Bathroom of the Week: Aging-in-Place Features in Blue and White
A curbless shower, a vanity with wheelchair access and other universal design details help a couple address future needs
This retired couple wanted to ensure their home could address any future needs for themselves or family members, including an adult live-in son with special needs. They turned their attention to an in-law-suite bathroom that they felt could best benefit from universal design updates.
For help, they brought on designer Grace Arndt, who was helping them remodel their kitchen with similar principles. Arndt ditched a shower-tub combo in favor of a curbless shower that’s easy to enter for someone with mobility issues. A sliding glass door can easily be removed and replaced with a shower curtain that allows access for a wheelchair and a caregiver. A new double vanity has room under the sink to accommodate a wheelchair; tilted mirrors can be used by someone seated as well. Grab bars and rounded countertop corners also support aging in place. Meanwhile, light blue walls, a dark blue vanity and marble-look porcelain tiles in various sizes make the space as stylish as it is functional.
For help, they brought on designer Grace Arndt, who was helping them remodel their kitchen with similar principles. Arndt ditched a shower-tub combo in favor of a curbless shower that’s easy to enter for someone with mobility issues. A sliding glass door can easily be removed and replaced with a shower curtain that allows access for a wheelchair and a caregiver. A new double vanity has room under the sink to accommodate a wheelchair; tilted mirrors can be used by someone seated as well. Grab bars and rounded countertop corners also support aging in place. Meanwhile, light blue walls, a dark blue vanity and marble-look porcelain tiles in various sizes make the space as stylish as it is functional.
After: Arndt stripped the space and replaced the shower-tub combo with a roomy new curbless shower. A sliding glass door with brushed nickel hardware can be swapped out if needed. “This shower door can easily be removed and replaced with a shower curtain for even easier access for a patient and caregiver,” Arndt says. “This shower was primarily about function, because they want to age in place. The goal was to get it updated so they or their son can use it in the future.”
Large-format (12-by-24-inch) marble-look porcelain tiles in a matte finish and bright white grout cover the shower walls and main floor. “[The size] meant less grout and it’s easier to clean,” Arndt says. “It also helps the bathroom feel larger and more cohesive.” The shower floor has the same tile but in a 2-by-2-inch format that helps create a nonslip surface. Light blue walls (Mineral by Sherwin-Williams) continue the soothing atmosphere.
Arndt moved the vent from the floor to the wall. “Trips and falls are one of the top reasons people end up in the hospital,” she says. “Eliminating obstacles is one of the primary goals of universal design.”
Tile: Contessa in Dama, Emser Tile
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Large-format (12-by-24-inch) marble-look porcelain tiles in a matte finish and bright white grout cover the shower walls and main floor. “[The size] meant less grout and it’s easier to clean,” Arndt says. “It also helps the bathroom feel larger and more cohesive.” The shower floor has the same tile but in a 2-by-2-inch format that helps create a nonslip surface. Light blue walls (Mineral by Sherwin-Williams) continue the soothing atmosphere.
Arndt moved the vent from the floor to the wall. “Trips and falls are one of the top reasons people end up in the hospital,” she says. “Eliminating obstacles is one of the primary goals of universal design.”
Tile: Contessa in Dama, Emser Tile
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The shower features a built-in bench made of a durable white solid-surface material that coordinates with the vanity countertop. “It’s supported by steel brackets,” Arndt says. A nearby handheld sprayer allows a user to sit and rinse.
A niche above the bench puts products within reach. Another niche is positioned near the shower head to keep products close by. The same porcelain tiles used for the walls, but in a smaller size, line the backs of the niches in a herringbone pattern.
An 18-inch angular ADA-compliant grab bar in stainless steel spans the back wall. “The goal there is that if you’re sitting, you can grab the bar for support to get up,” Arndt says.
Grab bar and Zura bath collection handheld sprayer in stainless steel, both Delta
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A niche above the bench puts products within reach. Another niche is positioned near the shower head to keep products close by. The same porcelain tiles used for the walls, but in a smaller size, line the backs of the niches in a herringbone pattern.
