Designing Accessible Homes for Everyone 🏡 Aging in Place & People with Disabilities

hi everyone it's Nick welcome and welcome back to my channel okay in today's video we are going to be talking about Universal Design accessibility now this is something I think that's really important and something that people don't really talk a lot about in the world of interior design but we definitely should um I think this is really going to be valuable for just general knowledge of accessibility design so that we can create spaces that are beautiful and functional for everybody if you're maybe looking at things like Aging in place or maybe you have a person in your family or your friends that have a disability or you never know you know you might end up in a situation where you need some of the tools and things that we're going to be talking about in this video so I think it's really important that we sort of address all that I'll also add that I'm not necessarily really an expert in this area and so I called in someone who is and that is Megan from Blue Copper design who specializes specifically in interior design for people with disabilities she's a wonderful person I had a great chat with her and she's going to be throughout this video sort of lending in her own voice how to approach accessible design let's get going okay before I get into the rest of today's video I want to take a moment and thank today's sponsor Home Design makeover now as you all know I've always been really candid with you about what I like and what I don't like and truth be told I don't play a lot of mobile games I'm just gonna be honest about that but I know many of you adore mobile games and you love them and so I would recommend and trying out Home Design makeover because it brings something really unique to the table to be honest Home Design makeover is not just a game but it's also a tool and it makes visualizing spaces remarkably simpler uh even for folks who sometimes struggle with it that's why I appreciate games like Home Design makeover that make that really simple and easy in home design makeover you're helping clients renovate and transform their homes as you customize and design hundreds of rooms the game merges fun and functionality so you play an engaging sort of matching game to earn coins that you then use to swap out for things like flooring you can change the windows choose the furniture update the lighting and so much more but what really stands out for me about home design makeover is the educational aspect it's not just about sort of choosing pretty things it also helps guide you in your decision making providing some sort of much needed design knowledge along the way which I think is really interesting so for those of you who share a love for design and also love playing mobile games on your phone home design makeover might just be the unexpected treat that you're looking for if you're excited to give it a try I'll put a link in this below and you can also scan the QR code here on the screen and use my code nl1 to unlock some special rewards now back to the rest of the video okay so first tip for you is to consider those thresholds those different levels and also things like ramps um that was one thing that really came through in my conversation with Megan is that so often especially in something like you're doing a new build or if you're doing a renovation is really pay attention to minimizing the steps that you have in your home so often you can see rooms where you might have a step up to go into the laundry room and then you might have a step down to go into a different room for example and it creates an uneven surface and you might not think too much about it but for a person who is in a wheelchair or has any sort of accessibility issues that can be a real challenge to deal with sort of those different levels so if might make sense to install ramps if necessary or or even just if you're doing something like I said a new build or renovation even something like a sunken living room can be a real challenge for someone also again if you're doing a new build or something I would really consider things like if you're doing a two-story home or a three-story home consider putting some of those like basic things things like a kitchen a full bath a living room trying to put all that stuff on the first floor can really make a huge difference so depending on your age especially if we're talking about issues like Aging in place having all that stuff on that first floor is going to make it a lot easier rather than people going up and down stairs which can be a real challenge for some people also I would say that in terms of rugs I would say to really consider those low pile rugs this was something Megan touched a lot on in our conversation because the thing is with rugs is they can be really good for traction I know you'd probably think like I originally did that rugs would be really problematic and really difficult for people to move on but usually actually it does provide a level of traction for people to be able to Pivot depending on their needs so rugs can be a good one I would just really stay away from things like a shag carpet and going with something like the low pile rug that's going to make a lot easier for people with accessibility issues to travel and maneuver in a living space and also building on rugs all rugs should have a no slip mat underneath so you can buy some on Amazon that's where I got mine but just having a plain rug without a slip mat underneath can be really challenging especially if someone has issues around accessibility because obviously it's going to slip it's much easier to slip honestly that's just good advice for anybody always make sure you have a no slip mat underneath so they can have sort of more maneuverability on those rugs so also on the subject of thresholds