Here’s a new definition of the luxury bath. It’s one appropriate to users of almost any age and almost any physical condition, both of which are subject to change over the course of a lifetime.
The fact is, the longer you live, the greater the chances that, sooner or later, your bathroom will fail to meet your needs. Not that this is an issue reserved for the elderly, even though, in sheer numbers, they suffer the most from poor bath design.
It also includes pregnant women and people who are shorter, taller or heavier than average. The affected group also includes those with arthritis–37 million in all, 21 million of them under the age of 65. Then there are those with chronically bad backs, occasionally creaky knees, those who experience periodic episodes of tendinitis or who cope with carpal tunnel syndrome from working long hours on computer keyboards.
The list goes on: Anyone who breaks a leg, sprains an ankle or sustains any injury that even temporarily limits physical movement will join the club.
We haven’t been demanding enough from our baths nor–despite jetted tubs, bidets, marble by the acre, and bells and whistles without end–getting our money’s worth. More than any other room in the house, the bath should accommodate us and our often-changing physical abilities over the course of our life spans.
With a little forethought, it can. Whether you’re building a new home or remodeling an old one, try to take an intergenerational approach. That doesn’t mean making the bath look institutional. A bath can be accommodating and elegant at the same time.
It does mean having a bathroom door at least 32 inches wide. Even wider is better for the portly, the pregnant and the parent carrying a child in his or her arms, not to mention anyone using crutches, a walker or a wheelchair.
It also means allowing plenty of room around and between fixtures, particularly in the middle of the room. A wheelchair requires a turning radius of about 5 feet. Meeting that standard usually will provide adequate open floor clearance for other people. Remember, someday you may have to assist someone else in the bathroom or require assistance yourself.
A walk-in shower is preferable to a tub/shower combination because it’s far easier to get into and out of. Design one with a low threshold, a threshold that can be removed if necessary or, best of all, no threshold at all. The door should be at least 32 inches wide, and it should swing out so it doesn’t trap someone who has fallen inside. A shower configuration that doesn’t require a door or even a curtain is even better.
There also should be a height-adjustable shower head attached to a hose at least 5 feet long for the short of stature, young or old, or even for bathing the dog.
For those who may lack grasping power, install a single-lever shower control with a built-in anti-scald mechanism. The control can be positioned just inside the shower enclosure for easy access; it doesn’t have to be on the same wall as the shower head.
Include a built-in or suspended and retractable bench. It will serve people who can’t stand for long periods–or at all–and women find it handy if they shave their legs in the shower.
Grab bars are a must inside the shower, around the tub and flanking the toilet. Get over the impression that these are nursing home necessities only. If you can’t bring yourself to install them next to the commode, at least include some structural bracing in the walls to accommodate them later–when you or someone else may need them.
And consider this: Grab bars may be of great value to the handicapped, but their real purpose is to keep you from becoming handicapped.
Hydraulic, height-adjustable sinks are available, but a vanity that can be used while seated will do in most cases. So will a pedestal sink. Certified kitchen and bath designer Alan Asarnow installed one of each in an elegant master bath of an able-bodied couple in Livingston, N.J., and there’s nothing institutional-looking about either of them. The bathroom will be featured in the spring issue of American HomeStyle’s Kitchen & Bath Custom Planner magazine.
Back-savers
In a master bath with two vanities, consider making one higher or lower than the other to accommodate users of different heights. Conventional 32-inch-high vanities can be backbreaking for anyone taller than 5 feet, 10 inches. Instead, build a second one at anywhere from 34 to 42 inches high.
Again, single-lever-style faucets, preferably with pullout sprays, are a good idea. It also can be a good idea to locate the faucet to the side of the sink, rather than at the back, for those who may have trouble reaching over the countertop.
Bathtubs, particularly built-in jetted tubs, should have wide ledges that allow users to sit and then swing their legs in or out–while holding on to a nearby grab bar. For safety’s sake, there should be no steps around a bathtub.
The tub’s lever-style faucet should be near the outside edge of the tub (for easy access without reaching over the tub) and should include a built-in sprayer–for those who need to bathe and wash their hair while seated. They’re also handy for bathing children or Rover.
Low-profile toilets look good but can be a major inconvenience for those who have trouble rising from a seated position–the elderly, the overweight or the weekend jock who comes home with a cast on the foot. Get a commode at least 18 or 19 inches high instead.
Or, retrofit an existing commode with a raised seat that can be ordered from a plumbing supply outlet and that will boost the user an additional 2 or 3 inches. Again, a grab bar can make getting up even easier.
Of course, non-slip flooring materials are absolutely essential. Slip-resistant vinyl and ceramic tiles are available. Marble or granite tiles can be ordered with “honed” rather than polished finishes.
As always, little things mean a lot in the bath too. That means high-contrast colors for those with diminished vision (anyone from 40 up), plenty of adjustable lighting and easy-to-reach light switches and electrical outlets. A lighted, extendible magnifying mirror can make shaving or putting on makeup easier for those who have difficulty leaning over the front edge of a vanity or sink. A built-in, retractable step under the vanity can give children a safe boost.
