INSIDE & OUT
In the home
New shower design serves family’s needs Commentary by Larry Greene Original bathroom: This home located in the Bayhill subdivision on the east side of Carmel was built about 12 years ago. The homeowners have two sons, 25 and 30, and each has a disability. When they built the house, both boys were still walking, so they had their bathroom built with an Americans with Disabilities Act shower with wheelchair accessibility. As the boys became less able to maneuver on their own, the limitations of the original design became apparent. Shower drain problems: The only drain in the bathroom was in the center of the shower. Water from the shower tended to drain all over the bathroom floor with nowhere to go. The owners commented, “After years of dealing with soaking towels and a floor beginning to heave from the water, we decided it was time to renovate the space to better suit the present and future needs of our sons.” Special shower details: The homeowners worked with the design team to come up with a design that suited the needs of the family. The original shower/bath area was turned into one large, walk-in shower with a built-in bench
Before along the entire back wall. Two shower heads were installed in a space that can accommodate wheelchairs. Glass blocks were installed in the window area to allow light with privacy. In the previous design, the bench and floor were slippery when wet, making the space dangerous. The new shower floor includes flamed granite tile, which undergoes a procedure that pops the crystals off the granite, giving it texture so it is not slippery. To deal with the drainage issue, a linear drain was installed against the back wall under the bench, allowing the whole shower floor to be gently sloped back, rather than creat-
After ing a bowl-like effect to a center drain. Final results: The homeowners commented, “The new design works very well for our sons and we were able to keep the original wallpaper and colors, which they liked.”
Larry Greene is the president of Case Design/Remodeling, a full-service design/build firm serving Hamilton County. Contact him at lgreene@ indy.rr.com.
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