How to Incorporate Universal Design Principles

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Rate: (2 Ratings)

There are many reasons to make your home more accessible. Perhaps you have a family member in a wheelchair, or elderly parents who visit frequently. Maybe you just want to make your home work for everyone. No matter the reason, architects no longer think in terms of barrier- free designs; instead, they employ universal design principles to make a house open and attractive for all ages and abilities.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Whole house

Step1
Have everything needed for living--bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and laundry--on the main level (without stairs) even if yours is a multistory house. At least one point of entry to the house should be usable without having to go up or down stairs. The door should be at least 32 inches (81 cm) wide, preferably 36 inches (91 cm), with a lever-style handle instead of a knob and a flat or beveled threshold no more than 1⁄2 inch (1.2 cm) tall.
Step2
Build interior doors at least 32 inches (81 cm) wide with leverstyle handles instead of knobs.
Step3
Pay attention to how lighting is installed throughout the house. Mount rocker-style light switches near doors at a height that a seated person can reach. Install push-button lighting systems for people with severe upper-body disability.
Step4
Build hallways at least 36 inches (91 cm) wide. 42 inches (107 cm) is even better. Keep floors clear, and use nonskid backings on area rugs and runners.
Step5
Install a telephone and a light switch within easy reach of the bed. Add access to alarm and emergency alert if necessary.
Step6
Get a front-loading washer and dryer. They're easier for everyone to use and they save energy.
Step7
Install sturdy handrails on all staircases, and make sure there are light switches for the stairs at both the top and bottom.
Step8
Install adjustable rods in closets. Clothes can hang at a lower height, enabling people in wheelchairs (and children) to lift hangers off the rod without pulling the clothes down.

Kitchen and bath

Step1
Install bathroom doors so they open outward--if a person falls in the bathroom, he or she won't block the door. To ensure that everyone will be able to easily use bathrooms, plan for open space of at least 5 by 5 feet (1.5 by 1.5 m), no-scald faucets, grab bars capable of supporting 250 lb. (113 kg), flexible hose shower heads, seating in the bath or shower, nonslip floors and surfaces and lower towel bars.
Step2
Install lever-style faucet handles in the kitchen and bath.
Step3
Mount your cooktop at a height of 30 to 32 inches (75 to 81 cm), and make sure that cooks don't have to reach over burners to operate the controls. Use D-shaped handles for cupboards, and install a pullout work surface at a height of 24 to 30 inches (60 to 75 cm).
Step4
Opt for a side-by-side refrigerator-freezer so food will be at accessible heights.

Tips & Warnings

  • The pitch on a wheelchair ramp should be no greater than 1 in 12 (1 foot of rise in 12 feet of length). A lesssteep pitch--from 1 in 14 to 1 in 20--is better. Consult with your local building department for codes in your area.
  • Lever-style door handles and rocker-style light switches are great for everyone. Try using a regular doorknob with an armload of groceries and you'll see.
  • Pedestal-style (open underneath) kitchen and bath sinks, allow a person in a wheelchair to get close enough to use them easily. But be sure that drains and hot water pipes are positioned to prevent burns.

Comments

| View All Comments

mpguim said

Flag This Comment

on 2/28/2007 Nice article, but it needs some corrections / additions due to the hierarchy of priorities. For example:
Whole house instructions
step 1: Be sure the main entrance is on plain surface without any steps, and it is connected to the street level and parking by an accessible route (a stepless pathway with up 1:20 slope and distance to resting areas up to 200 feet). This is one of the best examples of the first UD principle => Equitable Use

View All

Post a Comment

POST A COMMENT

Request a New How-To Article

Looking for more How To information? Chances are there’s an eHow member who knows how to do what you’re looking to do. Submit an article request now!

eHow Article:  How to Incorporate Universal Design Principles

eHow Home & Garden Editor

eHow Home & Garden Editor

Category: Home & Garden

Articles: See my other articles

Related Ads

Home & Garden

Willi
Meet Willi Galloway eHow’s Home & Garden Expert.