Remodeling a Home
Using Universal Design
Part 2
3 hour CEU
3807 Riley St.
Houston, Texas 77005
Tel. 713 464-0055
Cell 713 269-6909
Email: BeverlyVosko@gmail.com
Register@InteriorDesign-ED.com
Website: www.InteriorDesign-ED.com
Remodeling a Home Using Universal Design Part 2
3 hour webinar Handouts … Welcome to our webinar!
Elders are living longer, more active, happier, healthier lives
According to the AARP, 84% of homeowners and especially baby boomers who are age 46-64
wish to “Age in Place” regardless of their age, income or ability level
Today there are 59,000,000 people in the U.S. with disabilities
It is hard for the elderly, the disabled, Mom’s with little children and anything with wheels to
maneuver on stairs, hills or steep ramps
The concept of Universal Design was created by Architect Ronald L. Mace and launched at the
North Carolina State University in the 1980’s. He summed up the scope of Universal Design as
“an approach to the design of products so they can be used by all people to the greatest extent
possible, without the need for later adaptation or specialized design”
It was conceived to create comfortable, functional environments for all people regardless of their
age, size, stature or ability, serving people young and old, with excellent or limited abilities, in
ideal or difficult circumstances from ages 4 to 104.
Universal Design is design that is versatile enough to function for everyone from 4 to 104 – for
everyone in the family from children to grandparents.
An important point is that Universal Design believes that function does NOT have to sacrifice
beauty!
This webinar will discuss Home Modification and teach how create basic functional home design
for elderly and handicapped people that also functions for everyone from 4-104
All rooms need:
A Wheelchair access space which is 30” wide by 48” long- so make all aisles 48” long if possible
A circular turning space of 60” by 60” turning radius in order to make a 360 degree turn and if
this isn’t possible a T shaped 36” by 60” turning space is OK
Anything with wheels needs that same space
1. Living Spaces – People spend a major portion of their home life in their living spaces – be
they great rooms, family rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms or home offices so it is important
to eliminate obstacles from those rooms and create easy to maintain living spaces
a. A universally designed home should have a open floor plan that minimizes or eliminates
barriers and is flexible
2. Great Rooms/Family Rooms
a. Today multipurpose great rooms that combine a living area, a dining area and a kitchen
often replace formal living/dining rooms and are easy to maneuver about in
b. Include plenty of storage in your great room/family room to eliminate clutter
c. Organize open shelving so they are within easy reach for people both sitting & standing
d. Choose good quality, comfortable, durable seating with sturdy arms and firm seats that
are 18” – 20” off finished floor and no more than 20” deep and don’t rock or swivel so
people will be able to get in and out of them easily
e. Choose furniture with rounded corners that is proper scale for the room it is placed in
f. Choose durable, stain resistant, fade resistant, water repellent and easy to clean fabrics
that are textured rather than uncomfortably slippery especially for upholstery
3. Dining Rooms
a. Make dining room open to kitchen or at least have a wide open doorway between rooms
b. Leave a minimum of 48” between the table and any walls or furniture so there is room for
people to move behind others who are seated
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c. Choose firm cushioned chairs that are 18” – 20” off the finished floor
d. Since many people don’t use formal dining rooms – make them into multi-use flex rooms
Media Rooms
a. TVs can be distracting for people trying to read or work so creating a specialized media
room for movie watching is a great option and something many people are doing today
b. Purchase electronics and remote controls with large buttons and easy to read labels
c. Locate seating with a head on viewing angle and away from the screen a distance of 2
to 2 ½ times the width of the screen
Bedrooms
a. Bedrooms should be peaceful havens of refuge designed shield people from busy world
b. Master Bedrooms should ideally be on the main floor of the home so it is easily
accessible without having to climb stairs have an adjoining or nearby bathroom
c. Use bedrooms for only relaxing and sleeping or if you have a desk or exercise
