Making a home cozy is something that comes naturally to most of us. But ensuring it is accessible is a little trickier. We have a rough idea of how it works, but implementing it in practice is anything but straightforward. There are just so many angles to consider.
Fortunately, this post can help. We explore the many ways you can elevate your home with accessible design, enabling disabled or older family members to enjoy the space just as much as anyone else.
Make The Furniture Easy To Get Out Of
Making the furniture easy to get out of is one of the easiest ways to incorporate accessible design into your home. Using chairs with low seats, high backs, and armrests can provide substantial assistance for people who struggle to stand up by themselves.
You can also invest in seating that lifts the user into the standing position, enabling them to walk without exerting as much muscular force. This option can be useful for frail individuals or anyone with weak knees.
Use Bright Light
The next easiest thing to implement is bright light throughout the home. If you have large exterior windows front, back, and sides, then knocking this problem on the head should be fairly straightforward. However, you may need to upgrade your lighting solutions if you aren’t blessed with big windows.
The best way to adjust lighting for accessibility is to layer it. You want a combination of light sources, including recessed lighting, lamps, and sconces. This approach lets you illuminate from more angles, reducing shadows and dark spots that might confuse people with failing sight.
Bright lighting is also helpful in general for accessibility. It makes things like stair rails and grab bars easier to see and could reduce the risk of accidents.
Add Non-Slip Flooring To The Bathrooms
Another excellent upgrade to make your home more accessible is non-slip flooring. This material can prevent people from slipping and falling over in the bathroom.
Non-slip flooring isn’t essential for all disabilities. However, regular bathroom tiles can be dangerous for people with balance issues. Putting down flooring that won’t slip and slide underfoot can prevent otherwise dangerous falls that might result in broken bones. It also makes stepping in and out of the shower or bathtub safer.
Add Railings
You could also improve accessibility to your home by adding railings from the driveway to the front door. A ramp might also be helpful if you are catering to a wheelchair user.
These days, constructing railings from pipes with kee clamp fittings is straightforward. Components are readily available from vendors for DIY enthusiasts who want to try putting these structures together themselves. It’s mainly a matter of slotting the various components together and testing if they hold up to regular usage.
If you don’t like the look of raw, galvanized metal railings outside your house, you can always paint them black. This approach makes them look elegant and functional at the same time while keeping your home’s regular aesthetic.
Install Accessible Light Switches
Another way to make your home more accessible is by installing light switches. Operating these is significantly easier than conventional fittings.
Most accessible light switches are on pulley cords. All you need to do is gently grab them and tug them to activate the lighting. You probably already have switches like these in your bathrooms, but consider expanding them to other rooms to make life better for disabled guests or family members.
You might also want to explore high-tech options, such as motion-sensing lighting. These switch on automatically when their sensors detect something moving. Another option is voice-activated lighting via your home assistant. Instead of pulling a cord or pushing a button, disabled family members can simply speak to the lighting in their home to get it to turn on.
Get Rid Of Stairs Where Possible
Getting rid of stairs might sound like a big ask (and it usually is), but it can work wonders for accessibility. Not having to climb up or walk down steps can significantly affect how easily older and disabled individuals can move around.
If you live in a bungalow, you may be able to replace all steps with ramps. However, if you have a flight of stairs, providing accessibility options will cost more. One option is to use an elevator system. These help access mezzanines and upper floors. You could also experiment with downstairs bedrooms and ensuites to eliminate the need to walk upstairs.
Make The Doorways Wider
Making the doorways wider is another popular approach for improving accessibility. It can be challenging for some mobility equipment to pass through regular doorways of standard widths.
Making doorways wider requires a little building work, but it should be feasible for most interior doors attached to non-supporting doors. Exterior doors are a little trickier to change because they are built into the structure. However, you may be able to find a workaround, such as improving access to rear patio doors by widening walkways and installing ramps.
Avoid Round Door Knobs
Avoiding round door knobs is also an upgrade you could make to your home. People with disabilities find these harder to turn, potentially preventing them from moving around in the home.
Lever door handles are a superior option and more enjoyable for individuals with hand dexterity issues or arthritis. You can also find options with extended lever arms that are even easier to operate.
Install Low-Pile Carpets
Finally, you might want to install low-pile carpets in your home. Many people with disabilities prefer this option because walking on it is easier. Feet sink less into the floor, providing more stability.
Low-pile carpets are also less expensive than their high-pile brethren, making them suitable for anyone on a budget. These products also require less maintenance and don’t wear out as rapidly.
So, there you have some methods to elevate your home with accessible design. Use a combination of these ideas as you see fit.