for her guest toilet.  When one looks at them from afar, they look rather ordinary.  But when one looks at them closely, one can find these jewel-like pebbles projecting a subtle blue shine, bringing glamour and life to this newly decorated flat. Together with the white washed walls and ancient dark wood furniture, the blue pebbled tiles fully portray the magnanimous character and modesty of the owner of this flat.
 
I am quite surprised that Pauline thinks so far ahead of time and is so thoughtful about the needs of family members and carers.  Perhaps to put it in another way, she is so well prepared for the future changes in her body.  This is what I call self-acceptance!
 
 
 
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