that also leads into my second point which is those showers which is such an interesting challenging area looking for a curbless shower is ideal those curbless showers I think are also really important because they provide a barrier-free way in order to get into the shower so something like a curb can be really difficult for a person with a wheelchair while having a curbless shower is much easier to be able to maneuver in and out of the shower and also remember and again this is really true for everybody is really considering those uh tiles and making sure you have the proper amount of grout or that you have kind of no slip on those shower floors so this is true for everybody but if you have those large format tiles and they're quite Slippery When Wet that could be a real challenge for anybody especially when dealing with people that are aging in place for example but having smaller format tiles that are appropriate for a shower make sure to ask the tile people at your local Tel shop to have a map a good amount of grout in between those tiles can make a big difference in terms of being able to get that grip so that nobody Falls of course obviously if you do have those large format tiles or you maybe have something like a bathtub and you have something that's that's also your shower consider putting on different stickers and things that will help you so that they provide extra traction so people aren't falling in the shower yeah exactly I mean that's why like mosaics are traditionally used in shower tile or shower floors is because of the grout like the grout is what creates the texture to create the grip obviously the like smaller the tile the easier it is to slope as well but I feel like it's 50 50. like 50 of it is is for the growl couple more things in the shower to consider for accessibility is to have a faucet that's removable so having a wand that can you can actually take off is going to make a big difference rather than just sort of having the head uh on the side of the wall there but having an actual shower head that you're able to move and so that a person can very easily clean themselves is going to be really really beneficial and you want to make sure you have the proper amount of space for the clearance if someone does have a wheelchair but also consider that a bench might make sense for somebody else that maybe struggles to be able to sit and or stand in the shower for long periods of time having that sort of area to rest is really helpful when you're dealing with accessibility too and last thing too especially when dealing with bathtubs is things like grab bars um I asked Megan about this because I always thought that sometimes they're aesthetically maybe not that great and she said that depending on the brand that you're working with so Kohler or Moen or whatever sort of brand that you've done for your entire uh Plumbing sort of package in the bathroom you can have it match the grab bar as well so you can make it kind of aesthetically pleasing I would advise that if you are going to put in a grab bar always nice to be able to have it match your other accessories because just because we want it to be functional for everybody but that it's also beautiful and is cohesive and matches the rest of your other fixtures too okay next up let's talk about those very important role under sinks now this applies to bathrooms and kitchens and I think there's two really main things you want to focus on here you want to make sure that but the depth of the sink is going to be easily accessible to everybody even a person say that's really low or in a wheelchair or whatever that they're able to be able to get and actually use that sink properly and also in addition to that you want to make sure that the mirror that is going to be behind the vanity is of a height that everybody would be able to access that mirror because some people are really tall some people are going to be a little bit closer and not able to necessarily see if the mirror is placed too high so having a mirror that is really tall and able to be accessible to everybody is important too but it's important to have these while also avoiding the dreaded angled roll under which Megan talked a lot about so something I always try to avoid is like the dreaded angled I feel like we can all kind of picture that it's like angled to hide the plumbing um I just I don't know it just never like floats my boat it just doesn't make my heart sing so I try to find other ways to make a role under a situation like really aesthetic so my first place is doing that intentionally like expose the plumbing um a lot of Plumbing fix or plumbing companies they will have like decorative P tracks and you can like kind of hide your plumbing um lines and your you know all of the mechanics under this thing so don't be afraid to expose your P-trap do it in a really like cool intentional way and it can be like really modern and Sleek if you that is not your Vibe you could also have like a vanity situation and then the doors underneath the sink can open up and then push back in so you can close the doors and it would look just like a traditional normal vanity with doors under the sink and then you can open them up and it's a roll under sink okay next Let's Talk About Storage something that I can talk about all the time because I just feel it's so important that people really forget to go people tend to talk about like the Aesthetics of design but we tend to forget about the nuts and bolts of things like storage so when talking about storage make sure that storage in things like the bathroom vanity or any storage to be honest in the entire uh home should really be accessible to everybody ideally you know we're not necessarily making it really difficult for people to be accessed the essentials that you're going to need in the home also pay