equipment in room shield it from bed with a screen so people don’t think about working
or exercising when they need to sleep
d. If possible, have an unobstructed 48” wide aisle on each side and at foot of the bed so a
wheelchair bound person can get in & out of the bed and a 5’ turning radius in room
e. Purchase a well made mattress and box spring that keep your spine in alignment and
gently support your body – particularly your shoulders, hips and lower back and a
frame that places the mattress at 18” off the floor which allows a person’s feet to touch
the floor when seated on the side of the bed
f. Nightstands can be placed next to bed or be “floating” and affixed directly to the wall
with no legs so wheelchair bound people can access bed and nightstand more easily
g. Allow separate dressers and separate hanging space with open adjustable shelves in
closets for each occupant
h. Children’s bedrooms need sturdy classic flexible furniture that will adapt to their needs
as they grow
i. Design Guest Suites adjacent to a bathroom and according to Universal Design
guidelines in case elderly friends and relatives will visit
j. Use soft cushioned fabric headboards rather than hard headboards
k. Use wrinkle free high thread count cotton vs slippery silk sheets and washable blankets
in case of spills or accidents
l. Use blackout curtains so people get a good night sleep
Home Offices
a. Purchase comfortable ergonomic adjustable height desk chairs with lower back support
b. Have a clearly organized workspace/desktop which is ideally 38” wide and 30” high off
the finished floor
c. Allow for at least 27” from the floor to the underside of the desktop for leg clearance
d. Situate your desk approximately 34” from nearby walls, bookcases or furniture to ensure
that you have room to move back from your work surface
e. Place your keyboard slightly lower than your elbows (usually 25” -29”) above the finished
floor to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome
Flooring
a. Install Hard surface flooring because they facilitate movement, particularly for people
who use wheelchairs or walkers rather than thick piled carpet
b. Choose tight looped, low pile rugs and carpets if you are going to use them
Chair Rails and Paneling
a. Strategically placed chair rails provide support much like handrails do while blending into
a room’s décor and paneling lower walls protects them from wear and tear
9. Color Contrast
a. Contrast is important, particularly for people with vision problems, helping the elements
of a room stand out - Distinguish doorways from walls by using darker wall colors and
bright white trim work and furnishings from flooring by using colorful upholstered
fabrics and neutral flooring
10. Windows and Window Treatments
a. Windows sills that are no higher than 30” off the finished floor are best for viewing to
insure that everyone who is seated have an uninterrupted view of the outside
b. Dangling cords are dangerous - use alternatives to cord operated window treatments
such as: cordless curtains, pleated shades and blinds, motorized remote control
operated curtains, pleated shades and blinds and stationary panels
11. Electrical Outlets
a. Place outlets 18”–24” above finished floor so they can easily be reached by everyone
12. Kitchens –
a. Kitchens Need Space for Maneuverability
1. Create a 30” by 48” floor space in front of the sink, the fridge, the cook top and the
oven – and in front of all other kitchen appliances, so a person in a wheelchair can
roll in and access those appliances
2. Make all the kitchen aisles a minimum of 36” wide - better 42” best 48” wide so that a
person in a wheelchair will be able to frontally roll in & access the cabinets as well3.
3. Create a 60” by 60” (5’) turning radius so that a person in a wheelchair will be able to
rotate that wheelchair a full 360 degrees. If there is no room, at least create a T
shaped 36” by 60” turning radius so a person in a wheelchair will be able to turn 180
degrees
4. Self contained kitchens need the 60” by 60” turning radius in the kitchen itself but if
the kitchen is open to a breakfast room or family room, it can be in those adjoining
rooms - and double doors or a cased opening can open kitchen to those other
rooms as well
b. The Kitchen Triangle:
1. The fundamental design of all kitchens should revolve around what we call the
Work Triangle, which is created by connecting the 3 major work areas in a kitchen:
the cleaning area (sink), the cooking area (range or cook top) and the cold storage
area (refrigerator)
More trips are made within this triangle than to any other areas in the kitchen.
