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The need for Universal Design and/or Aging in Place Design is becoming more and more common and needed in our aging, society of increasing life expectancy. Murphy Bros. design/build CAPs certified expert Cherie Poissant explains some of the unique elements that went into this project which touch on both disciplines.
"In this particular case, my client, Dorothy, a widow, wanted to stay in the home she has lived in for decades. No surprise, most adults over 65 say they do too. But this 1920's home was not constructed with the principles of Universal or Aging-in-Place design concepts, which is true with most homes on the market these days. She also suffers from macular degeneration, which affects central vision. As is the case with senior clients dealing with vision issues, I needed to pay close attention to lighting and color that would give her peripheral vision cues. I chose a high contrast color scheme in the design to make navigating the room easier and safer," explains Poissant. "In addition, every wall and contact point, such as the the towel racks and TP dispenser also doubles as a grab bar to address fall prevention, which is a huge issue with the elderly."
Murphy Bros. Design/Build Consultant — Cherie Poissant
Alyssa Lee Photography

Paul Dyer
Transitional l-shaped light wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in Sacramento with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops
Transitional l-shaped light wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in Sacramento with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

The issues that annoyed the family in this condo are common to new condo units: Low ceilings covered with a popcorn finish, small rooms, low light in the bedrooms and living room, and no ceiling light fixtures. Concrete ceilings are not only difficult to drill into to install fixtures, installing wiring behind them for such fixtures is impossible. There are often conduits for building services embedded in the concrete along with structural steel reinforcements, so drilling without x-raying first is dangerous.
Laqfoil stretch ceiling provided a solution to all of these issues for this condo unit. A high gloss finish was chosen, as the reflections visually double the height of the space. Installing a stretch ceiling also naturally conceals the popcorn ceiling behind it, but in this case, was also used to conceal the wiring necessary to add ceiling lights in every room. The wiring was simply attached to the existing popcorn ceiling. Laqfoil stretch ceiling is supported around the perimeter only, by tracks, or profiles which are only about 0.75" thick. The ceiling membrane itself is less than one millimetre thick.
We also added a small vector graphic, printed in each corner of the living room ceiling, for a unique aesthetic effect.
We constructed a suspended bulkhead above the island and covered it with red high gloss membrane, to visually separate the kitchen and living room while keeping the design's open concept. This also provided a supporting structure for 3 mini chandelier pendant lights.
A red rose depicted on a black and white textured ground was chosen for the kitchen ceiling and applied using digital wide format printing technology, to tie the red, black and white colour scheme with the kitchen cabinets' texture.
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The issues that annoyed the family in this condo are common to new condo units: Low ceilings covered with a popcorn finish, small rooms, low light in the bedrooms and living room, and no ceiling light fixtures. Concrete ceilings are not only difficult to drill into to install fixtures, installing wiring behind them for such fixtures is impossible. There are often conduits for building services embedded in the concrete along with structural steel reinforcements, so drilling without x-raying first is dangerous.
Laqfoil stretch ceiling provided a solution to all of these issues for this condo unit. A high gloss finish was chosen, as the reflections visually double the height of the space. Installing a stretch ceiling also naturally conceals the popcorn ceiling behind it, but in this case, was also used to conceal the wiring necessary to add ceiling lights in every room. The wiring was simply attached to the existing popcorn ceiling. Laqfoil stretch ceiling is supported around the perimeter only, by tracks, or profiles which are only about 0.75" thick. The ceiling membrane itself is less than one millimetre thick.
We also added a small vector graphic, printed in each corner of the living room ceiling, for a unique aesthetic effect.
We constructed a suspended bulkhead above the island and covered it with red high gloss membrane, to visually separate the kitchen and living room while keeping the design's open concept. This also provided a supporting structure for 3 mini chandelier pendant lights.
A red rose depicted on a black and white textured ground was chosen for the kitchen ceiling and applied using digital wide format printing technology, to tie the red, black and white colour scheme with the kitchen cabinets' texture.

A neutral background is a great place to start when you're after high impact color. Back-to-back sofas divide the space into two separate areas in this long narrow space: TV viewing and conversation/games.
The bed pictured here is a bed in the wall - it passes all the way through to a guest room on the other side.
This Saugatuck home overlooking the Kalamazoo River was featured in Coastal Living's March 2015 Color Issue!

This exterior repair project began after our client had their home re‑roofed a little over a year earlier. Like many homeowners, they didn’t realize the roofing crew had damaged several areas of siding and removed key trim pieces during the installation. It’s a common issue: most roofing companies have a single day to complete their work, and if siding or trim is in the way, it often gets cracked, loosened, or pulled off entirely.
At Deskins Siding & Exteriors, we specialize in identifying and repairing the exterior damage that often goes unnoticed after a roof replacement. During our inspection, we found multiple areas that needed attention, including:
• Damaged or missing Hardie siding
• Removed or broken trim
• Holes left behind during the roofing process
• Rotten soffit and deteriorated wood that required replacement
We restored each affected area using proper materials, matched profiles, and seamless Sherwin‑Williams paint blending to ensure the repairs disappeared into the home’s original exterior. The result is a clean, structurally sound finish that protects the home and enhances curb appeal.