attention to things like where the drawers open to make sure that you know if a person for example is in a wheelchair they have their they're able to actually be able to open the doors properly to be able to access the storage effectively so that's really important as well and I know sometimes I talk about open storage and you know that I'm not necessarily a big fan uh because sometimes I do think it makes the place look really cluttered but I also acknowledge that there are people that really benefit I think from having open storage because sometimes I think when people have something like ADHD I'm not necessarily an expert in any of these areas but I've heard from you feedback from you the audience that some of you really struggle with finding kind of those Essentials if they're tucked away um sort of hidden in storage areas in your home and so if that's the case for you or any of your friends or family that are going to be visiting your home then I would consider having some of those Essentials being able to be really easily accessible to people so otherwise people would forget that they even are there and so that's really important too so there can be some spaces where it does make sense to have some open storage or at least make it really easy for people to remember where those Essentials are okay next up let's talk about tips around Heights so Heights are going to be really important and again because accessibility is such a really big topic everybody has such different needs and really so we're talking about how do you create something that is going to be quite specific when you can't because everybody has such diverse set of needs so it's such a huge topic but I do think that there are some ways that we can consider certain Heights that will matter for different people so think about those things like countertop Heights sink Heights vanity Heights things like that to make sure that people have the appropriate clearance to be able to use it effectively but also make sure that they're low enough so people are easily able to access them when they need them so Megan actually touched on specific Heights on certain things uh what I spoke to in our call which was super helpful and you'll see a theme Here I have like two Realms of that one very specific for the homeowner and the family and then the other thought is like okay let's just make things more generalized specific for like homeowners and families I mean we could get down to like the half inch if we wanted to and a half inch or an inch like could make a big difference for people but if we're going to talk more about like General vanity Heights or kitchen countertop Heights um I go kind of like two buckets with that so for a manual chair user so someone who uses a chair where they push it themselves with their um arms or someone who uses a walker or maybe someone who's just a little bit shorter than normal um or shorter than the average height I guess um I like to stick between 32 and 34 inches for the countertop height standard height is typically 34. some people go to 36 if you're especially tall now for people who use power chairs I do like to actually make the countertop a little bit higher so power chairs are usually our chairs by run by Motors they usually have a joystick they're usually larger in size and they usually have the seat height that's higher so for that I like to do 34 to 36. also pay attention to those light switches and sort of those like thermostats you know all that sort of stuff make sure that that is an appropriate height depending on the person that is going to be living there so I think that makes a huge difference sometimes these light switches and stuff can be really difficult and we don't even oftentimes realize it that they are a little bit too high and sometimes it can be really difficult for people to access them also consider the height of your bed and Furniture as well especially when dealing with things like Aging in place really take into account that low Furniture although contemporary furniture really popular furniture that is very trendy right now tends to be really low and close to the ground that can be really difficult for some people to get in and out of especially also considering things like beds as well I mean some of these mattresses are just getting like so huge they're getting really really tall and you've got these really tall bed frames and it can be really difficult for people to be able to get in and out of those beds so make sure that it is an appropriate height for people to get in and out of some of these things especially just because if you have bad knees or you know you have a person who's elderly can be really difficult for them to get in and out of some of these things so really consider that When selecting Furniture okay next up we got to talk about space plan space planning is so so so important especially if we're talking about accessibility right it's important for everybody I mean I talk about space planning all the time because I just think that it's important to have the right clearances built for humans that's something that is I've said a thousand times on this channel because having the space say for example between the edge of the sofa and the coffee table right the end of your chairs to the coffee table making sure that you have certain door frames you have the right amount of clearances making sure that you know when you have dining chairs or whatever you have the appropriate amount of clearance for people to adequately get in and out of these spaces and maneuver in the room that's really important but when you're talking accessibility it becomes even more so because these types of spaces when we say built for humans well as I we've talked about in this we're talking about in this video humans have all sorts of a diverse set of needs right so some