The Alair Homes Lake Norman team would love to assist you in planning for your future by inspiring you with some subtle design features or retrofits which can have potentially life-altering impacts on your health and independence.
In the Bathroom
The bathroom is where the majority of in-home accidents take place. There are several solutions we provide you with to combat this when designing a bathroom. Our team will help you plan a shower that has no threshold so that you can easily enter with a walker or wheelchair. A few other solutions would be to include somewhere to sit while you bathe, adding grab rails, and an adjustable showerhead fixture with a wand. These bathroom design features will have the greatest impact on your independence and well-being.
In the Kitchen
Our team has the expertise and talent to help you future-proof your kitchen and create solutions to accommodate all of your daily needs. Our team will help you consider drawers with appropriate pulls instead of cabinets to allow for convenient access to kitchen items. Also, we recommend eliminating the use of cabinets over the stove which could be dangerous or hard to reach. With our team of experienced market partners, we keep these things in mind when designing your kitchen space so that it is safe and easy to navigate.
Designs to Consider Throughout Your Home
Having flat entries i.e, eliminating steps into the home and between rooms, as well as adding wainscoting with a wide rail, can aid in balance throughout the home and help prevent trips and falls (it looks great too!). Taking this into account, we also suggest homeowners opt for indirect lighting and shiny flooring to avoid glares and shadows which can play tricks on those with diminished vision. We recommend staying away from deep carpet which can be difficult to navigate in wheelchairs and walkers and opt for soft and smooth flooring such as cork which can make falls less impactful. Consider door levers over knobs and light rockers over switches to assist with mobility issues that may arise. We encourage homeowners to embrace smart technology including lighting, blinds, electronic locks, and thermostats that can be controlled remotely or, better yet, by voice. An alternative we provide to our clients is placing your electrical outlets higher off the ground to eliminate bending over or stretching to access hard to reach outlets which could potentially lead to a fall.
We know there is a lot to consider, but with the right team of experts guiding you through aging in place options for your renovation, your home can become a safe haven that works for you now and in the future.