Products
Awash with ideas
by Emily Brooks
14
At last, a dream bathroom is now possible for all. Innovative product design, creative spatial thinking, and recent regulation have come together to create a mini-revolution in accessible spaces
ACCESSIBLE BATHROOM design has come a long way in just a few years. Good- looking specialist products are more widely available at every price point. A demanding and affl uent baby-boomer population has reached retirement age and specialist housing providers are responding to their needs with design that is luxurious and enticing. Shoring all this up are the 2015 changes to building regulations (in England). For the fi rst time, they now spell out how an accessible bathroom should be specifi ed. When it comes to accessibility, “we don’t have to choose any more between a bathroom that works and a bathroom that looks great,” says architect Julia Park of Levitt Bernstein. She has co-authored a new RIBA book, Age-Friendly Housing, which aims to share best practice and offer advice on residential design for an older population. The bathroom is “one of the most critical parts of the home when it comes to securing independence and dignity,” Park continues.
“There’s a big concentration of need in a bathroom, even for people who require only a modest amount of help. It can make a huge difference.”
Many design recommendations overlap with what anyone might consider desirable, such as generous proportions, wetrooms with level access, lever taps, and non-slip surfaces. Other elements need more thought: wheelchair users, for example, require longer-projection toilets with reinforced- hinge seats, basins with clear access underneath, and, ideally, handgrips. Many manufacturers are making strides in this sector, including Villeroy & Boch with its
O.novo Vita range. German manufacturer Grohe has put together a package of existing products that will work in an accessible bathroom – such as thermostatic showers and fl ush plates that have both an infrared sensor and push button. System2 by Emco is impressively comprehensive, offering everything from waste bins to shelving and
lighting to complement the more obviously accessible elements such as L-shaped shower bars (with the bottom of the ‘L’ acting as a grab-rail). It’s the same story for Hewi, which has an equally extensive collection. The company’s UK sales director Stephen Maley sees its products as an example of universal appeal – “fl exible, user-friendly and, above all, cross-generational design that contributes to improving the quality of life.” Professionals working within the industry speak with one voice when asked what they would communicate to interior designers and architects: plan ahead. “We would encourage interior designers to consider any project’s accessibility requirements as early as possible,” says Maley. “This avoids the often costly and inconvenient changes to drawings, room sizes, wall reinforcement, etc.” He has also found today’s older generation to be more tuned-in to aesthetics and unwilling to consider anything institutional- looking. “Our residential clients are
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