Timeless Designs for an Ageless Bathroom

It is always our goal here at Thomas Designs to create a home that will be there for you no matter what life brings. Bathrooms are one of the most accident prone areas of our homes. They can become hard to navigate no matter the age or condition of your body. There are many simple yet beautiful ways to create accessible and safe bathrooms and we want to tell you all about it~

1. Install a Shower Bench

​Shower benches are such a beautiful and easy thing to add to your shower and the amount of comfort it can bring is immeasurable. When your energy is limited, you don’t want to be using it to stand up in a slippery shower. Take a seat and enjoy your bathing time in the most comfortable way possible. If you’re working with a smaller space there are foldable and removable shower benches options that are just as sleek

2. Install Hand Held Shower Head

Not only are these super easy to install, Handheld shower heads add a polished look to your bathroom and make your shower more accessible. Paired with a shower bench, it can make people with limited energy be able to enjoy their shower time so much more.

3. Install Grab Bars

Grab bars can be made out of so many different + fun materials and add unique style to your bathroom. They also make getting in and out of the shower or bath much easier. Ask your designer about showing unique options if you’re not into the classic stainless steel.

4. Ask to Adjust the Sink & Counter Height

Bathroom counters tend to be shorter than kitchen counters by 3 inches. If you make your vanity at least36” H this will reduce the amount you need to hunch over while washing your face or brushing your teeth. Although if someone is wheelchair bound, keeping a shorter vanity is recommended and leaving space underneath to roll under is a must.

5. Check the Height of Your Toilet & Add Grab Bars

Many toilets are on the shorter side at 16” but you can use “comfort height” toilets which are generally between 17-19” high ( + ADA complaint) making sitting and standing up a lot easier. Also adding grab bars to these areas can help a lot with sitting and standing.

6) Install a Textured Tile

Floors are slippery when wet! Find a tile or flooring with texture to maximize the grip. Or if you use a 3” x 3” or 4” x 4” matte tile you will have enough grout lines to minimize slippage. The grade of slip resistance can be viewed on the tile manufacturer's website.

7. Create a Shower with No Step to Enter

to walk or roll in with ease. This reduces fall risks for everyone no matter your age or ability. Stepping in and out of a shower is one of the riskiest things that happens in any bathroom and walk in showers are so dreamy.

8. Consider the Lip of Your Bathtub.

Getting in and out of baths is extremely hard for most people but you don’t want to give them up as you age. Either opt for a shallow lip so you can step over it easily or build a casing around it with a wide lip so that you can sit and then swing your legs in.

Would you ever consider having any of these things implemented in to your bathroom designs or do you have any other ideas? let us know in the comments below!