The pandemic is forcing us to re-evaluate home sweet home. If you’ve ever balanced a laptop on your knees while working from the living room couch or purchased a stationary bike and tucked it in your bedroom, you’ll want to read this. Long before COVID forced us out of our offices and into our homes,
In any bathroom retrofit for aging in place, the bathtub and shower are likely to be key considerations. Getting into and out of the tub or shower presents challenges and risks for those with limited mobility or vision, so selecting the right product for your abilities and lifestyle is important. General Safety Recommendations Regardless of
Think short order cook to chef – both have important jobs to do but they differ. If you are up for grabbing a quick bite to eat and don’t have time to dawdle, a diner might be your first choice. But if you are invested in the getting the best meal, and want to enjoy
Of all the modifications to make for successful aging in place in your home, the kitchen retrofit is probably the most extensive and potentially costly. Most homeowners will only undertake a kitchen remodel once or twice, which means you may need to think about retrofits for aging in place long before you reach retirement age.
During the last year, our homes held our sequestered world in spaces designed for pre-pandemic days. The idea of remodeling took on an urgency that could not be realized while the lockdown kept people apart. As our lives return to what some have dubbed the “new-normal,” the desire to redesign our home environments remains strong
Many of us will need to consider making wheelchair retrofits to our homes if we plan to remain in them as we age. According to a 2014 U.S. Census Bureau report, about 10 million people – 66.5 percent of the country’s population over age 65 – have difficulty walking. The number climbs with age, and
As it turns out, you need both, for different reasons. If you are considering remodeling or adding an addition to your home, your architect can tell you what type of fire safe material is best for your specific building design and location. But can they help you with a fire safe landscape design? Marin, Sonoma
Let's talk about housewide retrofits for aging in place – those items you’ll want to take care of around your entire home to make it ready for a time when you or a family member may have physical disabilities associated with aging. This week, we’ll cover a few simple items that can be accomplished in
I recently ran across this article from the June 2020 issue of Dwell outlining how visionary builder Joseph Eichler fought housing discrimination in his developments. Eichler was not unfamiliar with housing discrimination; at the time, there were developers of suburban communities who refused to sell homes to the Jewish middle class. He believed, however, that if
With all the praise and enthusiasm for Accessory Dwelling Units today, you might be surprised by their history. Commonly referred to as in-law units or granny flats by some and infill apartments by affordable housing advocates, they were once highly restricted and outright illegal in many municipalities. In 2017 a California law (AB68) was enacted
