Bathroom of the Week: A Serene Master Bath for Aging in Place
A designer helps a St. Louis couple stay in their longtime home with a remodel that creates an accessible master suite
Becky Harris
July 30, 2019
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
Sad at the prospect of having to move out of the home they’d lived in for 40 years, this retired St. Louis couple hoped to find a renovation option that would allow them to age in place. Using universal-design principles, interior designer Jennifer Chapman came up with a smart plan to transform two bedrooms, a small bathroom and a hallway on the first floor of the two-story home into one accessible master suite. LU Design Build was the contractor on the renovation.
Photos by Karen Palmer Photography
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple
Location: St. Louis
Size: 92 square feet (8.5 square meters); 8½ by 10⅘ feet
Designer: Jennifer Chapman Designs
An Accessible Bathroom Layout
Wheelchair and walker accessibility dictated the bathroom layout, including the measurements of the door, the entry to the shower and the shower stall, as well as the area around the toilet, the area underneath the vanity and the area between these spaces.
Key measurement: The opening to the bathroom is 36 inches wide to accommodate walkers and wheelchairs.
Find a local interior designer
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple
Location: St. Louis
Size: 92 square feet (8.5 square meters); 8½ by 10⅘ feet
Designer: Jennifer Chapman Designs
An Accessible Bathroom Layout
Wheelchair and walker accessibility dictated the bathroom layout, including the measurements of the door, the entry to the shower and the shower stall, as well as the area around the toilet, the area underneath the vanity and the area between these spaces.
Key measurement: The opening to the bathroom is 36 inches wide to accommodate walkers and wheelchairs.
Find a local interior designer
Spa-Like Style
Functionality for aging in place was the priority, but that didn’t mean style had to be sacrificed. A watery, sea-glass-like mosaic tile sets a relaxing, spa-like tone. “We spotted the pretty sea green glass mosaic and my clients instantly fell in love. It was calm and serene and we set that as the tone for the bathroom,” Chapman says. “The rest of it just came together with soft grays, whites and chrome to coordinate with the tile.”
She gave them the luxe look they wanted in durable, low-maintenance materials. The solid-surface countertop and integrated sink add a polished look to the vanity. “My clients wanted something easy to clean and maintain — the integrated sink does not have any hard-to-clean seams or edges,” the designer says. “We used 12-by-24-inch tiles on the shower walls and on the floor. They are all porcelain so it’s easy to clean and durable.”
These tiles continue the organic look — the floor tile looks like slate and grounds the room in a dark color, while the shower tile is lighter and resembles marble. Polished chrome faucets add some shine.
Browse glass mosaic tile in the Houzz Shop
Functionality for aging in place was the priority, but that didn’t mean style had to be sacrificed. A watery, sea-glass-like mosaic tile sets a relaxing, spa-like tone. “We spotted the pretty sea green glass mosaic and my clients instantly fell in love. It was calm and serene and we set that as the tone for the bathroom,” Chapman says. “The rest of it just came together with soft grays, whites and chrome to coordinate with the tile.”
She gave them the luxe look they wanted in durable, low-maintenance materials. The solid-surface countertop and integrated sink add a polished look to the vanity. “My clients wanted something easy to clean and maintain — the integrated sink does not have any hard-to-clean seams or edges,” the designer says. “We used 12-by-24-inch tiles on the shower walls and on the floor. They are all porcelain so it’s easy to clean and durable.”
These tiles continue the organic look — the floor tile looks like slate and grounds the room in a dark color, while the shower tile is lighter and resembles marble. Polished chrome faucets add some shine.
Browse glass mosaic tile in the Houzz Shop
An Accessible Shower
Chapman considered different phases of aging when creating the versatile design. She began with an open shower that can accommodate sitting or standing as well as a bench, walker or wheelchair. “We wanted the clients to be able to turn around in a walker or wheelchair if needed, so we kept the shower open to maintain a 60-inch turning radius in the bathroom,” Chapman says.
She placed grab bars on all three of the shower walls. The freestanding teak bench can be used as a shower bench if needed.
Key measurements: The shower opening is 4 feet wide and the stall measures 42 by 96 inches, more generous than the ADA minimum of 60 by 30 inches for a roll-in shower.
Wall paint: Opaline, Sherwin-Williams
Chapman considered different phases of aging when creating the versatile design. She began with an open shower that can accommodate sitting or standing as well as a bench, walker or wheelchair. “We wanted the clients to be able to turn around in a walker or wheelchair if needed, so we kept the shower open to maintain a 60-inch turning radius in the bathroom,” Chapman says.
