Hello everyone, Dale here. As many of you know, the house I built and lived in for 34 years is for sale. My wife, Dianne, and I enjoyed our time there and we considered growing old(er) in the home. However, in the end we purchased a house that better suits our needs. A few aging-in-place design improvements we completed include:
- Installed a lot of LED lighting with dimmers including reading lights above the bed.
- Installed plate and cup storage drawers in the base cabinets for easier access.
- Made a large main floor laundry room.
- Installed easy to grab knobs on all cabinets.
- Designed access to walkout back yard from the front with a low sloping walk path or we can use the steps as well.
- Put bench in front foyer so I can sit down to put shoes on, etc.
- Installed smooth easy to maintain quartz counters.
- Added mudroom entry from garage for easy access to kitchen.
Whether you’re looking to remodel your home, build a new home or buy – there are many aging-in-place elements you can incorporate or look for.
Aging-in-Place Design Ideas
General
- Main living on single story (including laundry & full bath)
- Open floor plan
- Wider & well lit hallways
- Minimal or no step entries
- Plenty of windows for natural light
- Easy to operate windows
- Flooring: hardwood, tile or short pile carpet & smooth transitions between fooring types
- Wider than standard stairways with handrails on both sides
Kitchen
- Wide walkways in between island
- Lots of base cabinetry/storage (no step stool required)
- Pull out or drawer cabinetry instead of shelves
- Wall mounted oven
- Microwave at lower height in lieu of over the range
- Lever handle faucets
- Varying countertop heights to accomodate different needs
Bathroom
- Walk-in shower
- Built-in bench in shower
- Adjustable or handheld showerhead
- Toilet higher than standard height with elongated bowl
- Vanity height higher than standard
- Lever handle faucets
- Grab bars
- Easy to clean surfaces
Lighting/Electrical
- Task lighting in applicable areas
- Auto-lighting
- Adjustable/dimmer lighting
- Rocker or touch light switches
- Security system (especially for snow birds)
HVAC
- Zoned heating & cooling, so you can easily control temperature & reduce energy costs
- Fresh air ventilation exchanges – minimize dust & improve indoor air quality
- Easily accessible filters
All my fellow baby boomers or anyone planning for the future, it is usually possible to make most aging-in-place modifications. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding this topic.
-Dale Gruber
Owner of Home Check Plus