For the most efficient layout in a kitchen with the above 3 work centers, the sink should
be in the center of that triangle and the sum of the 3 travelled distances should total no
more than 26’ with no single leg of the triangle measuring less than 4’ or more than 9’ –
with each leg being measured from the center-front of each appliance/sink
“U” shaped kitchens are thought to be the most efficient and the most functional
kitchens because the 3 sided “U” is the perfect personification of the kitchen work
triangle facilitating a design where the 3 main kitchen appliances - the fridge, the cook
top and the sink are usually not more than 26’ total from one another. Kitchens that
are too small do not have enough distance between appliances creating a cramped
work space. Kitchens that are too big have large distances between appliances so
occupants expend extra energy taking many extra steps. Neither results in an
efficiently working kitchen
Kitchens should have at least 36” of countertop space in the mixing/food preparation
area so there is room to prepare a meal in that kitchen
c. Sinks and Auxiliary Sinks
1. Make sure there is at least 18” of countertop on one side and 24” of countertop
space on the other side of the main sink so there is enough room to both wash food
and dishes and prepare a meal and make sure there is at least 3” of countertop
frontage on one side and 18” of countertop frontage space on the other side of the
auxiliary sink -both at the same height as the auxiliary sink
2. Use an under mounted sink for easy cleaning and install pipes at back of cabinet
3. Offset Garbage disposals which hang low, so wheelchair bound people can roll in
4. Kitchen sinks, like bathroom sinks, should be 29”- 34” maximum height
The space under the sink between 9” and 27” above the finish floor shall be
considered knee clearance and should extend 25” maximum under the sink at 9”
above the finish floor and be 8” deep minimum at 27” off the finish floor and 11” deep
minimum at 9” off the finish floor . The space under the sink between the finish floor
and 9” above the finish floor shall be considered toe clearance and should extend
25” maximum under the sink and 17” minimum under it so that a person in a
wheelchair or power chair can roll in and frontally access that sink
If possible, leave a clear open space underneath sink that is approximately 30” wide
by 27” high by 19” deep for wheelchair access and
5. Use a single levered sink faucet with a scald-guard valve and place it at side of sink
or use a touch faucet that can be turned on by simply tapping it with any part of the
body … install a pot filler on wall behind cooktop , or hands free pedal operated
faucets which can be a floor, wall or shelf mounted
d. Dishwashers
1. Dishwashers should be located within 36” of the sink so people can wash their
dirty dishes in the sink and easily place them in the dishwasher…leave at least 21”
between dishwasher and nearby appliances to allow for loading / unloading dishes
2. Dishwasher drawers are great for small families or as a 2nd dishwasher
e. Cooktops
1. Counter top should be at least 9” wide on one side of the cook top and at least 15”
wide on the other so everyone has room to prepare and cook their food
2. Cooktop should have easy to reach, see and grasp front mounted controls
3. Cooktops should have a clear open space underneath that is 30” wide by 27” high
by 19” deep for wheelchair access - a removable cabinet that doubles as a cart
works
f. Ovens and Microwaves
1. Ovens should be wall mounted have easy to read and operate controls, be self
cleaning, have the convection feature, and be installed at a height so that the
center of the control panel is about 48” from the finished floor
2. Place the built in oven so that it is no more than 15” away from a countertop on
one side or that it is no more than 48” from an island
3. Place microwaves in the lower kitchen cabinets so people can reach them easily
g. Refrigerators
1. People need 15” of countertop space within 48” of the fridge so a person can take
whatever they want out of the fridge and have a place near the fridge to put it down
2. Refrigerator drawers are great for small families or for family rooms or bar areas
h. Kitchen Islands provide both extra countertop and extra storage space but if a kitchen
does not have enough room for an island and the 48” aisles, install floor first, and then
place island atop the floor, so it can be removed at a later date if necessary, to create
the required space. Alternatively, a moveable piece of furniture such as a table or cart
can be used instead of a permanent island
i. Kitchen base cabinets: Space under an element between the finish floor and 9” above
the finished floor shall be considered toe clearance. Design the kitchen base cabinets
with a 9” high by 6” deep rather than a 4” high by 3” deep toe kick space - so a
person in a wheelchair can frontally roll up to those cabinets and have room for their
shins and feet to fit in the higher toe kick space. This toe kick can be built with a lip that
can be flipped down with one’s foot and be used as a kick-step for able bodied people
to reach the top shelves of the upper cabinets– so the 9” space isn’t wasted
j. People need to be able to access their most often used items easily from a seated as
