The design guidelines that will help you live in your home longer (and more comfortably)

When it comes to building or renovating your home, it's essential to consider not just your immediate needs but also your long-term comfort and accessibility. After all, a home is a significant investment, and you'll likely want to enjoy it for many years to come. The last thing you want to be doing is relocating down the track because your beloved home no longer fits your needs as you age. And the longer you can live independently without the need to move into a ‘home’, the better! It makes sense, then, to design your home so you can stay there as long as possible: living safely, comfortably, and independently well into old age.

The Livable Housing Design Guidelines sets out a range of standards that you can apply to the design of your new home or renovation, helping you create a home that is not only beautiful but also practical, safe, and accommodating for people of all ages and abilities. Following these guidelines can help you create a space in which you can live comfortably for many years to come.

With the idea of accessibility and aging in place, you might be imagining handrails and ramps everywhere, which frankly doesn’t sound very appealing! But the opposite is actually true. If you design with the standards in mind from the beginning, you won’t have to retrofit ugly workarounds. In fact, your house will look scarcely different from the neighbours’! Plus, it’s a lot more cost-effective and efficient to plan for it now, rather than trying to retrofit down the track. Up to 22x more cost-effective, in fact.[1]

Besides, livable houses aren’t just for the oldies:

What about young families trying to navigate prams through the house or worried about trip hazards for their toddlers?

What about those occasions where a family member sustains a temporary injury requiring crutches or a mobility aid?

Or, what if a friend or relative – one of the 1 in 5 Australians with a disability – wants to visit? Do you want them to feel safe and comfortable in your home?

The Livable Housing Design Guide helps to create better homes for all of these needs.

What are some of the design standards?

To give you an insight into the standards and how they might be incorporated into your new home or renovation, we’ve outlined some of the key aspects below:

Step-free entrances

One of the key principles of the Livable Housing Design Guidelines is to ensure that your home has step-free entrances. This allows for easy access for people using mobility aids like wheelchairs, prams, or even those with temporary injuries. By eliminating steps, you provide a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces, making it convenient for everyone to enter and exit your home. It’s still crucial to design an entrance that doesn’t let rainwater enter the home, so the entrance should be well covered, fall away from the house, and possibly even include a threshold drain. But if you have a step-free entrance, there’ll never be the need to install a ramp or handrail to allow people with mobility issues to enter and exit safely.

Wider hallways and doorways

Wider hallways and doorways are another consideration that make little difference to the cost of your home when you’re building or renovating, but become a big headache if you want to retrofit them later. A wider space ensures that people with mobility aids or those using strollers can move around easily without feeling cramped. This design feature also allows for future adaptations like installing handrails if necessary. 

Accessible bathroom and kitchen

When it comes to accidents in the home, the bathroom and the kitchen are the two biggest offenders. These spaces should be designed to accommodate people with varying levels of mobility. Features such as grab rails, adjustable countertops, and lever taps can greatly enhance accessibility and ensure that you can continue to use these essential areas comfortably as you age. But, particularly with the grab rails, you don’t have to install them now. Just be sure to provide the required additional wall framing, so the wall can support them if installed later. Similarly, it’s now possible to install the grab rail system in the wall, but leave off the actual grabrails until they’re needed. Some subtle circular covers in a colour to match your fittings and fixtures is all you’ll see until you’re ready to install the grab rails at a later date. 

Well-designed bedrooms

Bedrooms should be designed with accessibility in mind as well. If you are creating a two-storey home, it also makes sense to ensure that at least one bedroom and bathroom are located on the ground floor so they can be used by someone with mobility issues if required. Wide doorways and ample maneuvering space around the bed should also be considered. A robe as part of the bedroom, rather than a walk-in robe, is usually more space-efficient and accessible, too. These design choices allow for ease of movement and ensure that you can enjoy a comfortable night's sleep, regardless of your future needs.

Appropriate lighting and ventilation

Adequate lighting and ventilation play a crucial role in creating a comfortable living environment. Ensure that your home is well-lit, with both natural and artificial lighting options. Incorporating large windows and skylights can help maximize natural light while providing proper ventilation. Providing the right level of task lighting in areas such as the kitchen, laundry, and bathroom also ensures that those with vision problems can see what they’re doing. Additionally, consider installing light switches at accessible heights for convenience.

Storage solutions

We know everyone needs crafty storage solutions, but careful consideration and design of your storage spaces are even more important when you’re planning on living in your home for the long term. Ample storage space can help you maintain a clutter-free environment, making it easier to move around and find items. Consider incorporating adjustable shelving, lower storage options, and well-designed wardrobes to accommodate different needs over time.

Future-proofing your home

While it's impossible to predict the future, incorporating flexibility into your home's design can help future-proof it. Considering the features above such as reinforced walls that can support the installation of grab rails, extra-wide doorways that can accommodate mobility aids, and ensuring that electrical outlets are placed at convenient heights helps to make your home flexible and functional into the future.

By following the Livable Housing Design Guidelines, you can create a home that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical and comfortable for years to come. These guidelines emphasise the importance of accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring that your home is suitable for people of all ages and abilities. By incorporating these design principles, you can enjoy living in your home as you age, without the need for significant modifications or adaptations. So, whether you're building a new home or renovating your existing one, we can help you incorporate the Livable Housing Design Guidelines to create a home that will have you living comfortably, safely, and independently for years to come.

[1] New Zealand Ministry of Social Development. (2009) Economic effects of utilising Lifemark at a National level