Design for All

BY DEBORAH PADDISON

Style and Function: The Best of Both Worlds

Many baby boomers who plan to age gracefully in their own homes want universal design features that provide comfort, accessibility, function and safety that will see them through life's changes — but they also want to live in luxury and style. A tall order? Not so much anymore.

Universal design is finally coming of age. As author Wendy Jordan writes in her new book, Universal Design for the Home: Great Looking, Great Living Design for All Ages, Abilities, and Circumstances (Quarry Press, February 2008), "At first…some of the universal design options for homes were good looking, but others seemed institutional.

"Now the picture is far different. … Public interest in universal design has caught fire, igniting an energetic effort by designers and manufacturers to provide fresh, attractive designs for residential use. They have had great success. Today, universal design features blend seamlessly into home designs, drawing little attention to themselves, yet making the designs much better."

In emphasizing that spaces should be safe and accessible for everyone, Jordan notes that this can be accomplished without forfeiting style. "Today, there are so many stylish, beautiful, good-sense universal-design options that choosing them has become a 'why not?' rather than a 'why?' decision."

Why not, indeed. Take a look at this small sampling of products and you'll agree.

Giving Grab Bars a Good Name

In the past, no accessibility feature screamed "institutional" as loudly as grab bars. Some people have been known to say they'd rather fall than have their neighbors see a grab bar in their house! But grab bars do add an important element of safety when it comes to maneuvering in the bathroom.

Designers no longer need to worry that safety fixtures will distract from their bathroom designs. The JACLO Luxury Grab Bar Collection (www.jaclo.com) features seven styles in 16 decorative finishes to coordinate with any bathroom décor. Functional and stylish, the grab bars are fully ADA compliant and can be used anywhere in the bathroom. They can even double as towel bars.

The Luxury Grab Bar Collection from JACLO puts an end to the institutional grab bar.

Another company, Great Grabz (www.greatgrabz.com), offers elegant grab bars that bridge the gap between practical and pretty. Their straight "Horizon" and sinuous "Wave" bars in polished chrome, polished brass, satin nickel and wrought-iron finishes are suitable for both residential and commercial applications.

Appliances Get a Lift

The kitchen can pose many hazards for seniors and people with disabilities. One of the biggest is reaching into a hot oven; since most oven doors open from the top, you have to reach over the hot door in order to access the inside. For people of short stature or who have diminished arm function, this is a recipe for disaster. Recognizing this would be a problem for their clients, some designers have scoured the market for ovens with side-opening doors. Though they can be hard to find, a few such models do exist, mainly from European manufacturers.

But now Gaggenau (www.gaggenau.com) has gone that one better by eliminating the oven door entirely. Their 24-inch BL 253 Lift Oven features an automatic elevating base for unique loading and unloading. Just push a button and the oven's glass ceramic base lowers down to the countertop, where food dishes can be loaded easily. Push another button and the base raises back up into the oven cavity. Since heat rises, the heat remains in the oven cavity, resulting in minimal energy loss during the lift operation. The innovative design allows for placement in top cabinet locations or on a kitchen wall, making it versatile for smaller kitchens. The oven has all the cooking bells and whistles and is encased in a sleek stainless steel–tinted glass front, illuminated by halogen lighting on the interior. All in all, it's an elegant solution.

Gaggenau's BL 253 Lift Oven is the only oven with an automatic elevating base, which allows the user easily to move food to and from the workspace and reduces the risk of spills and injury.

Of course, by now we've all seen the front-loading washers and dryers with controls on the front so they're easier to reach, as well as dishwashers on raised platforms for more ergonomic access.

Going Your Own Way

Speaking of ergonomics, if you've ever tried preparing a meal in an unfamiliar kitchen that just doesn't work for you, you know how frustrating it can be.

German kitchen system manufacturer ALNO (www.alnousa.com) recently debuted a new line called MyWay that makes the most of ergonomics, flexibility and functionality. The adjustable kitchen system offers swing-down interior features for easy access, base cabinets that rise up to meet the user, and wall units that lower down, making it easier to load heavy plates and platters. Additional features include elevated workstations, height-adjustable tables and accessible corner storage units.

The MyWay line from ALNO features flexible and functional workspaces and cabinetry, such as this adjustable-height spice rack and a built-in dishwasher that can be set at any height for better ergonomics.

Canadian manufacturer Julien (www.julien.ca) designs contemporary stainless-steel sinks for kitchens and bathrooms that can be customized to meet ADA requirements. They have shallower sinks with different drain placement options, and the sinks can be adapted to maximize obstacle-free space underneath for greater leg room and to meet height requirements. Julien's bath console with a 6-inch-deep sink and stainless-steel legs has been specified for ADA applications. Last year the company opened a distribution center in Denver to ensure quicker product delivery to designers in the West.

Why sacrifice style for function when you can have both? Manufacturers mindful of universal design are proving every day that these concepts are no longer mutually exclusive.