Sponsored
Plain City, OH
The Creative Kitchen Company
Columbus Area Kitchen Remodeling and Refacing Professional

This exterior repair project began after our client had their home re‑roofed a little over a year earlier. Like many homeowners, they didn’t realize the roofing crew had damaged several areas of siding and removed key trim pieces during the installation. It’s a common issue: most roofing companies have a single day to complete their work, and if siding or trim is in the way, it often gets cracked, loosened, or pulled off entirely.
At Deskins Siding & Exteriors, we specialize in identifying and repairing the exterior damage that often goes unnoticed after a roof replacement. During our inspection, we found multiple areas that needed attention, including:
• Damaged or missing Hardie siding
• Removed or broken trim
• Holes left behind during the roofing process
• Rotten soffit and deteriorated wood that required replacement
We restored each affected area using proper materials, matched profiles, and seamless Sherwin‑Williams paint blending to ensure the repairs disappeared into the home’s original exterior. The result is a clean, structurally sound finish that protects the home and enhances curb appeal.

This exterior repair project began after our client had their home re‑roofed a little over a year earlier. Like many homeowners, they didn’t realize the roofing crew had damaged several areas of siding and removed key trim pieces during the installation. It’s a common issue: most roofing companies have a single day to complete their work, and if siding or trim is in the way, it often gets cracked, loosened, or pulled off entirely.
At Deskins Siding & Exteriors, we specialize in identifying and repairing the exterior damage that often goes unnoticed after a roof replacement. During our inspection, we found multiple areas that needed attention, including:
• Damaged or missing Hardie siding
• Removed or broken trim
• Holes left behind during the roofing process
• Rotten soffit and deteriorated wood that required replacement
We restored each affected area using proper materials, matched profiles, and seamless Sherwin‑Williams paint blending to ensure the repairs disappeared into the home’s original exterior. The result is a clean, structurally sound finish that protects the home and enhances curb appeal.

This exterior repair project began after our client had their home re‑roofed a little over a year earlier. Like many homeowners, they didn’t realize the roofing crew had damaged several areas of siding and removed key trim pieces during the installation. It’s a common issue: most roofing companies have a single day to complete their work, and if siding or trim is in the way, it often gets cracked, loosened, or pulled off entirely.
At Deskins Siding & Exteriors, we specialize in identifying and repairing the exterior damage that often goes unnoticed after a roof replacement. During our inspection, we found multiple areas that needed attention, including:
• Damaged or missing Hardie siding
• Removed or broken trim
• Holes left behind during the roofing process
• Rotten soffit and deteriorated wood that required replacement
We restored each affected area using proper materials, matched profiles, and seamless Sherwin‑Williams paint blending to ensure the repairs disappeared into the home’s original exterior. The result is a clean, structurally sound finish that protects the home and enhances curb appeal.

Cherry tomatoes ripe for the picking. photo: Eustacia Marsales
Inspiration for a farmhouse landscaping in New York.
Inspiration for a farmhouse landscaping in New York.

Latch hardware in upper cabinets.
Inspiration for a mid-sized craftsman u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in San Francisco with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula
Inspiration for a mid-sized craftsman u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in San Francisco with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

Sponsored
Plain City, OH
The Creative Kitchen Company
Columbus Area Kitchen Remodeling and Refacing Professional

Master Bedroom with Red Bed Frame and custom drapery and bedding.
Bedroom - traditional master light wood floor bedroom idea in Charlotte
Bedroom - traditional master light wood floor bedroom idea in Charlotte

The issues that annoyed the family in this condo are common to new condo units: Low ceilings covered with a popcorn finish, small rooms, low light in the bedrooms and living room, and no ceiling light fixtures. Concrete ceilings are not only difficult to drill into to install fixtures, installing wiring behind them for such fixtures is impossible. There are often conduits for building services embedded in the concrete along with structural steel reinforcements, so drilling without x-raying first is dangerous.
Laqfoil stretch ceiling provided a solution to all of these issues for this condo unit. A high gloss finish was chosen, as the reflections visually double the height of the space. Installing a stretch ceiling also naturally conceals the popcorn ceiling behind it, but in this case, was also used to conceal the wiring necessary to add ceiling lights in every room. The wiring was simply attached to the existing popcorn ceiling. Laqfoil stretch ceiling is supported around the perimeter only, by tracks, or profiles which are only about 0.75" thick. The ceiling membrane itself is less than one millimetre thick.
We also added a small vector graphic, printed in each corner of the living room ceiling, for a unique aesthetic effect.
We constructed a suspended bulkhead above the island and covered it with red high gloss membrane, to visually separate the kitchen and living room while keeping the design's open concept. This also provided a supporting structure for 3 mini chandelier pendant lights.
A red rose depicted on a black and white textured ground was chosen for the kitchen ceiling and applied using digital wide format printing technology, to tie the red, black and white colour scheme with the kitchen cabinets' texture.

