The Entry:
Beginning with the entry, safety calls for a generous opening and beauty and privacy require that we handle it with care. Sometimes the desired privacy can be created by the arrangement of the space with no door necessary, but for the many times that a door is required, two options are pocket doors that disappear or barn doors that strengthen the design statement. They eliminate the need to clear the door swing and allow easy entry from either side should someone behind the closed door need help. For those wishing for a large doorway into the smaller bath, the pocket doors cab be split, using two French-style pocket doors, and obscure glass can allow light to pass through while providing privacy. To meet the challenges associated with opening and closing these doors, we now have attractive hardware that is easy to grasp when opening or closing the pocket door.
The Toileting Area
In the toileting area, size, shape and characteristics of the user and the fixture impact safety and aesthetics, as does the support provided. With these issues in mind, today's designs often include reinforcement in the walls to allow for the addition of support when and where needed, and there are some wonderful option in decorative support. We are seeing comfort height toilets and more wall-hung toilets, which can be placed at the right height for any given client. They are also a good choice when space is tight, as they offer a net savings of 4" to 5" in depth, but the change in plumbing can be a significant cost.
From child-sized seats layered into the cover to integrated wash let or bidet systems, there are unlimited features and accessories available today. One favorite is the integrated night light that glows to help guide the way to safe nocturnal visits.
The Vanity
Trends, concepts and products are making it hard not to attend to safety and beauty in the vanity area. The trend toward open knee spaces makes it easier and sager for most to operate at the vanity, especially when dual vanities are placed at varied heights. Whether it's storage for the step stool for a child or seating for a grooming station, a knee space adds flexibility. Lighting is a major issue in this high-task area, and in the past custom design concepts were often the best way to get lighting without glare or shadowing. However, thanks to innovations in LED and other technology, there are now vanity mirrors that provide non-glare, no-shadow lighting that projects from behind the mirror.
The Tub
The most universal safety challenge with the tub is, of course, getting in and out. Providing a deck whether through the design of space or by specifying a fixture with built-in seating, greatly reduces the risk of falling. If the deck is on thee room side of a built-in tub, it doubles nicely as a place to sit while bathing a child, or for a book or glass of wine for a long soak.
Whatever the style and installation of the tub, this wet area calls for support for sage use, so reinforcement throughout the walls is a minimum step. And, we have tubs today with integral support that truly fits the subtle aesthetic many are looking for.
The Shower
Safety and beauty combine perfectly in the no-threshold shower, a look long popular in Europe and catching on here, thanks in part to the products that have come on the market to make it easier to design and install. One example, is the trench-style drains, which may eliminate the need to pitch the floor in two directions, making it easier to maneuver from a safety standpoint. This allows for the use of larger format floor tile in the shower , an aesthetic benefit. Of course these larger tile would need to be slip resistant, and we'd add seating and support, which would bring us closer to that goal of safe and beautiful showering.
These are just a few thoughts about current design practices and products that may help reinforce the combination of beauty and safety in your bath design work. If this brief overview and teaser regarding safety and beauty in the bath has captured your attention, then check out a past Webinar available at AARP Website!
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