people have different needs than others so really taking into account who is using the space to make sure that you have the right clearances between your furniture so that everybody is comfortable okay next tip I have for you is going to be smart home lights and Smart Home Appliances just just a smart home in general so this becomes really really important I don't I think we always look at these like everybody sort of sees these as a modern sort of convenience um but I think they almost become an essential when we're talking about accessibility right so because these are voice commands they're able to be much easier for a lot of people to be able to use or perhaps they could be a touch screen which is easier for people to use whatever the case may be again people have really diverse needs so there's lots of things to consider here in the realm of smart home but I would consider things like for example voice activated smart home lights things like that become basically an essential to a person that is blind or a person that is in a wheelchair person has accessibility issues becomes really easy for them to use their voice then for example using something like a conventional light switch also consider too though when you're talking appliances you really want to take into account that if a person is blind for example it can be really difficult for them to use some of the touch screen features that a lot of people are I feel like the manufacturers are just kind of coming over onto more and more and more when it comes to appliances sometimes tactile buttons can be really helpful for a blind person there's a blind YouTuber named Ollie Burke I don't know if you know her here here on YouTube of course and she actually talks about this in her house renovation how difficult it was for her to be able to find appliances that are not using a touch screen so I hope this is something that manufacturers recognize and come out with different appliances that have different needs because while she might need tactile buttons someone else might find it easier to use a different type of tool for example or something like a touch screen might be easier for other people okay next up let's talk about the importance of textures now this is really important kind of we're building on in the last section for people um that are blind or have issues with vision related issues textures can be really important because it offers a tactile way for people to interact with their environment so this can be things like having different textures on glass different Fabrics that can really sort of help a person be able to navigate a space effectively by having sort of a diverse set of textures that are in a space but at the same time it's also really important that sometimes it can be over stimulating for certain people this can be important for people that are maybe neurodivergent or or have sensory overload conditions that it can be really difficult to sometimes interact with so many different types of Textures in a space something else to consider acknowledging the fact that rounded Corners oftentimes are easier for people to be able to navigate than sharp Corners especially if someone is a has a risk of falling something to consider when you're selecting Furniture pieces or any of those fixed elements so again accessibility is so Broad and it really makes such a big difference in terms of the designing for the individual people and the needs of the people that are actually going to live and experience the home we think of texture and design as like a visual texture and that could be something that's very helpful but we're also like I think we gloss over the fact that like textures usually things that you feel um so as far as like tactile things like being able to use lever door hop door handles instead of knobs like that is texture like having a smooth knob into a door handle could be really hard for someone with like low grip um so making sure that you have a lever so that you kind of eliminate the texture there being able to use dials on appliances or buttons on like refrigerators or appliances as well like all of those things are texture like the tactileness of how we interface with the world so making sure that like you're choosing Textures in your home that make sense for you and I think for something like that that's a really good example of just designing for the needs of the people that are actually going to be living and experiencing the home because different people require different things this is something that really kind of I think was at the heart of my conversation with Megan but to me those are just general you know good that's where I go back don't change that much so that's it for me for today guys I hope you really enjoyed this video this is a very I want to thank Megan first of all for being on this video and for agreeing to speak with me she really helped me understand this issue a little bit better by the way if you would ever like to hire Megan her all her information is down there in the description box um you can go contact her and hire yourself she does virtual design all over North America which is great um I think it's just really important that we recognize that good design should be available to everybody and that's what I believe anyway and I think it's really important that it we make it accessible for more people so I hope you learned something from this video please send your tips by the way if you have anything in the comment section that may work for you or a family member or something that you have found to be helpful feel free to comment below and um thanks a lot I'll see you on the next video thanks bye

Channel: Nick Lewis

Views: 79,676

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Id: IHo554Hix-w

Length: 18min 26sec (1106 seconds)

Published: Mon Jul 31 2023