The Benefits of Universal Design

You want the bathrooms in your home to be safe, functional and beautiful. A remodeling project is a great opportunity to make the space more accessible for everyone. There are many reasons to incorporate universal design features into your design plan.

Accessibility

When you are looking for a contractor to lead your bathroom remodeling project, search for someone who has experience adapting spaces to accommodate aging in place needs. There are several features that meet the needs of people with various mobility issues:

• Wider doorways
• Higher toilets
• Grab bars
• Accessible showers

Even if you don’t need these features now, you or a family member or visitor may require them in the future. As long as you’re already committed to making changes, why not include elements that make the room more accessible to everyone?

Aesthetics

Adding universal design elements one by one may satisfy a need at the moment, but they often stand out like a sore thumb when you view the room as a whole. If you incorporate them into the design process, however, you have the opportunity to choose features that actually match the overall aesthetic of your bathroom. The days when you could only find industrial-style accommodation elements are in the past. Your contractor can suggest features that are both functional and beautiful.

Value

Adding elements to improve accessibility can increase the value of your home. Many modern buyers consider them an asset, knowing that the features they will need in the future are already in place. Furthermore, your contractor can add them to the design plan for a reasonable cost that won’t blow your budget, so it makes good financial sense to include them.

Making your home more accessible for everyone is never a bad idea. The next time you upgrade your bathroom, include universal design elements in your plan.