It has been a busy few days as the Plumber and Electrician work in the kitchen. Doug from Bill Howe Plumbing and Phil and Erik from LightWorks are working on the transformation of our kitchen. We are looking forward to the improved lighting to brighten our days! With the old kitchen removed, it is easier to see the "Vision" of our Designer, Lindsay Hester of Hester Interiors. Universal Design was a new term to me at the start of this contest but I have now learned much about the concept. The research paper "Universal Design in Housing" from the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University is a wonderful resource about Aging in Place and Universal Design. The website is http://www.ncsu.edu/www/ncsu/design/sod5/cud/pubs_p/docs/UDinHousing.pdf Universal Design is defined as the design of products, and environments to be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. The Universal Design Concept targets all ages, sizes, and abilities and can be applied to all buildings. A Universal Design Feature is any component of a house that can be used by everyone regardless of their level of ability or disability. Thus, Universal Design will benefit anyone and is the perfect solution for our family. Some of the components Lindsay incorporated into our design include pull-out Drawers and shelves which will make it easier to maneuver large items in and out of cabinets. I sometimes rely on Laura to drag out the heavy pots and pans in the back of cabinets. Our new dishwasher drawers will place the racks in easy access and view of everyone. And the new lighting and contrasting materials will be especially beneficial to Torin and me. It has been over a year since I entered the contest for our new kitchen. I remember reading about the contest, about the possibility of AGING IN PLACE and how appropriate that sounded for our family. Our new kitchen will allow us to stay in our home for many more years.
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