Aging-in-Place: Bathroom Remodeling Considerations
Getting ready to remodel your bathroom?
Excited about picking out colors, finishes, and tech for your new oasis?
As you plan your remodel, think about the future of your home. If you love your home, you’ll want to stay there as long as possible! Consider adding some aging-in-place design elements now that will be convenient and necessary when you’re older!
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Don’t panic at the idea of making your home accessible! Accessibility can also be aesthetically pleasing and many of these upgrades won’t be obvious to your guests.
Here are some upgrades to consider:
- Automatic, brighter night lights: Better bathroom lighting (such as under-cabinet lights) helps you see your path and helps reduce fall risks at night – a good nightlight can also keep you from waking up your partner! Automatic lights are also a great option, so you don’t have to search for a switch.
- Grab bars: Wall-mounted grab bars are effective and safe and can match your décor, so they don’t look so out of place.
- Raised toilet seats: Reduce the distance needed to sit and stand! Make cleaning easier by choosing a wall-mounted toilet – the floor is easier to clean because you don’t have to work around the base where it meets the floor.
- Shower benches: Shower benches are a great way to gain stability. In a big shower, a bench can also provide that spa-like feeling you may be looking for, whether you feel you need a bench to reduce fall risks at your current age or not.
- Curbless showers: This type of shower creates an open bathroom that maximizes space. Curbless showers also provide accessibility for aging or mobility impairments. Plus, spa-like features often make curbless showers feel more elegant than a traditional walk-in shower.
Age in Place without Compromising on Style
According to Susan Wright from the AIA New York Chapter Design for Aging Committee, “subtle design choices can have a profound impact on how long you can comfortably live in your own home, without compromising your aesthetic aims.”
Adding these small changes sooner will not only save you time and money in the long run, but it will allow you and your partner to stay in your home longer, which has been proven to help seniors have greater health and happiness outcomes.
Bathroom Remodeling to Help with Aging-in-Place
Our designers are passionate about what they do. We’ll help you imagine new ways to live in and love your space! If you’re an empty-nester, we can help you consider aging-in-place principles when renovating that will not only look great but make your life easier.
Our design team has the knowledge and expertise to help you with bathroom remodeling, and our project managers and carpenters have the skills to get the job done. At Alpha Design + Build, we believe that a properly designed project is less expensive, completed more quickly, and has fewer cost overruns than a project done “on the fly”. Our process puts you first!