An 18-inch angular ADA-compliant grab bar in stainless steel spans the back wall. “The goal there is that if you’re sitting, you can grab the bar for support to get up,” Arndt says.
Grab bar and Zura bath collection handheld sprayer in stainless steel, both Delta
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The fixed stainless steel shower head has a pressure-balanced valve. “They wanted a shower head that was a little bit bigger, but maybe even more important was being able to control the pressure and temperature of the water independently,” Arndt says. A 12-inch angular ADA-compliant grab bar underneath the shower head provides additional safety.
Angular modern grab bar and Zura TempAssure shower trim in stainless steel, Delta
Angular modern grab bar and Zura TempAssure shower trim in stainless steel, Delta
Before: This view of the former bathroom shows the aging wood double vanity with a sliding mirrored medicine cabinet. “Because there was a medicine cabinet, there was no insulation there and that caused a draft,” Arndt says. The door on the back left opens to a linen closet. The swing door on the right leads to a short hallway that connects to the suite’s bedroom.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
After: A new semicustom dark blue double vanity adds a dose of drama. Space below the left sink allows room for a wheelchair to tuck in. Two drawers to the right provide easy-access storage for anyone using a wheelchair. The angled mirrors are visible from a seated position.
A durable marble-look solid surface countertop has an eased edge and radius corner that prevents a sharp point. “That’s a good universal design detail,” Arndt says. Angled brushed nickel faucets and cabinet hardware complement the stainless steel and chrome finishes. The finger tab pulls aren’t recommended for universal design but the homeowners preferred them. They can be swapped out in the future if needed. “Typically, large cabinet pulls are recommended,” Arndt says.
A pair of modern nickel-and-glass LED bath sconces provide lighting over the vanity. Arndt also added an LED ceiling light in the shower. Plus, she replaced the swing door with a new pocket door. “This saved space in the bathroom,” she says. “The swing door also limited access to the linen closet when open.”
Double vanity: Milton door style in maple with painted finish in Inkwell, Legacy Crafted Cabinets; faucets: Genta in brushed nickel, Moen
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A durable marble-look solid surface countertop has an eased edge and radius corner that prevents a sharp point. “That’s a good universal design detail,” Arndt says. Angled brushed nickel faucets and cabinet hardware complement the stainless steel and chrome finishes. The finger tab pulls aren’t recommended for universal design but the homeowners preferred them. They can be swapped out in the future if needed. “Typically, large cabinet pulls are recommended,” Arndt says.
A pair of modern nickel-and-glass LED bath sconces provide lighting over the vanity. Arndt also added an LED ceiling light in the shower. Plus, she replaced the swing door with a new pocket door. “This saved space in the bathroom,” she says. “The swing door also limited access to the linen closet when open.”
Double vanity: Milton door style in maple with painted finish in Inkwell, Legacy Crafted Cabinets; faucets: Genta in brushed nickel, Moen
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
The new white chair-height toilet has an easy-to-clean skirted design and an added bidet seat. “We included blocking in the walls so if they want to add an additional grab bar by the toilet they can do that,” Arndt says. A ventilation fan on the ceiling with a timer switch is above the toilet (not shown).
“I’m really proud of this project and how it turned out,” Arndt says. “It feels very open and welcoming without feeling sterile. We were able to include lots of features without having to move walls.”
Toilet: Cadet, American Standard
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“I’m really proud of this project and how it turned out,” Arndt says. “It feels very open and welcoming without feeling sterile. We were able to include lots of features without having to move walls.”
Toilet: Cadet, American Standard
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple and their adult son with special needs
Location: North Wales, Pennsylvania
Size: 72 square feet (6.7 square meters); 5½ by 13 feet
Designer: Grace Arndt of Custom Craft
Before: The former bathroom worked fine for the couple, but the shower-tub combo presented accessibility issues they wanted to address. “They didn’t want the tub anymore because it was hard to get in and out of,” Arndt says. “They wanted a bigger shower, something they can walk into with a walker or wheelchair.”
Square tiles on the floor and the shower walls created lots of grout lines that required constant cleaning. A heating and cooling vent on the floor was a hazard. The low toilet height was also a problem.