Because they had a lovely home in an idyllic rural setting, our active, empty-nester clients wanted to remain living there as long as physically possible. With one of them diagnosed with early stage Parkinson’s Disease, the decision was made to completely remodel the entire master bathroom so they could realize their goal of staying in their home. Along with improving the accessibility, they wanted to update the appearance from the 1980’s blush-colored fixtures, cracked tiles, and glass block dividers.Their wish-list included bringing more natural light into the room, a curbless entry to a large shower that could accommodate one person and a caregiver at the same time, a freestanding tub, toilet and bidet, and an overall spa-like feel of warmth and comfort.They also wanted a small ironing board, dedicated storage for hair styling equipment, a linen cabinet, medicine cabinet, his and hers sinks, and a make-up area with seating.Their new bathroom has all that, and more!
The toilet and bidet were replaced with a Toto Neorest 550 toilet, an almost futuristic fixture —-think of the “Back To The Future” Delorean car or some appliance from the Jetsons. It combines the functions of a toilet and bidet, along with a heated seat, nightlight, remote control, automatic lid, and much more! The Neorest was installed in a more accessible area than the previous fixtures’ location, and that left plenty of room for a large, curbless shower.
Here are some of the other features of the newly remodeled space:
· Frameless shower door that swings both in and out
· Revamped in-floor heat
· Decorative (and useful!) shower niches, carefully planned for use at multiple heights (standing or seated)
· Hand-shower at free-standing tub and in the shower
· Shower valve/controls located just inside shower doorway at accessible height
· Multiple grab bars that double as towel bars
· Onyx accent tile throughout
· Two “infinity” drains in the shower that total 8 linear feet (large shower spaces require large drain capacity)
· 4 additional windows for bringing in lots more daylight
· Custom, natural cherry cabinetry and wall panels
· Granite countertops
· A sliding, frosted glass and birch door to the master bedroom
· Pull-out base cabinet for blow dryer and curling iron storage
· Pull-out ironing board that folds into its own drawer space
The original bathroom space had an angled wall that we squared off to 90 degrees. This, in turn, added a few extra feet to the master closet while still allowing the new bathroom to have a spacious feel and great function.Add in the improved accessibility, and this new bathroom has definitely been designed for a lifetime of use, to accommodate all the changes that life brings.
