Kitchen & Bath Business - September 2018 - 19

"A light color palette is highly suggested to create an environment that is more sleep inducing for
a baby and calming for the caregivers," said Lisa
Janvrin, founder of Omaha, Neb.-based Youthful
Nest, a design service specializing in nurseries
and kids' rooms. "Bright colors can overstimulate
a baby and disrupt sleep, but going with neutrals
makes the perfect canvas for future pops of color
like bedding and wall art."
Janvrin recommends anticipating a child's
growth in a home as well. Stairs should be closed
so little ones cannot fall through when they learn
to walk, and all glass should be tempered to prevent breakage during toddler tantrums. Soft-close
cabinet doors and drawers can keep fingers from
getting caught, and all doors should have a way to
unlock from both sides in case a child gets stuck in
a room. Grab bars near the bathtub not only help
a child learn how to safely bathe but can also assist
the person bathing the child.
DESIGNING FOR SENIORS

"As crazy as it sounds, most of the recommendations of design choices for young children are the
same for seniors," said Stephenson. "Our days as
babies will mirror our days as seniors. We needed
help with our basic needs when we were toddlers,
and we will go back to needing assistance with
some of those basic needs as we get older."
Wider doors, hallways and stairs are good for
strollers, walking next to a child and using a walker.
Grab bars are universal for any age. Products like
comfort-height toilets, LED lighting and induction cooktops ensure both safety and comfort for
both age groups.

Trends

Malvina from NEWPORT
BRASS boasts ADA-compli-

ant lever handles and a solid
brass construction. Available
in 27 finishes, the faucet
includes a pop-up drain with
a tailpiece and quarter-turn,
washer-less ceramic disc
valve cartridges.

ABOVE The grab bars from

GINGER's Kubic Collection

are now available in a matteblack finish to fit with today's
trends. The grab bars boast a
solid brass construction and
a two-post design, and they
conform to ADA guidelines.

LEFT The microwave drawer

from SHARP has an Easy
Wave Open feature for a
quick, touchless opening.
Concealed, touch-glass
controls are easy to see
and operate at a convenient
45-degree angle. There are
flexible placement options,
allowing designers to position the microwave into an
island, peninsula or below
the wall oven.
BOTTOM LEFT REV-A-SHELF's
new 499 Series is designed
for 18-in. blind corner
cabinets, allowing users to
easily access items stored
deep inside. This two-tier
organizer features a contemporary gray frame with walnut
dovetail drawers, which glide
on full-extension slides with
soft-close capabilities.

"The most important components of successful multigenerational living - particularly with
seniors - are privacy, safety and independence,"
said Mary Cook of Chicago-based Mary Cook
& Associates. "Any product that streamlines life,
monitors safety and security and allows mobilitychallenged individuals to live attendant free are big
contributors to this type of lifestyle."
Anticipating future needs should also be part
of the design plan for seniors. Even if the client
is still active and mobile, designing for potential
inhibited mobility later on can help them stay in
their home longer.
This can be done with small design choices,
like using channel drains instead of center drains
in a shower so a wheelchair-bound person always stays on a level plane. A wheelchair also
needs a 5-ft. radius to turn around; a designer
should make sure to include enough room
throughout the floor plan for this or else the
client will find their own home difficult in which
to maneuver.
"For someone in a wheelchair, height makes a
big difference in both the kitchen and bath," said
Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D., an expert on universal
and accessible design, as well as a Certified Living
in Place Professional and Certified Senior Home
Safety Specialist.
Countertops should be lowered for food preparation, wall cabinets should have the ability to
come down, and there should be more pull-out
shelves in the kitchen. Electrical switches should
be at 48 inches above the finished floor, and outlets
should be placed at 18 to 24 inches high.
"These elements would allow anyone to remain
in their home as their lifestyle changes over time,"
said Wanda Gozdz of Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based
Golden Age Living.

HARDWARE RESOURCES'

newest line of Elements
decorative knobs and pulls,
Aiden, offers three sizes of
high-arch hardware that offer
ample clearance for hands
of people of all abilities. The
coordinating T-knobs also
make it easier for different
generations to open and
close cabinets and drawers.

Cyndi, a cylindrical LED
rail head from NORA
LIGHTING, features an
array of versatile features,
including full-rotation aiming
and two field-changeable
beam spreads. With sleek,
contemporary lines, Cyndi is
offered in three sizes and can
be attached anywhere along
Nora's 120V bendable Rail
System for optimum lighting
where it is needed.

Kitchen & Bath Business - September 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business - September 2018