KBB - February 2014 - 28

Universal Design

Doorways
For extra accessibility in a remodel, specify wider doorways and halls,
as well as an open turning radius for doors. Pocket and barn doors can be
great options to give the maximum amount of mobility into a bathroom
or walk-in pantry, and inside hinge and pocket doors are now available
up to 43 inches. With a swing door, allow 18 inches of extra space for easy
entry.You can widen older home hallways by removing cabinets that were
commonly built in at that time.
Software is available to enable you to double check your space
while you're creating the layout. When accounting for space, you can
also install plywood backing halfway up behind the drywall to support
grab bars at a later time.

A double shower system with a handheld shower and fixed showerhead is an accessible combination. There should be a metal (not plastic)
clip on a linear bar (a great place to add a hidden grab bar) for placing
the handheld while not in use. Separate lever controls for hot and cold
water should be placed at the seated level for easy reach - preferably at
the shower entrance. For an all-in-one, lower-budget option, use a double
shower system with a linear bar and circular lever faucet control.
Built-in nooks or attachments for soaps and toiletries should be at
multiple levels of reach. Seating options in the shower can be in the form
of a fold-down teak seat on the wall or a tiled-in seat at the end of the
shower (ensure placement allows easy reach of controls and handheld
shower while seated).

Bathrooms

Tubs

Add a bench or chair wherever you can in the bathroom; tufted
chairs can be beautiful paired with a lower-counter make-up station.
Have mirrors start at the sink level and expand toward the ceiling so
everyone in the house can look at them at their own eye level.
For privacy or room division in the bathroom, flexibility and stability are
again key elements to universal design. Glass doors can be built that fold
in place or can be easily taken out. Shower curtain rods are available that
attach directly to the ceiling - a much safer option.

Bathtubs are most accessible with a built-in ledge on the side or
around the entire edge, depending on the layout. Seating within the
bath can come in so many beautiful options, and some of the more
popular include a fold-down teak seat attached to the wall; a portable
indoor/outdoor bench; or a flat, waterproof "transfer seat" of any material to match the bathroom and that doubles as a place to put candles
or toiletries. For clients who request an "open-door" tub with built-in seat,
make sure they want to sit in a bathtub while the water is filling and then
again while it's draining. If they do select this, try adding a heating element closer to the tub area for wet, exposed bathers.

Toilets and Bidets

This bathroom features room under the sink for a wheelchair, and a grab
bar by the toilet makes for safer use.

Showers
For years, the rage in European bathrooms has been wet rooms. In the
U.S., those lacking knowledge, influence or product selection - or those
tasked with following ADA-compliant "accessible bathrooms" too late into
the process - have put in ugly roll-in showers. Trench/linear drains make
installing zero-step showers possible and environmentally safe from mold
in virtually any bathroom. You can use tile or even put in radiant heat
floors with the flat drain. LCD lights of any color can be installed inside the
drain to provide another marker that's both safe and beautiful.

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K BB

The most popular environmentally sustainable item in the house is
a high-efficiency toilet. With options at various price points, an accessible toilet is oblong with a full base or mounted from the wall. Since this
area has the single-greatest need for grab bars, install plywood backing
halfway up behind the drywall with any bathroom remodel, and take
advantage of the many new hidden grab bars that can double as towel
racks, paper holders or soap dishes.
The safest placement of a toilet is on a sidewall rather than directly
across from an entrance. Studies show that the best placement for grab
bars is on both sides of the toilet. For a more attractive look, create a
custom design that uses half walls with rails that are secure according to
ADA standards but match the design of the bath.
From parents of children with special needs to baby boomers who
have every intention of living this next phase of life in the same style and
ease that's named them the "me generation," the consumers who are
most in immediate need of accessible spaces have proven they are less
concerned with price than they are beauty. They desire knowledgeable
service and design that works for their lifestyle.
In creating kitchens and baths that offer beauty, independence and
function for any situation at hand or that may come, our industry is in a
position to make life easier for people with disabilities. n
- Gail Zahtz is founder of Gail Zahtz Productions, a multi-media organization that specializes in reaching baby boomers and the disabled through
traditional and social media, in-person events and new product design.
She is also the author of the soon-to-be-released Demand Design: Better
Living for Everyone.

February 2014 / www.kbbonline.com / The Official Sponsor of KBIS www.kbis.com

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KBB - February 2014

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