June 26, 2024

How to Remodel Your Home for Improved Accessibility

Accessibility isn’t always something you think of until you need it.

 

However, it’s an essential feature that ensures your home is comfortable and functional for you and your loved ones. Fortunately, there are plenty of upgrades and renovations that can make your home more accessible, prevent dangerous safety hazards, and increase your overall quality of life. Your home, after all, is your sanctuary and should be the epitome of your comfort.

 

At Classic Remodeling, our team has been fortunate enough to help several clients renovate for aging in place. From installing safety features like benches and grab bars to using materials that can help visually impaired homeowners navigate to creating a little more room for wheelchairs and walkers, we’re proud to make sure your home can accommodate you no matter what your needs are or what phase of life you’re in.

 

Here are some of the many renovations or upgrades we recommend to clients regarding increased accessibility.

 

Making Your Kitchen Accessible

One of the easiest ways to make your kitchen more accessible is by using high-contrast materials. For people with visual impairments or eyesight that will worsen with age, low-contrast design, such as tan floors combined with tan or white countertops, makes delineating between different surfaces difficult. Low-contrast design can result in poor depth perception, which leads to things getting dropped and broken and creating hazards in the kitchen.

 

If you’re in love with a lighter color for the flooring, for example, we recommend pairing it with a bold cabinet or countertop so it’s easy to distinguish different surfaces and avoid injury or damage.

 

If mobility or wheelchair access is a concern, we highly recommend designs that incorporate plenty of space to sit or roll under the counter. More seating around peninsulas and counters has become a prevalent trend lately. With extra seating or space to accommodate a wheelchair, your kitchen becomes a great place to entertain and gather and comfortable for everyone.

 

Since countertops are typically too high to be comfortable work surfaces for someone in a wheelchair or for someone who can’t stand for a long period of time, consider lowering a portion of the counter or adding a pull-out cutting board that is table height to provide a comfortable and reachable work surface.

 

Storage can often be a difficult barrier, but there are plenty of solutions that make kitchen organization a breeze to navigate no matter what your needs are. Lower drawers and pull-down/pull-up storage solutions make accessing kitchen items easier and negate the need for climbing on a step ladder or reaching too far over your head. People in wheelchairs will also be able to access drawers easier too.

 

Other accessibility-friendly renovations could include a work-station with room for a counter-height stool or chair for chefs who can’t be on their feet for too long and a pot filler behind the range so people who can’t carry heavy loads can easily fill a pot in place. There are also cabinet inserts that can bring items down from higher shelves for those who can’t reach them.

 

Don’t underestimate the power of under-cabinet lighting, either. This particular upgrade is a great help for everyone, no matter their age or eyesight quality, it prevents accidents and spills.

 

Making Your Bathroom Accessible

If you’re designing with aging in place in mind or for someone with disabilities or mobility issues, the bathroom needs to be safe, as a majority of serious home accidents happen in the bathroom. Our team has renovated many bathrooms to make them accessible for homeowners while still looking beautiful and functional.

 

Like the kitchen, high-contrast materials will help with depth perception and navigation throughout the space.

 

Grab bars make toilets, showers and tubs safe and help prevent slips and falls. Benches or a fold-away seat make showers easier if you cannot stand. When paired with a hand-held faucet, using a shower becomes safe, comfortable and just a touch more luxurious.

 

If you aren’t ready for grab bars yet, but would like to plan your renovation around aging in place, adding blocking in the walls of your tub or shower will prevent you from needing another renovation in the future. Blocking is a small section of framing wood that is placed specifically to create a strong anchor in your wall for the grab bars or anything heavy you may want to hang.

Adding this blocking now will make installing grab bars easier when you’re ready for them.

 

When designing with accessibility in mind, we also encourage clients to consider what will be best for their needs rather than wants. For example, free-standing tubs are beautiful but often difficult to get in and out of, as opposed to tubs with “decking” around them. The decking allows for an area to sit and swing your legs into or out of the tub, which would be much safer for anyone with mobility or balance issues.

 

If the bathroom requires accommodations for a wheelchair, there needs to be at least five feet of clear space in the room for the wheelchair to turn around.

 

One way to get creative with designing a wheelchair-friendly space is a “roll-in shower.” This type of shower stall typically has a very low curb that is easy to roll over or no curb at all and instead has a flush drain in the floor to prevent flooding. This 5’ radius can also include space under the sink if the floor area is clear (pedestal sink).

 

This design is similar to a “wet room” in the bathroom, which is becoming an increasingly popular trend.

 

Making Stairs and Entryways Accessible

Stairs and entryways can be some of the tightest spots in your home and can subsequently be the hardest to adapt. However, the key to creating accessibility for stairs and entryways lies in making as much use of the space available and being innovative with design.

 

Entryways need some kind of seating, whether a removable bench or a built-in, to aid with tasks like putting on shoes. Be mindful, however, that you don’t overcrowd the space with too much furniture or excess decor that will take up valuable room. Hallways should have at least four feet of space to allow a wheelchair or passerby to navigate comfortably.

 

Stairs are the trickiest area to make accessible. If you aren’t accommodating a wheelchair, a sturdy railing and incorporating a well-fixed runner will help reduce injuries while using the stairs.

 

However, the best way to make a multi-level home fully accessible is to install an elevator. Our team is well equipped, with years of experience, to re-configure your home to allow for an elevator in the best location possible. If you are doing a remodel and are not ready to add an elevator but would like to incorporate one in the future, stacking well-sized closets on top of each other is a great way to plan ahead. Make sure your contractor knows what your plans are so they can properly frame the house to allow for an easy retrofit.

 

Building for accessibility or aging in place is a unique challenge for our team, and it’s an excellent opportunity to collaborate with the client to think outside of the box when it comes to designing a space that will allow them the freedom to do what they love, live as independently as possible, and stay safe in their home. With our thorough knowledge of building codes and regulations and decades of experience, we can help design a renovation that you can enjoy no matter what stage of life you’re in.

 

Ready to make your home inspiration a reality with our 30 years of superior performance, craftsmanship, and service? Contact us today!