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It's not your grandmother's wheelchair-accessible design. If you said the words "wheelchair accessible home" to even the most enlightened of us, chances are we'd conjure an image of a house that was unflatteringly institutional, or at best, "grab-bar chic." But gone are the days when our friends in wheelchairs or our aging-in-place parents have to settle for function over form. Today's universal design can be universally appealing.
Local remodeler Bil Wadum, Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) of Paragon Design/Build put this philosophy into play when he produced a whole house remodel with universal design requirements for a home in Edmonds. Wadum was contacted by the homeowners from their current residence in Chicago, and asked to undertake essential aspects of the overhaul before the owners made their cross-country move.
Wadum agreed and spent the next four months in daily communication via e-mail—sending sketches, material samples and pictures for approval.
The first, and most critical stage of the remodel took place before the couple moved. The main level of the 1960s Northwest-style, one-and-a-half story with basement, had to be made fully accessible to the homeowner and his wheelchair from the day he moved in.
Paragon began by shifting all of the interior walls and doors on the main level to get them to a 36" clearance, allowing for easy maneuvering from one side of the house to the other. The master bedroom and office were both reconditioned, as the bedroom was fitted with accessible closets and new lighting, and both rooms decked out with wheel-friendly hardwood floors. It was the master bath, though, that really got the royal treatment—gutted to the studs and completely upgraded with 36" doors, a curbless shower and sink with open vanity for accessibility and a gorgeous new look.
After the owners moved into their new Edmonds digs, Paragon broke ground on the second phase of the remodel. At some point in the home's history, previous owners had converted the garage into a mother-in-law apartment with all the fixin's. Paragon stripped out this addition and went to work converting the garage back into (wait for it)… a garage. Not content with just any old garage, however, this particular car park was laid with a shiny new polyurethane floor and a ramp leading up into the utility room.
The basement also saw improvements as the three bedrooms, bath and family room received aesthetic upgrades including new carpet, paint and lighting. Finally, the outside of the home was included in this second wave, as Paragon put down concrete ramps around the entire perimeter of the house, and installed an exterior elevator that brought passengers from the lower yard to the main floor.
By the time the third phase of the remodel came to pass, the house barely resembled the uninspiring mid-century box that once characterized the home. This third and final phase primarily centered on an extensive rework of the kitchen. First, for functionality, this heart of the home was revamped to offer a five-foot turning radius—quite a feat for a kitchen. Everything had to be reachable, so the light switches were lowered and the controls to the stove and other appliances were discreetly hidden in a cabinet. The microwave was also inset so that it was nearly flush with the wall, offering more counter space, and under counter halogen lighting installed for increased visibility.
With the third phase wrapped up around two years after they'd moved in, the couple were finally able to sit back, relax and enjoy their beautiful, accessible home…or at least they would have been able to if the wife hadn't been transferred back to Chicago an ironic three weeks after completion of the remodel. Luckily, this twist of fate didn't end in tragedy, as the house sold remarkably quickly to the first person who toured it.
Months later on the Remodeled Homes Tour, Bil Wadum got the chance to talk to the new owners, who have three small children, and they had no idea the home had been remodeled to accommodate universal design. Which just goes to show, accessible can just be accessibly stunning.
For more information about the Remodeled Homes Tour, visit masterbuildersinfo.com.
To learn more about Paragon Design/Build, visit them on the web at paragondesign-build.com.
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