5 Design Principles to Support Wellness at Home

Livablity of a home is critical at any age although most people think that Universal Design Principals are really for the elderly that are having difficulty getting around. As a Certified Aging in Place Specialist, I focus on owners being able to transition from one issue to another as their abilities change whether it has to do with aging or because of an accident. A five year old in a car accident ended up living in a wheel chair for the rest of his life. Although his parents had purchased a two story home just prior to the accident, they decided, in order to give their son the quality of life he deserved, they needed to move into a one story home that had wider hallways, door ways, roll in showers, some dropped counters, etc. This situation had nothing to do with aging. It was only a matter of living and as we all know, sometimes life provides us with things for which we should do our best to prepare and preplan. Being cavalier to potential situations doesn't benefit anyone.

How great. That’s a wonderful way to serve clients. 👏🏼

I like the Katz Builders’ insight, and I extend livability to include, now more than ever, breathability. Wall-to-wall carpet might be fine for helping to absorb noise in a room, as with upholstered headboards and heavy, voluminous draperies; but otherwise, those are the most unhealthful room treatments a designer could use for someone wanting a healthy home. How about improving construction materials and techniques to provide better insulation. I love classic luxury fabrics as much as anyone, and some of the high end carpet designs are lovely in any style. But these things are the enemy in a healthful home, even if you have the resources to clean them constantly. Carpeting is never truly clean just after a steam treatment. Textile designers and engineers are researching healthier, more sustainable materials so I’m hoping home builders and designers of the future will look toward that esthetic, beyond the impractical and detrimental realities of carpeting and otherwise overly dressed rooms.