well as a standing position
1. Install open adjustable shelves instead of or in addition to enclosed cabinets or with
glass doors so people can easily see and access the contents inside the cabinets
2. Use kitchen backsplash for storage of often used cooking item; it is easily
accessible to both seated and standing individuals
3. Don’t have any upper cabinets at all - only base cabinets which should be self
closing full extension drawers with pull out shelves
and then install a full wall of tall cabinets with lots of pull outs to replace lost storage
4. Pull outs of all kinds are now available to provide ease of access to everything
people might desire ease of access to including trash bins, pop up pull outs for
heavy items such as coffee makers and kitchen mixers, pull out countertops, pull
out tables, pantry’s /folding shelf units fitted with pull out storage, vertical pull out
shelves and even entire walls of pull out shelves
k. Countertop
1. Vary the countertop height and create a 30” -34” height countertop somewhere in the
kitchen vs standard countertop height which is 36” off the finished floor
Table height is 30”- 32” so this is most preferable countertop height to eat at
2. Have a lower 30” breakfast bar /seating area as part of your kitchen countertop, or
island, a separate table somewhere in the kitchen or a desk incorporated into the
kitchen cabinet design which are 30” off the finished floor
3. Make sure that you have at least 12” -19” of leg room underneath those countertop
or island seating areas
4. Install adjustable height countertops which can be raised or lowered to
accommodate people of different heights, children, someone sitting down, or
someone in a wheel chair. These countertops can either be adjusted electronically
via motorized lifts or manually via a button, crank, lever, or knob. Adjustable sinks
and cook tops can also be installed which electronically adjust to different heights
and contain flexible plumbing to accommodate this
5. Choose easy to maintain countertops such as granite, quartz, laminate, or other
durable materials & avoid very dark colors which make dirt hard to see and clean up
l. Washers and Dryers
1. Washers and dryers should be front loading for easy access
m. Use “D’ Shaped Cabinet Hardware which requires little or no strength or flexibility.
Avoid knobs as they can be slippery and hard to grasp for greasy hands as well as
hands riddled with arthritis or rheumatism
Bibliography
1. Universal Remodeling Creating Comfortable and Accessible Homes – textbook for the
Universal Design Certified Professional course UDCP - An education program for
Remodelers and Designers. NARI – National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
De Plaines , Illinois
2. Greene, Mary. Universal Design Ideas for Style, Comfort and Safety, Reed Construction
Data, Inc. Construction Publishers and Consultants, Kingston MA Copyright @2007
3. Jordan, Wendy A. Universal Design for the Home Great looking and Great Living Design
for All Ages, abilities and circumstances Quarry Books Quayside Publishing Group,
Beverly Massachusetts @ 2008
4. 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, Department of Justice, September 15, 2010
5. Wolfgang Preiser and Korydon H. Smith, Universal Design Handbook, The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. Copyright @2011
6. Barbara Krueger and Nika Stewart. Universal Design: A Step-by-Step Guide to
Modifying Your Home for Comfortable, Accessible Living, Morris Book Publishing LLC,
Copyright @2010
7. Drue Lawlor and Michael A. Thomas. Residential Design for Aging In Place John Wiley
and Sons Inc., Hoboken New Jersey Copyright 2008
8. Wendy A. Jordan Universal Design for the Home: Great Looking, Great Living Design
for All Ages, Abilities, and Circumstances , Quarry Books Quayside Publishing group,
Beverly Masasachusetts, Copyright 2008
Biography
Beverly Vosko, Allied Member ASID, RID, UDCP (Universal Design Certified Professional),
CAPS, L.E.E.D Green Associate, CGP (is a full service, Registered Interior Designer in Texas
#6333. She is President and founder of both Beverly Vosko Interiors and InteriorDesign-ED;
both DBA’s for C. V. Design Inc. For over 25 years, she has been designing homes across the
United States and Europe, specializing in creating custom residential and commercial
environments, be they traditional, transitional, contemporary or eclectic, that match her design
clients’ every need, through her design firm, Beverly Vosko Interiors. For nearly 20 years, she
has taught Interior Design: first at Rice University, then at the University of Houston, and for the
last 10 years nationally, with her Continuing Education company, InteriorDesign-ED.
Specifically, she has taught Interior Design, Aging in Place, Green/Sustainable Design, Lighting
and Antiques. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude from the University of
Pennsylvania, studied Art History at Harvard University, received her MBA in Marketing from
NYU Stern Graduate Business School, and completed Design and Antiques training from
Sotheby’s, the world-renowned Inchbald School of Design and Houston Community College.
Please view her websites, www.vosko.com and www.InteriorDesign-ED.com