Beyond Barriers

More often, elderly individuals are choosing not to enter senior care facilities, and instead opt to remain in their homes or to move in with their adult children. At the same time, hiring an in-home care aide has become more widely accessible. The bottom line: this market is seeing tremendous growth. The following are a few popular trends that members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry are seeing when working on these projects.

#1Home elevators

Home elevators have become a more familiar sight, even in homes with only a single flight of stairs. As residents age, issues with hips and legs become more prominent and painful, creating issues around mobility. The addition of a home elevator makes it so that stairs will never become a hurdle for someone wishing to remain at home. The elevator also ensures peace of mind for everyone in the family, as elderly parents are less likely to have an accident while home alone.

Elevators open up design options when it comes to where and how they should flow into the feel of the home. An elevator can be built into the outside of the house, or it can be a way to utilize otherwise dead space within the home. There are several different types of home elevators ranging from cable-driven and chain-driven to hydraulic and even air-driven elevators. Some home elevators display a futuristic look with a circular, glass design built beside a staircase. Others are simpler in design, with a traditional metal gate. Whatever the look of one’s home, there’s typically a way to include a home elevator in the construction.

#2Accessibility modifications

Barrier-free bathrooms and kitchens are the new normal in home design trends, as they open up accessibility to all occupants regardless of age or ability. The best example of the barrier-free concept is a walk-in shower, usually complete with a bench inside. Removing the curb at the bottom of the shower lessens any chance of a spill when elderly occupants are entering and exiting the shower area, and the bench ensures residents will be able to access the shower for years to come.

Another option for those homeowners who prefer a bathtub is to replace the current tub with a walk-in tub with seats and grab bars for added security.

Integrating a barrier-free layout into a kitchen or kitchenette also helps occupants continue living at home in a safe and accessible situation. In practice, this usually looks like building countertops and sinks to a reachable height for the average wheelchair user. It can also include motorized or pulldown cabinets, so pantry items and dishware are always within reach. Another design point to

Motion-activated keep in mind is leaving enough space for wide turns in kitchens and bathrooms for those in wheelchairs, along with grab bars along walls and hallways.

#3Blending practicality and convenience

Overall, the line between practical design and convenience features that drive up a room’s “cool factor” is growing increasingly blurry, according to Gary Grabowski, owner of Greater Home Services and a NARI Universal Design Certified Professional.

Curbless showers, mentioned previously, are just one example.

In fact, bathrooms are among the highest-demand remodeling projects Grabowski sees, especially for people whose mobility is affected.

Features growing in popularity include floating, wall-hung vanities. Grabowski said the open floorspace that design creates is enticing whether it is needed to be able to roll a wheelchair under it or not.

Other upgrades, such as motion-activated fixtures like fans, faucets and touch controls for showers, may feel like a bit of luxury in the short-term, but could serve an accessibility role down the road.

In other parts of the house, luxury vinyl plank flooring continues to gain popularity. Not only is it practical and easy-to-clean, it’s appealing from a design standpoint and also offers a barrier-free advantage.

#4

Ramps integrated into the landscape

Talented architects and designers have invented new ways of blending ramps into the flow of a home or building’s landscape. This creates an attractive and accommodating entry point for wheelchair and walker users and those who may wish to avoid stairs. Beautifully designed ramps are sometimes fused with stairs for an avant-garde look, while wooden and concrete ramps are built with an eye for the overall look of surrounding gardens and lawns. Ramps have become an essential design choice for those looking to remodel residential properties and will continue to be in demand.

Design for accessibility does more than make living spaces more conducive for those with disabilities. It expands on regulations to create more user-friendly spaces tailored to those who wish to agein-place. Ultimately this results in more enjoyable and functional design.