home designing
Chapter 3 Assignment: Designing Your Future Home
Background information and URLs for websites are located below the questions, beginning on page 2.
Keeping in mind the 7 principles of universal design listed in your text and the web resources I have provided below, design a living space for yourself where you can age in place. Be sure to address the following questions:
- Where would the living space be (city, state, county, country)? Be specific
Rockville,Maryland,Montgomery USA
- Why did you choose that location?
- What would the space look like?
- Is it an apartment, single family home, high rise, etc? house
- How many rooms? 4
- What features would each room have? Remember you may be dealing with a person who has physical or sensory limitations. Pay particular attention to kitchen and bathroom design. Here is where you may really have to make some changes.
- What type of windows and doors would you use?
- What color choices?
- What kind of furniture and why?
- Are there steps in the house?
- What type of floor coverings would you use?
- What external features would you want (walkways, drive way, landscape, lights, etc.)?
- What services would you want in the surrounding community (transportation, medical care, recreation, safety, places of worship, shopping, etc)?
- How much interaction would you want with fellow community members?
- How close would you want to be to family?
- Would you want to have a pet? What accommodations or facilities would you need to have a pet?
- Would you be driving? What type of modifications would you have to do to the car?
- Is there any other feature, service, amenity, etc. you would want that has not been mentioned?
- Do you think housing opportunities are influenced by race/ethnicity? Explain why or why not.
- How does where you live impact your quality of life? Explain and use examples.
- Does society have an obligation to provide older adults with safe and affordable housing? Explain.
- Would you like to live in the house you constructed in question 3? Why or why not?
- What can we do to make our communities elder-friendly? Be specific and use examples.
- How did your thinking evolve as you designed this living space? Were your priorities for the living space the same at the beginning of the assignment as they were at the end? What changed in your thinking that changed your priorities?
- What did you learn about your critical thinking skills by completing this assignment?
Websites for home design
https://www.pinterest.com/belairecare/interior-design-for-seniors/?lp=true
https://freshome.com/2014/09/24/how-architects-design-for-an-aging-population/
https://houseplans.co/articles/planning-for-retirement-house-plans-for-seniors/
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/aging-in-place-guide
Not everyone has the luxury of designing an entire house around their aging parents, as Jeff and Janet Bernard did at the Concord Cottage. But Holly Cratsley, architect of the TOH project house, used some well-established principles of universal design to create a safe and comfortable home for the 73-year-old Buckleys, and she says that many of them can be used in existing homes with some easy retrofitting.
Universal design is not, as some would think, strictly for the elderly or disabled. The concept of universal design is to make living and work spaces equally comfortable, safe, and accessible for all, regardless of height or physical ability. These ideas might help make a home safer for an older resident, but they’re pretty smart for homeowners of all ages.
Easy on the Hands. You probably don’t think much about turning a doorknob, but it can actually be quite a chore, even painful, for someone with arthritis or other conditions. Simply replacing doorknobs with lever-style hardware can make life easier for residents. Levers are also best on faucets, and illuminated rocker switches are better than the standard toggle light switches.
Friendly Floors. Slippery surfaces are not the only danger underfoot, although they’re the most obvious. All floors should be made slip-resistant, such as by adding nonskid mats under area rugs (or getting rid of the area rugs completely). Trips are as dangerous as slips, so eliminate trip points like thresholds wherever possible, or reduce their height. For those who use walkers, adds Cratsley, low-pile carpeting is safest so the walker doesn’t catch on deep pile and cause a fall.
Safe Stairs. For older people living on more than one level, stairs can be especially dangerous. Handrails are a must, on both sides of the staircase if possible. Lighting is also critical, says Cratsley, so make sure the entire stairway is well lit from top to bottom. Clearly defined steps that show where the edge of the tread is can help prevent falls.
A Well-Lighted Place. The staircase isn’t the only part of a home that needs good lighting. A dark room is an invitation to a bump or a fall, so make sure there’s adequate lighting in every room, hallway, and doorway. Entryways are especially dangerous if not well lit.
