Design for All: A Few Questions on Universal Design

Hi there reader – today we want to cover something you may or may not be familiar with – Universal Design. 

Now you may be thinking – Universal Design? I know all about that. And if you do, that’s great, feel free to read this and send us any of your thoughts, we’d love to chat about it. And if you don’t? Well then take a second to learn and maybe even spark a few ideas for your own space.

Question (Q): What is Universal Design? 

Jil Young Designs Answer (JYD Answer): What a great question, we are so glad you asked! 

At its core – universal design is the design and composition of an environment so that it is accessible to everyone. This means anyone – regardless of age or mobility you can safely and easily navigate the space. 

Now we know that’s still a broad definition, but we can almost guarantee that you’re more familiar with universal design than you think. Here are a few examples: 

• Automatic doors openers for ease of access is becoming the standard in many places
• Curbs that transition smoothly into streets
• Ramps as an additional access to buildings
• Tactile paving for night time and the visually impaired
• Clear signage
• Moving sidewalks thru airports

See – we told you that you knew what Universal Design is! Now let’s talk about what it might mean in a home.

Q: Why would I implement universal design in my space? 

JYD Answer: The truth is that we don’t know exactly what your life looks like and if you really “need” universal design in your house at this point. However, there are a few questions you might want to ask yourself.

• Could this be your forever home? Are you planning on aging in place?
• Do you have parents who come to visit or one day might move in with you that could need some accommodations?
• Is your family on the verge, or in the middle of having children? Pushing a child in a stroller through a door that isn’t wide enough or up an entrance with a lifted threshold might be harder than you think.
• Do you have arthritis or difficulty using your hands?
• Is your eyesight not as good as it used to be?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes – you might have your answer for why you would implement universal design into your home. “Remodeling for Accessibility” may be the solution.

Q: If I implement universal design, is my house going to look like a hospital or an institution? 

JYD Answer: We get it – no one wants their home to look like a hospital. They’re sterile and for the most part, not that focused on beauty and aesthetic design. However, what if we told you that universal design in the home doesn’t actually equate to an ugly home like you’ve been led to believe. Let’s look at a few examples and walk through them. 

• Changing deep cabinets doors with accessible drawers, no more on your knees digging deep into those cabinets!
• Under cabinet lighting: see your countertops and everything you’re cutting!
• Zero Step Entrances: Let’s be honest here — having steps leading up into your home is a bit of a pain. The primary thing that steps in the entrance to your home does is create a challenge. Bringing in groceries? Moving? The last thing that you want is more of an obstacle to get that new furniture into your home. Getting your aging parents up those steps? Talk about an activity to get your heart rate up. 
• Door levers instead of knobs for ease of use.
• Kitchen hardware handles rather than knobs make opening drawers and cabinets so much easier.
• Curbless Showers: Falling in the shower is a possibility for anyone. Not just older folks. We have all been there – we’re not paying attention and forget that there is a lip in the shower and you’re on the floor with a bruised knee, elbow, and ego. Ditch the bruises and step into your curbless shower. Beyond being accessible and safe, they offer a more sleek and modern look than a traditional shower.
• Accessible Lighting: This is a large category, but to break it down, accessible lighting can include under cabinet lighting, rocker light switches, installing light switches at convenient heights, motion activated lighting, and dimmers. We don’t know about you, but we’ve never been mad about being able to adjust the amount of light in a room based on the mood, so bring on the dimmers. 
• Adjustable Shower Heads and built in shower benches: There is nothing ugly about being able to wash every crevice of your body and being clean. Hygiene is sexy, and an adjustable shower is going to help you get there. Built in shower bench? Not only can you shave your legs and take a load off if you need to, if you match your surrounding tile, you have a luxurious spa-like shower that everyone is begging to use. 

Accessibility isn’t ugly. Today’s universal design embraces minimalist details, clean lines, natural light, and high end finishes. It is modern, sleek, and thoughtful – isn’t that how you want your home to be perceived? 

Q: Can I make changes in my home easily? How hard is this going to be? 

JYD Answer: Just like any home design change, there are easy changes, and there are more large scale changes. Switching out the shower head, installing a touchless faucet, changing out cabinet handles so they are easier to use? These are all easy changes you can make rather quickly. Adding in a shower bench, changing the shower floor to be non-slip, adding smart technology, and making kitchen counters different heights? These might be more labor intensive, but for a person who is already remodeling, this can easily be incorporated into the design. 

Working with a design/builder who has experience in universal design have and understanding strategies for creating barrier free living environments that are aesthetically pleasing could be your answer. 

Q: How do we know where to start if we want to make changes? 

JYD Answer: Call us at Jil Young Designs. We start with a lifestyle questionnaire assessment to determine clients’ needs and make suggestions and recommendations based on those needs. We have experience working in universal design and are happy to walk you through your options! 919-988-0045

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