Designing out disability in the most important rooms in the house » Housing » 24dash.com

Designing out Disability  

The most design-orientated rooms in modern homes are kitchens and bathrooms. With this in mind, Habinteg Housing Association in partnership with interior designer Alison Wright have created innovative, elegant, 21st century kitchens and bathrooms in two homes at Habinteg's Westwood Park scheme in Bradford.

Alison Wright specialises in 'Inclusive Design' and has designed a kitchen, bathroom and shower room in each of two properties at Westwood Park, a wheelchair standard home and a Lifetime Home, to demonstrate the art of the possible, balancing essential functionality with good looks. She also worked closely with 26 UK manufacturers whose 'Inclusive' products form the basis of her designs.

These new homes were revealed at a special event attended by the sponsoring manufacturers, housing associations, local authorities, occupational therapists, disability organisations, housing developers and building and architectural organisations. The aim of the project was to challenge stereotypical thinking about design for disability, by creating inspirational examples of stylish, accessible design which appeals to a wide range of households, from families with young children, through to older people and wheelchairs users.

Chief Executive of Habinteg, Mike Donnelly said: "With the increase in interest in shared ownership, we appreciate that more and more people want homes that are stylish and will maintain their resale value in the future. For us, Westwood Park is a demonstration of how high quality design can be brought to wheelchair accessible and Lifetime Homes.

"We would never compromise on functionality, but we wanted to demonstrate how functionality can easily be combined with outstanding visual appearance. Alison worked with our architects, wheelchair users, occupational therapists, kitchen and bathroom manufacturers, disabled charities and others to ensure that these rooms deliver everything that is required in terms of function, but do it in a stylish manner." 

Baroness Chapman, Chairperson of Habinteg, herself a wheelchair user, said: "This is a bold experiment for Habinteg. We want disabled people to have the same level of choice that is available to everyone else. A great looking kitchen or bathroom is an aspirational thing; we want people to consider that in the future every wheelchair accessible home or Lifetime Home should be designed to this standard.

"Habinteg wants to create housing opportunities, including outright purchase, and high quality design can improve both let-ability and saleability. Such homes are more rewarding for those who will live in them and visit them and the purchase and resale values are enhanced by good design."

The kitchen in the wheelchair accessible home included such features as: a waist-height oven with safety shelving, adjustable height worktop and cupboards, a fridge with pull-out shelves and an extending hose tap for filling saucepans without lifting them. For people with a visual impairment, the colours have all been carefully chosen for their non-reflective qualities, contrast and tonal balance.

Alison Wright, Director of Easy Living Home said: "It is very important that UK and other manufacturers appreciate the demographic change that is taking place in this country. In Japan, where there is already a vast ageing population, designing and building to Lifetime Home standards is already a given."

"We wanted to demonstrate that, with careful planning, it is possible to combine existing mainstream products in a way that can enhance independence in the home, without compromising either the style or re-sale value of the property. The project has a message for manufacturers, if they design their products 'inclusively' they will benefit significantly from the changing age demographic, through increased sales."