A curbless shower with seating. Nonslip flooring and grab bars. Levered faucet fixtures, a low sink and a higher toilet. As we age, it gets more and more difficult to get around our homes, but universal design in the 21st century doesn’t have to emulate the cold, institutional designs of the past.
Ridgewood Interiors owner Taplynn Dugan knows this firsthand—she, along with Homestead Builders of Ho-Ho-Kus, has taken her 1930s English Tudor and transformed it into an award-winning example of universal design, seamlessly incorporating elements that make everyday functions easier for people of all abilities and ages while keeping the home’s character intact. Modern innovations paired with a calming palette of soft grays and beiges bring warmth into a home built for aging in place.
Dugan, who is also a registered nurse, brought her vision of a safe and healthy home environment to life in the new kitchen, laundry area, bath and first-floor family room that she may eventually convert into a first-floor bedroom, should she need to. And her vision was validated with the American Society of Interior Designers’ 2016 Silver Design Excellence Award for Universal Design, awarded for her accessible bathroom renovation. “In the past, owners were forced to adapt to the house rather than the house be adapted to the needs of the users,” Dugan explains. “The guiding principle of my design concept was to create a beautiful, safe and user-friendly environment.”
Features that please the senses, custom window treatments and artwork—coupled with the accessibility-for-all tenet of universal design—make this residence truly a home for a lifetime.