Bathroom fixtures that are more comfortable for seniors (and everyone else too)

Some features typically associated with the needs of the elderly are now becoming commonplace choices for homeowners of all ages: grab bars in showers and tubs (see photo left), higher vanities that require less stooping to brush your teeth or put in those contacts, and even taller stools.

As the second most popular remodeling project, the bathroom is an excellent place to invest money on a remodel because your return on investment could be as much as 90 percent.

Stone or synthetic?

If you think that you only have two choices when it comes to kitchen and bathroom countertops, stone or synthetic, you should take another look. Several manufacturers, including Corian, are introducing new collections of synthetic countertops that could pass for real stone.

“Corian has a new Private Collection,” says Amy Burgess, sales & interior designer at Kitchen & Bath Distributing in Iowa City. With new colors and textures, “some almost take on a travertine stone look,” Burgess says.

With names like Canvas, Rice Paper and Raffia, the new Corian line offers a natural, earth-tone, weathered look.

“People are looking for a countertop that has a natural feel to it,” Burgess says.
She admits that most clients choose a countertop based solely on its color, not whether it’s natural or man-made. With an ever broader range of countertop colors to choose from, consumers should have little trouble finding just the right countertop.

Garages doing double duty
 
Even though it may seem that your garage is stuffed to the rafters, “there’s generally a lot of unused space in the garage,” says Joel Fagan, owner of Space For Everything in Iowa City.

He advises that homeowners decide what they really need to store in their garage.

“There is a big variety of things that go in the garage,” Fagan says, “yard tools, sports gear and overflow from the house.” He has worked with clients who want to use their garages for document storage and to provide additional pantry space or storage space for things that might traditionally be kept in the house.

After figuring out what you need to store in your garage, Fagan recommends a wall-mounted grid system that can change as your storage needs change.

“It’s very flexible and you can readjust it as you need to,” he says. In addition to wall-mounted units, consider ceiling mounted hoists for big items like bikes and canoes.