What exactly is Universal Design?

Leo Chantre, Lisa Bonneville, Mark Doughty and Jason Sevinor

photo credit: Jessica Delaney

Our ability to navigate comfortably through our homes on a daily basis was the topic of discussion at a Design New England Design Salon that we hosted earlier this month in our Beverly showroom. Three guest speakers – Lisa Bonneville of Bonneville Design, Leo Chantre of Stone Projects, and Mark Doughty of Thoughtforms – joined us to share what they know about designing a home with accessibility in mind.

While some think of Universal Design as preparation for Aging in Place, the real plus side of planning ahead for possible limited mobility is that spaces designed with universally accessible features actually benefit a variety of ages and abilities. From the very young to the elderly, to those with temporary or long-term physical challenges, the principles of universal design improve quality of life by creating environments that are safe and comfortable. For those who want to remain in their homes as long as possible, preparing ahead may actually save money in the long term, by avoiding the expense of having to move into an assisted living facility.

photo credit: Jessica Delaney

We asked designer Lisa Bonneville to share the story behind her award-winning master bath that featured universal design products from our showroom. Lisa is the author of The Safe Home, and is an expert on creating lifelong interiors. Lisa explained how there are many thoughtful options available today for universally designed spaces. Gone are the days of commercial looking grab bars and sterile environments. Homeowners can age safely and comfortably in their homes and still satisfy their design sensibilities.

Bonneville Design // photo credits: Eric Roth

Universal design considerations mentioned by our speakers:

•

prevent falls and slips with flush

entries and adequate lighting

•

install wood paneling behind drywall

for future grab bar installation

•

install curbless entry in shower and plan

for room for caretaker in the bath 

•

touchless faucets and toilets with self-care features

provide independence in the bath

•

non-porous countertops require least maintenance

while being extremely hygenic

•

non-glare surfaces and layered light options

are helpful for the vision impaired

•

include multiple surface heights to accommodate

a variety of ages and heights

•

provide accessible storage via

roll out shelves and drawers

•

plan for single level living (full bath on ground floor)

when hoping to age in place 

•

incorporate exterior views and natural light into the home to be enjoyed by those who spend large stretches of time indoors

photo courtesy: Thoughtforms

photo credit: Jessica Delaney

We had a full house for this event, and a number of people with physical challenges who rely everyday on accessibility through universal design were in the crowd and generously shared their unique points of view.

We thoroughly enjoyed presenting this very important topic for discussion and are always happy to assist our customers in discovering the best fixtures and accessories for a safe, efficient, and beautiful bath. 

To view additional photos taken during our Design Salon event, please visit our facebook page.

Timothy Hopkins Catering // photo credit: Jessica Delaney

Floral arrangements by Laura Thomson Design

photo credit: Jessica Delaney

Event sponsored by Design New England 

   

Designers Shine at Designer Bath

Succulent arrangement created by Laura Thomson

Last month we hosted our first “Designers Shine with Designer Bath” award party in our Beverly showroom. Designers were invited to submit photos of projects that they had completed using items from our showroom for review by a panel of judges, with the winning space to be photographed by Michael J. Lee Photography for one of our upcoming ads in Design New England Magazine. This was our first time running this contest, and we were pleased to receive photos of almost two dozen gorgeous spaces! Each space had unique qualities, but only one could be chosen. Leading up to the evenings announcement of the contest winner, submitting designers and invited guests mingled with our showroom staff plus representatives from a number of the quality lines represented in our 4,500 square foot showroom.    

Designer Bath President Ralph Sevinor with wife Debra

Jennifer Frost of Chive Events with designer Nancy Faye Glass

A delicious array of food was prepared and served by the charming women of Chive Events, who happen to be located right around the corner from us. Our menu had a tangerine tango theme to coordinate with the vibrant orange in our Designer Bath logo. A signature cocktail, the Tangerine Mint Spritzer, was a big hit with our full house of guests. A ginger peach cheesecake bite, offered for dessert, was indescribably delicious. Local craft brews, sustainably produced wines and fresh brewed ice tea were offered along with carbonated beverages from our Everpure Exubera sparkling water dispenser.

Ginger peach cheesecake bites from Chive Events

Julia Frost pouring Tangerine Mint Spritzers.

Designers Katherine Hawkins and Rosanne Palazola

with real estate agent Tina McManus of Bean Group

and Stacy Carpenter of Meadowview Construction.

Along with dramatic table centerpieces by Chive Events, the rest of the showroom was dressed with ocean-inspired flower arrangements and grass filled urns created by Laura Thomson Designs. 

Orchid filled cylinders topped with driftwood

by Laura Thomson Design

Designers Lynda Onthank and Sally Wilson

with showroom consultant Dale Gusman.

We enjoyed having many talented designers in attendance who have put together bath and kitchen design projects with the help of our expert showroom consultants. Seeing their photos of finished spaces is always so rewarding after a project, which can take quite awhile from pencil sketches to finishing touches, is finally considered compete. 

Design New England Magazines were available for all guests to take home and enjoy. The winning space of our design contest will be unveiled very soon in their September/October issue which will feature home renovations. This will be a great issue for our winning designer to be seen in ...

Winning designer Ian Mentasti of

Stephen Terhune Woodworking

Above is a sneak peek of the winning space. This master bath was designed by Ian Mentasti of Stephen Terhune Woodworking, a division of the design/build firm Carpenter & MacNeille. The custom detail of the submitted space really spoke to our judges when searching for one image that could represent the Designer Bath experience.

Designer Kristina Crestin of KC Studios with

showroom consultant Mindy Sevinor.

We will be sharing snapshots of the other entries in our first award contest in future posts on this blog. All of the spaces – from colorful kitchens to charming powder rooms – were great examples of what is possible when partnering with Designer Bath/Salem Plumbing Supply.  

Colleen Bertolino of Wenham Museum

with interior designer Lori Scholz.

From our showroom: consultants Michelle Ritchie,

Beezee Honan and Sharon Hunt 

Altmans representative Luis Ramirez with

Designer Bath Vice President Jason Sevinor

Of course no party is complete without a swag bag of goodies. Each of our guests received some of our favorite Designer Bath takeaways, along with information on new products being offered in our showroom. And everyone left with a Designer Bath spa robe of their very own, which put a smile on a lot of faces!

Submitting designers also received a small gift wrapped in a

make-up removing washcloth from Turkish Towel Company.

We would like to thank Bain Ultra, Dornbracht and Maax for sponsoring this special showroom event. If you are an interior designer, we invite you to consider Designer Bath as a resource for your next bath or kitchen design project. Check out our Shine page on our website for future designer related announcements, plus entry information for next years “Designers Shine with Designer Bath” contest. To see more photos from this years event, visit us on facebook.