Landing Places. Fumbling with keys, packages, the mail — all can distract and unbalance someone entering or exiting a home. In addition to providing lighting at entryways be sure to have a table, bench, or other surface nearby for putting things down.
Better Baths. Most people think of shower grab bars as the way to make bathing safer. There are other ways to help ensure safety in the bath, says Cratsley. Think about adding grab bars by the toilet, too, or other places in the room where someone may need a helping hand. A step-in shower is safer than a tub, but if that’s not possible add grab bars that help someone getting in and out. A single-handled faucet control reduces the chances of scalding at the sink, and a pressure-balanced control does the same in the shower. A hand-held showerhead is often easier to use for someone with limited mobility than a fixed showerhead.
Read more about the design and products used in the Concord Cottage by starting at the Project Overview.
You can find our more about the principles of universal design from the Center for Universal Design.
The AARP has some specific ideas about home design for seniors at the “Home for All Ages” section of its Web site.
Choosing House Plans for Aging in Place
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The principle of universal design aims to create a built environment that is accessible for as much of the population as possible, and for as much of their lives as possible. It is partially rooted in design for handicapped individuals; one of the grandfathers of universal design, Selwyn Goldsmith, was the first to create a dropped curb for wheelchairs.
However, universal design principles also support those who would like to age in place. Universally designed multi-generational house plans are gaining popularity because today’s long life expectancy means more of us will be around longer, and we often have living parents even when we are old ourselves.
Rather than designing a home for different stages in your life, such as drafting house plans for seniors separately from house plans for young couples, today’s designers attempt to accommodate all stages and possible changes in lifestyle in the same design. With this approach, “retirement house plans may also be perfect for younger generations and can prevent you from having to move home later on. A few thoughtful features throughout the home create universal access for all individuals.
Those who select multi-generational house plans enjoy a few additional benefits. First, if you have a universally designed home, the functional spaces of the house are able to adapt with your changing lifestyle, so you can stay in your home longer. (Few among us actually look forward to the prospect of entering a live-in nursing facility.) Moreover, multi-generational home designs fetch an increased price on the housing market because more and more people want their homes to incorporate space for extended family, which may not be available in universal retirement house plans. Universal design is also universally appealing, it seems. The icing on the cake is that multi-generational house plans are also eco-friendly, since their design will be relevant for longer, meaning there will be less need for remodeling, or moving.
If you’d like your house plans to double as house plans for seniors, consider the following list of age-in-place design elements.
What to Look for in Aging-In-Place Home Plans
Walking up and down stairs becomes challenging as a person ages – ever try to go up a set of stairs using a walker? – and it’s impossible for those in wheelchairs. If a multi-story design is required, the home should include an elevator.
Wheelchair access throughout – especially in the bathrooms.
Showers shouldn’t have a curb, and walk-in tubs are best suited for the aged. Additionally, all transitional spaces must be wide enough to accommodate wheelchair movement. Ideally, all open spaces should be at least 60 inches by 60 inches; this is the area needed for turning. Corridors should be as wide as possible – at least 40 inches, unobstructed. Finally, a seat in the shower is a blessing for the elderly – but also useful for shaving legs.
Pull-out and pull-down shelving.
Deep shelving units are especially difficult for older people to use. And really, pull-out cabinet shelves save hassle for people of all ages.
Multi-level counters.
Placing countertops at a variety of heights allows more people to work efficiently and comfortably.
Remote-control blinds and windows.
This is a thoughtful feature for house plans for seniors.
Slip resistance.
Falling is a serious concern for the elderly. A multi-generational home should include slip-resistant surfaces as well as grab bars in the shower and anywhere else spills are likely to occur.
Twist-free faucets and lever door handles.
Retirement house plans should not include any features that are difficult for those with arthritis to operate.
Open floor plan.
A combined kitchen/dining/living area is generally easier for those in wheelchairs to navigate. Fewer twisting halls mean more room to maneuver, and furniture can be rearranged throughout your life. Additionally, open floor plans allow people to monitor their environment using lines of sight rather than their sense of hearing. (Remember, that’s something else that tends to decrease as we age.)
