The winter months are upon us, meaning everyone will be spending more and more time indoors. During this time, it's common to look around your home and take stock of changes you might like to make: design decisions, renovation dreams, future needs.

Whether you’re buying, building or remodeling, a home needs to suit you, your family and your future. With that in mind, we wanted to share with you some information about something you may not have considered for your home before: universal design.

What is universal design?

 Universal design is an approach focused on making homes and commercial spaces accessible to everyone, regardless of things like age, ability or disability..  

We often hear the concept used in conjunction with aging in place, but it goes well beyond that. A house that incorporates universal design can certainly allow occupants to grow old in their homes safely and comfortably., but the goal is to make the house easy for everyone to navigate, no matter their age (young or old), size (short or tall), or health (sick or well).  

Universal design also goes beyond spaces. It’s applied to products, such as cooking tools, kitchen and bath fixtures, and more.

Examples of Universal Design in the Home

Examples include door levers instead of traditional doorknobs, curbless showers, easy-to-access shelving, bright lighting, anything that optimizes the comfort and ease of use for all people. Universal design can be applied to almost every aspect of your home.

Do most builders design with this concept in mind today?

Not necessarily. First, it's important to point out that a traditional "builder" might not be involved with a home's design at all. That's why working with a design/build firm can be extremely beneficial (you can learn more about the concept of design/build here). A design/build firm manages the design and construction. Second, universal design, while growing in popularity, isn't necessarily something that all design/build firms will automatically design for. That's why it's important for you to understand your options and clearly communicate your goals with your designer/builder. 

Will universal design affect the look I'm trying to achieve?

No. The goal is to get your design to work to your liking while making it functional for everyone. Products that are being designed today keep both function and beauty in mind. 

Resources on universal design

The Center for Universal Design has a free fact sheet that you can download. You can learn more about the concept, including the seven guiding principles, on the UniversalDesign.com website as well.