showering and brushing his teeth. In order to accomplish this, the homeowners had a wish list of items that they wanted the exterior renovation and bathroom remodel to accomplish. This included: providing a way for their son to get outside easily from his bedroom which was on the main level of the ranch style home, creating protection from the elements outside when their son was waiting for a ride and easy access to and from the driveway once he’s outside. They also wanted to ensure that the exterior renovations to the home did not detract from the beauty of it. For the bathroom remodel their goals were: a roll-in shower for ease of access with a wheelchair, sink with room for a wheelchair to fit under and plenty of room in the space for him to easily get around.
Added Functionality
Both of the new spaces, the bathroom and the exterior modifications have greatly enhanced the functionality of the home. When the homeowners purchased this ranch home, they knew that some modifications would be necessary. Having a ramp to the outside provides a tremendous help in allowing access in and out of the house without much help from others. And the new bath with all of the accessible amenities allows the little boy to conveniently and accessibly get ready for his day. A new wall-mounted sink with cabinets helps maximize the space and provides convenient storage at the same time.

BEFORE THE RAMP INSTALLATION

BEFORE BATHROOM RENOVATION

Function and Beauty
The exterior renovation complements the rest of the home beautifully. If fact, it adds to the architectural interest of the home. The new portico and curved ramp with a stone wall were added seamlessly. The neighbors have commented how amazing the transformation looks. The bathroom is done in beautiful tones and offers a relaxing and clean atmosphere that anyone would enjoy using.

FLOOR PLANS

Seamless Integration
With an accessible design project, a major goal is for the modifications to blend seamlessly with the existing structure. The ramp was designed in such a way to not only provide the functional value that the homeowners desired but to add visual interest to the home as well. The curved layout added an interesting design element along with an attractive metal gate placed where the ramp meets the driveway. A stone wall adds to the overall beauty.

AFTER

End Result
Overall the project turned out beautifully and the homeowners couldn’t be more thrilled. This little boy now has the mobility and independence he and his family desired. The design team came up with a variety of solutions to meet the homeowner’s needs of greater accessibility for their son to and from the outside of the home. He has easy access to the driveway allowing him to get to school and other activities without much assistance. He has a beautiful new bathroom that’s all his and his own personal “suite”.

The objective of the Residential Universal Design project was to complete an exterior facelift and bathroom renovation to help a 5-year old boy in a wheelchair obtain easier access when going to and from his house and help him to have more independence with daily activities such as showering and brushing his teeth. In order to accomplish this, the homeowners had a wish list of items that they wanted the exterior renovation and bathroom remodel to accomplish. This included: providing a way for their son to get outside easily from his bedroom which was on the main level of the ranch style home, creating protection from the elements outside when their son was waiting for a ride and easy access to and from the driveway once he’s outside. They also wanted to ensure that the exterior renovations to the home did not detract from the beauty of it. For the bathroom remodel their goals were: a roll-in shower for ease of access with a wheelchair, sink with room for a wheelchair to fit under and plenty of room in the space for him to easily get around.

The design team came up with a variety of solutions to meet the homeowner’s needs of greater accessibility for their son to and from the outside of the home. He has easy access to the driveway allowing him to get to school and other activities without much assistance. He has a beautiful new bathroom that’s all his and his own personal “suite”. The bathroom allows him the ability to move about in his wheelchair and get ready for his day on his own. And both projects add wonderfully to the aesthetics of the home as well as providing the functional spaces the homeowners desired.

The goal of the Residential Bath remodel was to transform this aging, traditionally-styled space into a contemporary, spa-like room. The owner wanted the bathroom to be a place of tranquility and relaxation as he set upon his daily routine. The scope of work included pulling and replacing everything in the bathroom. While the configuration of the space remained the same, the products and materials that were chosen helped accomplish the homeowner’s goals. To help alleviate clutter in the space, a large existing vanity was replaced with a wall mount sink free of cabinets. Instead, a cabinet unit was installed above the toilet so as not to take up additional floor space. A glass enclosed shower was also incorporated replacing an old heavy feeling shower that took up a lot of space. With the glass enclosure the room is significantly opened up. A shower niche was designed to handle any products needed in the shower in a clean, sleek fashion. A full wall of warm tone tiles with a wood accent helped create the spa-like atmosphere the client desired along with warm tone bamboo cabinets. Clean, sleek fixtures were incorporated throughout.  A custom backlit full-wall mirror and vanity mirror completed the desired look.

Beautiful fixtures, bamboo cabinetry, backlit mirrors, clean storage and a gorgeous glass surround shower make this the perfect space for the homeowner to start his day addressing all of his needs both functionally and aesthetically.

The awards ceremony was held January 17, 2015 at the Mark Center Hilton in Alexandria VA.