No more than 5 pounds of force needed.
Strength tends to wane as people grow old. To accommodate this, designers of multi-generational house plans ensure that everything in the home is functional with fewer than five pounds of force.
Bright, functional lighting.
While a young person may find reading in the twilight a romantic task, this would be torturous (or just plain impossible) for a senior. Retirement house plans should include excellent daylight and task lighting so no matter what detail-oriented task a person is doing, bright light is always available.
Flat-panel light switches.
These are generally easier to operate than the narrower toggle variety.
The best thing about universal design is that it makes the basic tasks of life easier for all people. To ensure that the floor plans you’re considering are good house plans for seniors, check to see if they meet the American National Standard, ANSI A117.1 – sometimes referred to as the ADA standards. Going forward, retirement house plans will probably be encompassed in the Design for All (DfA) movement, which like Universal Design seeks to create products and built environments that are useable by all individuals, regardless of disability or age.
Note: The home shown above is The Skylar House Plan 1237.
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ANSWER
Home Designing
Location and Why this Location
Daytona Beach, Florida, would be an ideal place to build a long space, especially by considering living there after retirement and while aging. Daytona Beach has been reviewed as a model and safe area for living and visitors. The site is also metropolitan; hence most amenities require are readily available and accessible. While aging, the accessibility of basic amenities like hospitals and shopping malls must be considered due to the limitations of old age.
Living Space and Features
A single-family home would suit the building plan since the living space should accommodate some visiting friends and older children. The house has four bedrooms, one on the ground floor and the other three on the upper floor. The ground floor would consist of the kitchen, dining, and living room, all in an open space. The open space will allow easy movement and rearrangement if the need arises at any point in life. In the case of the use of wheelchairs, the movement around would be easier since there are not many obstructions like walls and doors.
All bedrooms would be master ensuite for the bathroom convenience of all occupants at any given moment. The bathrooms would be fitted with a toilet seat for the aging convenience and have enough space to accommodate persons using wheelchairs. The bathrooms will be equipped with wall handles to assist while standing or grabbing in case of a slip. The house will have stairs with the steps elevated at a lower angle for easier climbing to those using the upper floor. The flood would be wooden and have rough covering to avoid slipping and falling while moving around the house.
External Features
Ideally, there is a flat compound with grass, a swimming pool, trees, and a driveway all through to a three-car parking lot at the house front. Lights would be installed along the driveway and well distributed in the compound to accommodate sitting outside at night and for security. LED lights would be better suited for compound lighting.
Doors and Windows
The front door with be at least 1.5 meters wide for easier access for with wheelchair and moving of furniture. The door would include two layers, with the first being still restrained and a thick glass second layer. The house would have large glass windows to allow natural light into the home, thus reducing the use of artificial and electricity. Every wall in the open kitchen and living area would be fitted with remote control curtain veils. At the same time, the still restrained door would be connected to an automatic passcode security siren.
Services in the Surrounding Community
Before deciding on the ideal settling area, several things and services are to be considered. The proximity of a shopping mall, hospital, school, place of worship, bus, and the train station is important. Since this is and home for aging, the struggle to access basic services should be minimum.
Having a pet dog would be great at an old age since dogs are considered loyal and man’s best friend. Pets are good as they make things look like life and help humans cheer up at some points. The compound will be ideal for the dog to play around and interact with possible visitors.
The area of building the home should probably be ideal for accommodating people from different and all ethnicities. Areas with racial discrimination tend to have conflict most of the time. An aging home should be a peaceful place since the not older person wants to be involved in riots and gunfights against authorities and other citizens.
Accepting that all humans are equal will greatly benefit our communities. The equality would eliminate chaos and violence, thus providing peace to the aging community. All public facilities should always ensure that the elderly can access services without much struggle by assigning more skilled personnel to the aging.
Writing this assignment has brought forth the important thing I should consider in every future project I plan since most of the items are to be affected by age. The assignment has enlightened my mind on the importance of considering the future.