She placed grab bars on all three of the shower walls. The freestanding teak bench can be used as a shower bench if needed.
Key measurements: The shower opening is 4 feet wide and the stall measures 42 by 96 inches, more generous than the ADA minimum of 60 by 30 inches for a roll-in shower.
Wall paint: Opaline, Sherwin-Williams
Chapman worked with her clients to determine the shower control placement. “These were specifically designated based on role-playing with the clients,” she says. “It is always important to walk-through with clients so that the controls and niches meet their specific requirements. Everyone is different.” The shower heads include a handheld wand.
The shower floor tile matches the rest of the floor but is in a much smaller scale. The increased amount of grout makes this wet area more slip-resistant.
The shower floor tile matches the rest of the floor but is in a much smaller scale. The increased amount of grout makes this wet area more slip-resistant.
Two shower niches are backed in the same sea glass mosaic tile as the backsplash.
An Accessible Vanity
On the other side of the shower is the vanity. Chapman designed it with space beneath the counter to accommodate a wheelchair if needed.
Key measurements: The sink height is 36 inches and the opening for knees underneath is approximately 29 inches.
On the other side of the shower is the vanity. Chapman designed it with space beneath the counter to accommodate a wheelchair if needed.
Key measurements: The sink height is 36 inches and the opening for knees underneath is approximately 29 inches.
Ample light is also an element of universal design. “We wanted the space to be very bright, so we used a lot of recessed lighting to give them plenty of light,” Chapman says.
Find design pros who specialize in universal design in your area
Find design pros who specialize in universal design in your area
An Accessibile Toilet
Versatility at the toilet area was trickier. One person potentially could need grab bars on both sides, while the other might need clearance on one side for transfer from a wheelchair. The solution Chapman came up with is a flip-down grab bar that completely folds up and flattens against the wall. The grab bar on the window side doubles as a toilet-paper holder, which cuts down on visual clutter.
Key measurements: There are 42 inches of clearance next to the toilet and 49 inches in front of it.
Shop for grab bars
Versatility at the toilet area was trickier. One person potentially could need grab bars on both sides, while the other might need clearance on one side for transfer from a wheelchair. The solution Chapman came up with is a flip-down grab bar that completely folds up and flattens against the wall. The grab bar on the window side doubles as a toilet-paper holder, which cuts down on visual clutter.
Key measurements: There are 42 inches of clearance next to the toilet and 49 inches in front of it.
Shop for grab bars
Accessible Laundry
Before the remodel, the washer and dryer were in the basement, so it was an aging-in-place must-have to bring them up to the main level. Chapman created a laundry room and closet as part of the new master suite. She created an elevated platform to lift the machines off the floor and extended the slate-like floor tile up and across the platform. Not having to bend down to load and unload the machines makes doing laundry much easier.
Key measurement: The platform is 24 inches high.
Paint in hall and laundry room: Balmy, Sherwin-Williams
Before the remodel, the washer and dryer were in the basement, so it was an aging-in-place must-have to bring them up to the main level. Chapman created a laundry room and closet as part of the new master suite. She created an elevated platform to lift the machines off the floor and extended the slate-like floor tile up and across the platform. Not having to bend down to load and unload the machines makes doing laundry much easier.
Key measurement: The platform is 24 inches high.
Paint in hall and laundry room: Balmy, Sherwin-Williams
After: The couple decided to sacrifice the smaller first-floor bedroom in order to create a master suite where they could age in place. Each dotted circle on the plan denotes the turning radius for a wheelchair. There is a linen closet across from the toilet.
The project was meaningful to the designer. “I loved working on this project — it really changed these clients’ lives. They weren’t ready to leave and now they can stay in the home they’ve loved for over 40 years,” she says.
General contractor: LU Design Build
More on Houzz
Read more stories about universal design
Hire a bathroom remodeler
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The project was meaningful to the designer. “I loved working on this project — it really changed these clients’ lives. They weren’t ready to leave and now they can stay in the home they’ve loved for over 40 years,” she says.
General contractor: LU Design Build
More on Houzz
Read more stories about universal design
Hire a bathroom remodeler
Shop for bath products
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I think they combined it with the laundry room. Pros and Cons to that choice. I wonder if they configured it for someone using a w/c or walker?
Kathleen is right, the closet shares space with the washer/dryer.
Thank you for this article. When we retire we want to have a house built, and we definitely want to take accessibility into account with our plans. This has been saved to the bathroom Ideabook!