The lake side with dark siding and lit windows at dusk under blue sky. Residential design by Strand Design, Minneapolis.
Mid-sized contemporary gray mixed siding house exterior idea in Minneapolis with a shed roof and a metal roof
Mid-sized contemporary gray mixed siding house exterior idea in Minneapolis with a shed roof and a metal roof

Surface Saver penetrates up to 1/4 to form a chemical bond deep within the substrate to provide long lasting protection against deterioration or staining due to water absorption. Surface Saver will not impair the natural breathing characteristics of treated substrates, nor will it produce a film or coating. Surface Saver will help concrete and masonry surfaces to resist common issues such as cracking, efflorescence, spalling, staining, and other damages caused by intrusion of water. Surface Saver will also help to reduce the formation of efflorescence and the growth of mold and mildew.
Uses: Unsealed concrete, broom finished concrete, trowel finished concrete, stamped colored concrete, exposed aggregate concrete, concrete pavers, brick pavers, pavers, clay tile, unglazed tile, cement, brick, stone, and other masonry.
Common Applications: driveway sealer, walkway and sidewalk sealer, patio and pool deck sealer, brick house and chimney sealer, clay tile roof sealer, garage floor sealer, warehouse floor sealer, basement wall and floor sealer, and other concrete and masonry applications.
Surface Saver maintain the natural, unsealed look and feel of the substrate. Will never peel, flake or fade. UV resistant, non-yellowing. No surface film or coating to maintain.
Resistant to freeze-thaw cycles and de-icing salts.
Provides excellent resistance to mold, mildew, and fungus.
Can be applied to interior & exterior, vertical & horizontal, above & below grade surfaces.
Surface Saver Sealer will cause water and other liquids to bead off the surface.
Breathable, low VOC.
5 gallon covers up to 750-1000 Square Feet in one coat, or up to 500 Square feet in 2 coats.
Surface Saver Sealer can be purchased in 5 gallon pails shipped UPS Ground to all 48 U.S. States except Alaska & Hawaii at: www.surfacerestoration.com/shop

The issues that annoyed the family in this condo are common to new condo units: Low ceilings covered with a popcorn finish, small rooms, low light in the bedrooms and living room, and no ceiling light fixtures. Concrete ceilings are not only difficult to drill into to install fixtures, installing wiring behind them for such fixtures is impossible. There are often conduits for building services embedded in the concrete along with structural steel reinforcements, so drilling without x-raying first is dangerous.
Laqfoil stretch ceiling provided a solution to all of these issues for this condo unit. A high gloss finish was chosen, as the reflections visually double the height of the space. Installing a stretch ceiling also naturally conceals the popcorn ceiling behind it, but in this case, was also used to conceal the wiring necessary to add ceiling lights in every room. The wiring was simply attached to the existing popcorn ceiling. Laqfoil stretch ceiling is supported around the perimeter only, by tracks, or profiles which are only about 0.75" thick. The ceiling membrane itself is less than one millimetre thick.
We also added a small vector graphic, printed in each corner of the living room ceiling, for a unique aesthetic effect.
We constructed a suspended bulkhead above the island and covered it with red high gloss membrane, to visually separate the kitchen and living room while keeping the design's open concept. This also provided a supporting structure for 3 mini chandelier pendant lights.
A red rose depicted on a black and white textured ground was chosen for the kitchen ceiling and applied using digital wide format printing technology, to tie the red, black and white colour scheme with the kitchen cabinets' texture.

The issues that annoyed the family in this condo are common to new condo units: Low ceilings covered with a popcorn finish, small rooms, low light in the bedrooms and living room, and no ceiling light fixtures. Concrete ceilings are not only difficult to drill into to install fixtures, installing wiring behind them for such fixtures is impossible. There are often conduits for building services embedded in the concrete along with structural steel reinforcements, so drilling without x-raying first is dangerous.
Laqfoil stretch ceiling provided a solution to all of these issues for this condo unit. A high gloss finish was chosen, as the reflections visually double the height of the space. Installing a stretch ceiling also naturally conceals the popcorn ceiling behind it, but in this case, was also used to conceal the wiring necessary to add ceiling lights in every room. The wiring was simply attached to the existing popcorn ceiling. Laqfoil stretch ceiling is supported around the perimeter only, by tracks, or profiles which are only about 0.75" thick. The ceiling membrane itself is less than one millimetre thick.
We also added a small vector graphic, printed in each corner of the living room ceiling, for a unique aesthetic effect.
We constructed a suspended bulkhead above the island and covered it with red high gloss membrane, to visually separate the kitchen and living room while keeping the design's open concept. This also provided a supporting structure for 3 mini chandelier pendant lights.
A red rose depicted on a black and white textured ground was chosen for the kitchen ceiling and applied using digital wide format printing technology, to tie the red, black and white colour scheme with the kitchen cabinets' texture.
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