Aging in Place
Choose Porcelain Wall and Floor Tile Porcelain can last a lifetime, so chances are you won’t have to replace it as you get older. It’s also perhaps the easiest surface to clean. Water and a rag normally do the trick. If you’re concerned about grout, look for porcelain tile with a rectified edge. Finely cut edges allow for thin grout joints (as little as 1/16 inch in some styles). You can purchase a presealed grout as well.
a curbless shower in the space measuring 5 feet, 8 inches by 2 feet, 8 inches. The floor tile continues seamlessly into the stall. The floor slants slightly toward a linear drain in the back. This placement will prevent wheels from getting stuck on the drain. “Home health nurses recommended the vertical grab bar because it’s helpful for pivoting from the toilet into the shower,” Perkins says. “And the grab bar at the back helps when turning around.” She placed the shampoo niche on the wall across from the shower heads so that someone assisting with showering would have easy access to it. Another aging-in-place element is the nonslip floor. The amount of grout between the small penny tiles helps with grip. Perkins also added a nonslip sealant. Style-wise, she chose a porcelain tile that looks like stone and placed it around the base of the shower and up the two side walls. “The dark herringbone tile adds interest and contrast,” she says.
Walther knew she wanted marble flooring for the room, but she also knew the material could be slippery. So she created a tile rug in the center of the space. It’s composed of small Winter Frost marble tiles laid in a chevron pattern, with a black-and-white marble border. The grout between the tiles makes it slip-resistant. She also notes that they usually keep rugs in front of the tub and the shower.
“A bathroom does not have to be huge to feel airy and spa-like,” Wylie says. “Using some simple tricks with space planning, natural light and mirrors, a bathroom can feel great. Also, editing the palette to minimize the amount of materials, colors and textures creates a more timeless, effortless look. You can always add color and trendy elements in things that are not as permanent as tile and countertops.”
ADA compliant & enough room for caregiver to assist. “This is a roll-in shower with sliding glass doors rather than a swinging door, so it is easily accessible,” Wylie says. “We included a bench, which is tucked behind the solid wall where all the plumbing components live, to make the space visually as clean as possible.” Black penny tile covers the shower floor, bench and shower head wall, creating a nonslip surface. Wylie cut down 12-by-24-inch gray ceramic tile to 6 by 24 inches for a “cooler proportion,” she says, on the bathroom walls and floor and part of the shower.
A watery, sea-glass-like mosaic tile sets a relaxing, spa-like tone. “We spotted the pretty sea green glass mosaic and my clients instantly fell in love. It was calm and serene and we set that as the tone for the bathroom,” Chapman says. “The rest of it just came together with soft grays, whites and chrome to coordinate with the tile.”
covered no-step entry
lever door handles
some prefer a surround that includes an area wide enough to sit down on so they can sit on the edge and swing their legs over into the tub. This is easiest to do if there is a grab bar installed to provide support.
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