Designing an accessible bathroom that allows your clients to go about their daily life, no matter their age or ability, shouldn’t just be about function.
Accessible bathrooms that are practical and elegant are increasingly becoming the norm across the globe.
Lise Bornstein, a partner at Los Angeles architecture firm KFA, told the Washington Post that accessible design was about adding “independence and dignity at home”.
With more Australians wanting to live their twilight years in their own homes rather than enter aged care, Seima understands the need for bathrooms to be more cosy, rather than clinical.
“I strongly believe that beauty should never have to give way to function, there’s always an opportunity to create synergy between them,” Victoria Segredos, Seima’s Marketing Manager said.
“We want to ensure people are able to go ahead with their daily lives as best they can. You never know what tomorrow holds, it’s about thinking ahead.”
What to consider when designing an accessible bathroom
When it comes to designing an accessible bathroom, there are a range of aesthetic and practical factors to consider.
Spatial dynamics: Victoria says one of the most important factors to consider when designing your bathroom is the spatial dynamics between the bath, toilet and hand basin. Having ample free space allows easy access and manoeuvrability.
The height of your toilet: Making sure your toilet is at the right height is crucial when laying out the bathroom your client will need for the years ahead. A higher toilet allows for easier access without having to strain to use your toilet. “The Easy Care Height toilet is easier to get on and off, especially for people with hip, leg and back mobility issues,” Victoria said.
Easy access to your bathroom: A lot of the decisions you’ll make when designing an accessible bathroom revolve around making your client’s life easier in the long run. As such, it’s a good idea to place a bathroom on the ground floor if you have a multi-storey house, to avoid climbing stairs.
Consider your storage options: Vanities take up a lot of space in bathrooms, especially if you want more room, not less. Consider opting for drawers that will make it easier for your clients to find their toiletries, without having to bend over and rummage around in the back of cupboards.
Having a basin mixer with a long handle: Basin mixers aren’t just for people with physical disabilities, Victoria says. “They also make it easier for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s who can lose hand dexterity and coordination.”
Room for grab rails to be installed: Designing an adaptive bathroom allows you to factor in space for grab rails and shower chairs when and if your clients need them.
Exploring the Seima Life range
Our Seima Life range — part of the Evolve collection — has been designed with mobility and access experts.
The range features a cohesive range of products, including minimalist designed ceramic-wall basins, stylish Rimless Clean Flush toilets and high-quality care handles, perfect for older Australians and people with disability.
“It’s important that no matter your ability or age, you can still use a basin to wash your hands, and use a toilet with ease,” Victoria said.
Victoria says some of the most popular products in the range include the Modia care floor mount toilet and the Limni 720 ceramic basin, which can be customised with coloured pop-up plugs and basin bottle traps.
“We ensured that the Limni has a nice internal and external contour, and we spent a lot of time perfecting the straight edges so that the shelf is visually in proportion to the basin,” Victoria said.
“There are some larger format basins on the market that get a lot of warping, but we took time QA testing the tolerance of the ceramic and mould, to ensure every basin is up to Seima’s high-quality and beauty standards.”
With its ability to effortlessly blend style and practicality, Victoria says there are plans to expand the Seima Life range and offer more products.
“We are working on it,” she says.
“We have a range of care products in the pipeline and we can’t wait to launch them.”
To create an accessible bathroom that is functional and beautiful, explore our Seima Life range today.