The Accessible Bathroom I - Introduction
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Loading ...In a series of articles, I will discuss how I remodeled my bathroom to be more accessible. The reality is that most designers know very little about accessible design. Most will argue this point until they realize that ADA compliance does not equate to accessible design for you. In many situations, it may not even come close. This is the difference between an ADA compliant design and an accessible one. In the series, I will explain why I did chose approaches to accessibility and hopefully give you some background in developing your own design or modifications. When done well, accessible design need not look of the sterile institutional look that is rampant in most of what you’ve seen in the past. In fact, much of it can increase the value of your home and be tax deductible as a medical expense!
This is the original design of my master bathroom. It was sooo boring that one ran the risk of falling asleep while looking at it. Wasted space and awkward placement of items in the room make it a poor design even for the most able bodied person. You can click on the images for a larger view. 
They are computer renderings of the original. I procrastinated in taking “before” pictures until far into the remodel. The computer images closely approximate the original.
The bathroom door was the most unfriendly element of the design. The door couldn’t be completely opened because of the towel bar. Also, one had to open the door as far as possible to get to the toilet or shower. In a wheelchair, this made for fun navigation for getting around the door.
The shower had sliding glass doors with a lip that one had to step over to enter. Add to this that the floor of the shower as well as the entire bathroom was tiled in non-wet rated tile. This means that when it got wet, it became extremely slippery. A hazard for the most able bodied but a death wish for someone with a disability.
There are numerous other problems with the design even for the able bodied. To make it accessible to me would require the bathroom to be gutted. Because of the extent of remodeling that would be required, the cost of adding accessibility elements other than the obvious such as grab-bars became a possibility.
In my situation, my disability slowly progressed over time. This allowed me to carefully consider different approaches to making a design both functional and esthetically pleasing. Of course, I did make mistakes and would have done things differently if I had to do them again but, my hope is that it will help you have more and make smarter choices.
Stay tuned for my next installment!