Often, accessibility features get added only after an injury, diagnosis, or aging makes them necessary. West Sound designer Molly McCabe argues homeowners should build for mobility and comfort before they need it — using Universal Design principles that can look seamless, not clinical.
McCabe, a retired general contractor and founder of McCabe By Design, has been putting those ideas into practice for decades — including in her own rebuilt home. When she’s not busy with clients, McCabe volunteers with Sustainable Bainbridge’s Zero Waste initiative and is a member of the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild’s board as an at-large member.
In addition to rebuilding their home to comply with Built Green Standards in 2005, McCabe, at the time 43 years old, also redesigned their home to be accessible to wheelchair users and aging bodies by equipping its entire first floor with everything an adult might need and a menu of inclusive features. West Sound magazine recently chatted with the interior designer to hear more about her design philosophy and why more homeowners should be thinking of incorporating accessible design elements earlier rather than later.
Questions are in bold; McCabe’s responses follow.
How do you define Universal Design? Universal Design is simply smart design. It makes a home habitable and visitable by anyone, regardless of their limitations — it’s inclusive. Additionally, homes that have accessible design features and materials often sell at a premium and stay on the market fewer days due to scarcity.
How is it different from basic accessibility or ADA compliance? ADA is a government mandate that applies to public buildings such as schools, hospitals, government housing, etc. It does not apply to single-family residences or multifamily residences.
Why should young, healthy homeowners care about it? Because they never know when they might need it! No one plans to be in an accident or to have a disabling condition. “Future-proofing” is always a good idea when one is remodeling or building new. Additionally, many of us are caring for our parents, and it’s often easier and more cost-effective to do so in our own homes.
What features should be planned early, even if added later? If you’re remodeling, install blocking in the walls for grab bars, especially in showers and around toilets, so that when the need for grab bars does arise, it is just a matter of a power drill and a few minutes of your time.
Widening doors, doorways, and hallways is always a good idea — outside of making a home more inviting, people feel welcomed. Replacing carpet with hard surfaces such as wood, luxury vinyl planking, cork, linoleum, and tile reduces tripping hazards, dust, and makes cleaning and maintenance easier. Also, whole-house lighting, HVAC, audio, and window-blind controls improve safety and comfort, and can reduce utility bills. Incorporating convenience hardware on cabinets in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and closets facilitates the contents of the cabinetry coming to you rather than you to it.
Using aesthetically pleasing “wayfinding” color and textures helps too (for example: use of contrasting colored tile in a shower can provide its user a point of orientation in the event they lack stability or become dizzy). For new construction, it’s a matter of thinking through how the home will be used and by whom. Zero-threshold showers, bidet-style toilets, and elevators are just the tip of the iceberg.
How do you make Universal Design feel seamless and stylish — not clinical? Universal Design features and materials should be seamless and not call attention to themselves, even grab bars. It is a matter of selecting attractive yet functional materials.
Where does it matter most — kitchen, bathroom, or elsewhere? Everywhere, from the points of entry to each room where daily life happens, e.g., kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, laundry, home office, garage — and don’t forget the yard! We all want to be able to enjoy the outdoors. Consider raised beds for ease of gardening, meandering paths, and ramps that are aesthetically interesting and easy to navigate.
What are your go-to features (e.g., curbless showers, grab bar blocking, bidets)? In addition to curbless showers with built-in benches or wall-hung fold-up benches, my go-to features are grab-bar blocking, bidet-style toilets, and thermostatic shower valves for comfort, safety, and water savings.
Also, convenience hardware in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room is essential for quality of life at any age (examples include a pull-out pantry, pull-down closet rods, and drawers instead of cabinets). Lighting is also huge! Undercabinet toe-kick lighting and backlighting are all excellent ways to promote wayfinding and to highlight materials throughout a home. Dimmer switches to control lighting to coincide with our circadian rhythms can be important for good health.
Creating layouts for a room that are intuitive — for example, where are the logical locations for storing dishes, spices, and tools in a kitchen? Additionally, controlling cords by having power stations for electronic devices out of sight and reducing the size or quantity of furniture so that a room is easier to navigate.
What would you include if you were designing for your future self? I already have! I redesigned and rebuilt my manufactured home in 2005. It has zero-threshold entry points, everything an adult would need is on the first floor, the hydronic heating is zoned, and you can turn down the temperature in the upstairs spaces. The kitchen toe-kicks are higher than standard, so wheelchair users can work in the kitchen. Bathroom vanities are wall-hung with space underneath; bathroom drawers and doors are on touch latches, which reduce the required dexterity for opening them.
What are the biggest mistakes homeowners make when they skip it? Letting the house dictate how they live there rather than how long they would like to live there. Most people live longer lives with greater personal satisfaction when they live in their own home, as opposed to assisted care or in skilled nursing homes.