Aging in Place
By Lisa Arnett
January 2025 View more Home
A redesign to improve longterm accessibility
In your senior years, a big question looms: Should you move into a retirement community or plan to age in place? Joan Kaufman of Interior Planning & Design Inc. in Naperville recently helped an Oswego couple renovate their home to do the latter. “One of the homeowners uses a walker and a wheelchair,” Kaufman says. “They wanted to totally remodel so they could stay in their house rather than going to a senior center.”
Thoughtful space planning was at the heart of this project. “We needed to walk the pathway from where they come in the front door and the garage to all the other places in the house to make sure the pathways were wide enough,” Kaufman says. “They had dated tile at their front door, and the homeowner didn’t like that bump-bump of going over the tiles [in her wheelchair].” The existing tile and carpet was replaced with wood-look vinyl flooring and a 30-inch doorway was widened to 35 inches to provide enough clearance for the homeowner’s wheelchair. Flooring heights were adjusted to be uniform throughout the home, eliminating those bumpy thresholds. The bathroom was gutted, replacing a large sunken tub with a roll-in curbless shower with automated settings.
The primary bedroom presented challenges that Kaufman navigated creatively, including how to incorporate his-and-hers medical beds. “More practical solutions work better for aging in place,” Kaufman says. “We can still make it pretty, though.”
1. (above) The new bathroom is now fully accessible and thoughtfully designed for the homeowners to shower on their own or with the assistance of a caregiver. “We created several different designs and really fine-tuned this until it was perfect,” says designer Joan Kaufman. The final layout positioned the shower underneath an existing skylight. “We really didn’t want to close up the space, so we did a glass privacy wall to separate the shower from the vanity area.” They chose radiant heat floors and fixtures by Kohler and Toto.
2. For the shower, Kaufman selected Kohler’s new automated Anthem Collection. “It’s really fun, and it’s all digital,” she says. “This is a his-and-hers setup because he is not in a wheelchair and she is. They have presets for temperatures and spray height, and you can turn it on or off with a button on the wall or you can use your phone.” Kaufman also worked closely with the homeowners during construction to place items such as the grab bars and soap niche in just the right spots.
3. “The cabinets are from Bertch, which is a specialty product line—you can customize everything,” Kaufman says. “One of the homeowners, he does a lot of woodworking, and they wanted very high-quality cabinetry.” Kaufman worked with them to select a custom stain and glaze for the cabinetry that hit just the right note. The countertops were positioned specifically to match the homeowners’ heights when standing and sitting, and every drawer and cabinet was thoughtfully positioned to be within reach. “Her section is lower, and we put in an office chair on wheels so she can transfer from her wheelchair to the chair to do her makeup and hair,” Kaufman says.
4. “The toilet is a Toto Washlet; it’s automated to lift the seat, it has autoflush, all the bells and whistles,” Kaufman says. “We did individual grab bars on the side that can flip up.” Wall-mounted tissue and toilet paper holders were placed easily within reach.
5. The homeowners use medical beds that have differing heights and felt they were an eyesore in their bedroom. Kaufman designed a custom headboard and surround to contain both medical beds and give them the cohesive look of one king-size bed. And though rows of decorative pillows and layered blankets and throws on the bed are a hallmark of luxurious design, that setup just isn’t practical for aging in place. Kaufman instead opted for minimal pillows and separate coverlets in the same color. Medical-grade recliners provide a safe, comfortable space for lounging. Also, the homeowners’ bedroom furniture had sentimental value, so Kaufman opted not to paint or replace it. “I think they got it when they first got married, so it was important to them,” she says. “People have stuff they want to keep, and we are not hung up on that. We are more interested in making sure a client is happy.” Instead, Kaufman updated the oak trim in the bedroom and throughout the home by painting it a soft, warm white. “It gave it a fresh look,” she says. “We wanted to put money in places that are meaningful, so we had a laser beam-like focus on what is going to transform the space.”
Photos: Chip Haines Images & Photography
