Planning a universal design for a bathroom is critical in making a house more accessible, safe, and comfortable by those with functional limitations, the elderly or persons with disabilities . However, with a little consideration for bathroom alterations your area can easily turn into a multifunctional space. This guide is written with hands-on advice concerning the design of an accessible bathroom, which can appeal to people with special requirements for use of lavatories.  

Barriers Free for Bathroom  

A barrier free bathroom does more than make life easier; it helps the disabled person gain back their freedom. These structures are intentionally designed to have few barriers so that day to day tasks are less challenging and potentially life threatening. Further, the enhancements made in the bathrooms facilitate easy flow of water, and also would make your home more valuable and comfortable to host any guest with disabilities.  

Some of the characteristics of barrier-free bathrooms  

1. Big Doors and Uncompartmentalized Floors  

Consider first of all, options for installing wider doors ie 32-36 inch to enable wheelchairs and walkers to gain easy access to the bathroom. Open structure area is important in order to facilitate enough space for the movement and minimize the chances of the incidents.  

2. Slip-Resistant Flooring

Floors should also be slip-resistant; tiles or vinyl flooring is some of the best to install. Having textured surfaces around risky areas that include shower will also be an added boost.  

3. Walk in showers and Bathtubs  

Bathroom modifications also entail the use of walk in showers or bathtubs with no thresholds. Such characteristics remove trip risks and ensure wheelchair or walker easy movement or access to other structures and services. Teach with them and pair them with built-in seating to increase its utility.  

4. Grab Bars and Handrails

They should be mounted around areas commonly targeted by elderly people such as toilet area, showering area, and bathtub area to give them support. Contemporary specific designs will be best served with Stainless steel or chrome grab bars for their functional usage.  

5. Adjustable Shower Heads  

With portable, height-adjustable showerheads, showering is easier for those who must sit and for those who want to stand at different heights.  

Some Ideas on how to Make Your Bath Special and Functional for Wheelchair Users

1. Go for wall mounted fixtures Wall mounted fixtures should be chosen for a number of reasons Wall mounted fixtures Image source When choosing a type of fixture to be installed in either the bathroom or the kitchen, it is highly recommended that you go for wall mounted fixtures.  

A shower unit, angles or wall mounted basin and toilet occupy less floor space aid in easy maneuverability for wheel chairs. Make sure they are placed at the correct heights that passengers can easily access them.  

2. Install Lever-Style Faucets

Change regular faucet handles to levers or automatic ones that are easy to turn especially by the user with low grip strength.  

3. Bright and Even Lighting

The important thing is to install good light in the bathroom with good distribution of light in the area. Aesthetic daylighting can be combined with motion activated lighting and dimmable lighting controls to increase utility as well as energy conservation.  

4. Smart Storage Solutions

Decorative storage cabinets and shelves should be put at easy to reach positions. Incorporate pull out drawers or open shelves, so that you get easy access to toiletries and other articles.  

Price of Bathroom Adaptations 

To make a barrier-free bathroom it is necessary to spend some money but the advantages which one can obtain in the future do offset with these means. While the prices are moderate and can start from a few hundred dollars to several thousands, it greatly depends on how much bathroom modification is going to be in question. To cut down on cost, address the necessities first for example the grab bars and walk in showers then follow with aesthetics.  

Why Professionals Should Be Hired

As much as DIY projects are attractive, hiring professionals guarantees the set up is done professionally and to the recommended standards. There are specialists who can help choose the necessary materials and design the space most efficiently and beautifully.  

Conclusion  

A universal design of the bathroom is not just a upgrade of the house but is a safety concourse that enables a person to use the bathroom independently. Some of the revised bathroom designs that should be considered include; slip resistant floor, bar, and accessible shower among others make it possible to accommodate the needs of all the users in the house. From a young person moving to his/her own apartment or adult children and their aging parents, building an accessible bathroom is a positive move towards making the home more friendly for everyone.  

Start learning the first step on how to have the most appropriate, aesthetic and safe wash room through the discoveries on accessible bathroom designs now!