Bathroom Design Decisions for Living in Place

Adapted from article by Adam Gibson, CMKBD, CLIPP, CAPS

Incorporating safety measures into home design used to suggest an institutional look. Fortunately, this is no longer the case.

Let’s be clear: We’re not only addressing Aging in Place. Living in Place incorporates elegant solutions and preventatives for everyone, sometimes including visitors. This could apply to individuals or a family with special needs. Great design seamlessly incorporates solutions for reasonable “what if” scenarios.

Here are some safety-focused fundamentals that can be incorporated into bathroom designs. However, there are many more not covered here. The following are recommendations that should be universal for all homes:

Decorative grab bars are first on my list. These can blend in with the aesthetic and should never look institutional. There are hundreds to choose from in myriad styles. When someone slips, they instinctively grab the nearest item to save themselves. If it’s a towel bar, it’s coming down with them. The last thing needed is a hospitalization because of a head or bone injury that could have been prevented with appropriately specified bars. Proper installation requires fasteners explicitly designed for heavy weight – often 250+ shear pounds each – for you can never know if the stud or that solid blocking you specified didn’t crack until it’s too late. In the construction docs, always call out the specific fasteners. Don’t assume the contractor will know what to use. You don’t want a scrap from the discard pile used as blocking unless it’s for a toilet paper holder. Buying $15 fasteners saves a lot in the long run.

Technology has had quite an impact on homes. Voice-activated faucets are available from a variety of companies. The voice activation combines with Amazon (Alexa) and Google Assistant, along with a smartphone app. Installing a GFCI outlet under the sink is usually necessary to power the voice-activation feature. These faucets are also touch activated, so the user can position the lever to the “on” position and touch anywhere to control the water. Conveniently, this can be done with any part of the hand without gripping, which is helpful for those with dexterity challenges. Having a touch - or voice-operated faucet is not only a great feature for someone with arthritis, but as one who cooks nearly every day, I appreciate touching the kitchen faucet with the back of my hand when my fingers are covered with chicken goo.

Bathroom flooring should have a high Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF), which measures slip resistance during motion and is the industry standard that replaced the Static Coefficient of Friction (COF). Anywhere there is potential for a wet floor, it must be slip resistant. Most tile companies rate their floor tile for DCOF. It’s our job to specify accordingly. Although heated floors add to the initial cost, they’re actually quite inexpensive to run and contribute to faster evaporation.

The days of the curb shower entrance are waning. With so many prefabricated shower floor systems on the market, there’s little reason for a curb. It’s a trip hazard for healthy people, much less someone with a mobility aid. If your high school athlete ends up in a cast for a few months or you do after a mountain biking incident, you’ll be grateful for the zero entry. Plus, linear drains are attractive and often go hand in hand with zero-entry showers. Other benefits of a linear drain are that it’s not typically in the center where people are standing, and the amount of floor pitches is significantly reduced. Also, having a shower floor with a textured surface engages tactile stimulation by helping the piggies keep their grip.

Incorporating a horizon line is a beautiful decorative accent in a shower and can be of tremendous importance for someone suffering from a slight case of vertigo (or a hangover). The horizontal sightline encourages proper balance and helps maintain equilibrium. Usually, the placement is 5 feet above the floor. It can be a band of decorative tile or a contrasting surface.

Lastly, a couple of door issues: For the same reason codes mandate that shower doors outswing, it’s sometimes better if the bathroom door swings out. If someone falls against the door, they don’t block it from opening – unless it’s a large room. If there’s ever a need for wheelchair access, most doors can’t accommodate its width. By over-framing and infilling, the door can be replaced in a day as long as we specify no electricity in the to-be-infilled space. A bit of planning ahead can save time and money.

A design is a success when it looks gorgeous and safety features are hidden in plain sight. A safer home is a healthier home.

Adam Gibson, CMKBD, CLIPP, CAPS, is an architectural designer and consultant specializing in luxury homes, additions, kitchens and bathrooms and entertainment spaces.